Rosemary Russet apple trees
Malus domestica - Picking season: Late
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
- Flowering group: 3
- Awards: RHS AGM (current) 1993
Rosemary Russet is highly-regarded classic English dessert apple.
Although considered a "russet", the extent of russeting is usually quite limited, and the skin is predominantly a pale green largely covered with an attractive orange flush.
The cream-coloured flesh is firm rather than crisp, with a well-balanced sharp-sweet flavour.
Rosemary Russet apple trees for sale
Bare-root
BR11-year bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£34.95
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Please try next season
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Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.
Tree specification
Photos of trees as supplied |
Tree sizes and forms
Delivery charges
Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.
Growing and Training
Rosemary Russet is easy to grow and generally problem-free. It is heavy-cropping but left un-checked it tends to produce very small apples, so this is a variety that repays active thinning of the fruitlets in May, to increase the size of the remaining ones.
Recommended pollinators for Rosemary Russet apple trees
Rosemary Russet is not self-fertile, so you will need another different but compatible variety planted nearby in order to produce fruit.
The following varieties are good pollinators for Rosemary Russet.
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.
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.
EveresteEvereste is one of the most well-known crab-apples, featuring white blossom and red-yellow fruits.
History
Rosemary Russet was first mentioned in 1831 by a nursery in Middlesex, however it is certainly somewhat older than this. DNA testing in 2022 by Reading University established that Rosemary Russet was a parent of Cox's Orange Pippin - in hindsight the similarities are quite obvious.
Rosemary Russet characteristics
- Gardening skillBeginner
- Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
- Flowering group3
- Pollinating othersAverage
- Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
- Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climates
- Picking seasonLate
- CroppingGood
- Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more
- Food usesEating freshJuice
- Disease resistanceGood
- CankerSome resistance
- Scab (Apple and Pear)Some resistance
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1800 - 1849
- Blossom colourPink - dark
- Fruit colourRusset
- AwardsRHS AGM (current)
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.
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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.
