Adams Pearmain apple trees
Malus domestica - Picking season: Late
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
- Flowering group: 3
Adams' Pearmain is a well-known traditional English apple variety of the Victorian era which remains popular today.
It is known for its rich nutty flavour, and was rated by the Victorian writer Hogg as "A dessert apple of first-rate quality".
Adams Pearmain apple trees for sale
Pot-grown
All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.
All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.
PG12-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree MM106 rootstock£56.50
Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Bare-root
BR11-year bare-root treeM116 rootstock£35.75
Medium tree
(2m-3m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
BR21-year bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£34.95
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
BR32-year bush-trained bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£43.00
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
BR42-year half-standard bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£46.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
BR51-year bare-root treeM25 rootstock£35.75
Very large tree
(4m-7m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
BR62-year (1.75m) bare-root treeM25 rootstock£46.95
Very large tree
(4m-7m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts
Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.
Tree specification
Photos of trees as supplied |
Tree sizes and forms
Next deliveries
Order now for delivery from week commencing 31st March
Delivery charges
Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.
Growing and Training
Adams' Pearmain is generally easy to grow, and it starts to bear fruit at an early age in the life of the tree. Cropping is good, and it is a good choice for growers in wetter climates.
The main problem to watch out for is a tendency to biennial bearing as the tree gets older - it may develop a pattern of alternate good and bad years. You can either just live with this, or attempt to even it out by over-thinning the fruitlets in the good year.
Recommended pollinators for Adams Pearmain apple trees
Adams Pearmain is not self-fertile and is also a poor pollinator of other varieties. Ideally you need two other different but compatible varieties planted nearby in order to produce fruit, or one compatible self-fertile variety.
The following varieties are good pollinators for Adams Pearmain.
If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.
More pollinators >
ScrumptiousScrumptious is a modern award-winning early-season English dessert apple.
Red FalstaffRed Falstaff is one of the best garden apple trees, heavy crops, easy to grow, and very juicy.
Red DevilRed Devil is a good apple variety for the UK garden, and produces a sweet red-tinted juice.
SunsetSunset is a popular garden alternative to Cox, easier to grow, with a sweet aromatic flavour.
FiestaFiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
James GrieveJames Grieve is the classic Scottish dual-purpose apple. It can be eaten fresh, and is also excellent for juicing and cooking.
SpartanSpartan produces lots of crimson maroon apples, crunchy, sweet, easy to grow, delicate "vinous" flavour.
GreensleevesGreensleeves is a reliable and popular mid-season green/yellow apple, easy to grow and productive.
History
This variety originates either from Norfolk or Herefordshire in the UK. It was first taken to the Horticultural Society of London in 1826 by a Mr Adams, under the name Norfolk Pippin, but subsequently became known as Adams' Pearmain (usually shortened to Adams Pearmain).
The parentage is unknown but Hogg (writing in 1884) notes the similarity with the Hanging Pearmain of Herefordshire.
There is some evidence that Adams' Pearmain is a triploid variety (3 sets of chromosomes instead of the usual 2) or perhaps a partial triploid. However it does not have many of the usual characteristics associated with triploid varieties, such as vigorous growth and large thick leaves.
Adams Pearmain characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
- Flowering group3
- Pollinating othersPoor
- Fruit bearingPartial tip-bearer
- Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climates
- Picking seasonLate
- CroppingGood
- Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more
- Food usesEating fresh
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1800 - 1849
- Fruit colourOrange flush
British-grown trees 
Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK.
Find out more.
In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance.
Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards
for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK.
Find out more
Guaranteed fruit trees
When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions.
Find out more.
More about apple trees
Towards the end of September and into October we see late-season apple varieties beginning to ripen. Their longer ripening period typically means these varieties have the most interesting flavours.
Unlike mid and early season apples which are generally best eaten straight from the tree, many late-season varieties need to be stored in a fridge for a few weeks to mature before their flavours are at their peak. So if you want to be able to eat home-grown apples through the winter then late-season varieties are your best choice.
Some of the most famous English apple varieties fall into this category - including the classic Adams Pearmain, and the ancient Ashmead's Kernel with its peardrop flavours. We also find popular modern varieties such as Spartan, Red Falstaff, Fiesta, and Kidd's Orange Red all coming to perfection at this time of year.
