Spring 2025Order your bare-root trees now whilst stocks last!
Tel. 01759 392007

Ashmead's Kernel apple trees

Malus domestica
Ashmead's Kernel apples
Ashmead's Kernel has received the RHS Award of Garden MeritAshmead's Kernel is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late October
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 4
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current) 1993

Ashmeads Kernel is a very old traditional English russet apple. It remains popular for its distinctive pear-like flavour which is quite different from most other apple varieties.

Although often considered as a connoisseur's dessert apple, Ashmead's Kernel is actually quite versatile. It can be used for cooking, or sliced in savoury salads, and it keeps very well in a cold store.

Ashmead's Kernel is also becoming increasingly recognised for its juice, which adds an interesting fruity component to cider blends.

Ashmead's Kernel 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 11.5L pot-grown tree M27 rootstock£60.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Very small tree (< 1.7m after 10 years)
  • PG22-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree M26 rootstock£56.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
  • PG32-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)
  • PG4Premium half-standard 12L pot-grown tree MM106 rootstock£61.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR12-year bush-trained bare-root treeM9 rootstock£44.75
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
  • BR22-year bush-trained bare-root treeM26 rootstock£43.00
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR31-year bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£34.95
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR42-year bush-trained bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£43.00
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR52-year half-standard bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£46.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR61-year bare-root treeM25 rootstock£35.75
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)
  • BR72-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 24th February.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Ashmead's Kernel is quite easy to grow, and perhaps because it is such an ancient variety, it is relatively disease resistant. It can be a light cropper and this usually caused by poor pollination at blossom time - planting another late-flowering apple tree or crab-apple tree nearby is a good idea.

Recommended pollinators for Ashmead's Kernel apple trees

Ashmead's Kernel 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 Ashmead's Kernel. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Braeburn
    Braeburn
    Braeburn is one of the best-flavoured supermarket apple varieties.
  • Pollinator Gala
    Gala
    Gala is popular supermarket apple - but better when home-grown, with a sweet pleasant flavour.
  • Pollinator John Downie
    John Downie
    John Downie is a traditional crab apple for making crab apple jelly. White blossom and orange-red fruits.
  • Pollinator Golden Hornet
    Golden Hornet
    Malus Golden Hornet is a traditional white blossom crab apple, with persistent yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator Newton Wonder
    Newton Wonder
    A traditional English cooking apple, a good alternative to Bramley.
  • Pollinator Wedding Bouquet
    Wedding Bouquet
    Malus Wedding Bouquet features ivory-white blossom and tiny red berry-like fruitlets.
  • Pollinator Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange is a well respected Cox-style apple which can achieve very good flavour.
  • Pollinator Peasgood's Nonsuch
    Peasgood's Nonsuch
    Peasgood Nonsuch is a highly-regarded old-fashioned English cooking apple.

History

Originated in England in the 1700s, probably in Gloucestershire.


Ashmead's Kernel characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group4
  • Pollinating othersPoor
  • Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climates

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingLight
  • Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more
  • Food usesEating freshJuice

Problems

  • Disease resistanceGood
  • Scab (Apple and Pear)Some resistance
  • Powdery mildewSome resistance

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1700 - 1749
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourRusset
  • AwardsRHS AGM (current)

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

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.


Pages you viewed