Welsh Apple

[sincerity]

I received a catalogue on saturday from a company specialising in fruit - top fruit/ cane fruit etc. A new introduction to the catalogue was a dual purpose apple, called 'Bardsey'. As the name suggests, this tree originated from the Monks' orchard on Bardsey island. The parent tree is described as miraculously free of disease. A tree that is able to cope with all that the Welsh weather/ climate or tiroir can throw at it must be a tough beast! The fruit in the picture are very aesthetically pleasing; a striped, pink flush. I can see me buying this apple - probably as a cordon - as it sounds ideally suited to our climate. Generally, living on high ground in Wales, you are limited to a small number of trees if you want good results.
I don't like to name the catalogue in case it is against the forum rules, but if this is not the case/ members are interested in knowing where to obtain this tree, I will state the name of the company.

[alan refail]

Hi sincerity

Ah, the good old afal Enlli!

I don't like to be discouraging, but my tree which I have had for nearly ten years has been very slow growing and produces between six and no apples per year.
Pollination and set are not a problem; the apples fall off before they are full size and ripe. I would not say this is a tough tree at all. A good tasting fruit but I've tasted many better.

I see the catalogue you have received is into the romantic sales-pitch about Bardsey and the monks - who, of course, left nearly 500 years ago. The actual original tree still exists against the wall of one of the houses on Bardsey built by Lord Newborough in the 1870s - so the tree is no older than that!

For more info on its propagation by Ian Sturrock see

CYMRAEG

ENGLISH

[peter]

Naming is fine, advertising is not.

[Colin Miles]

I have had a Bardsey Apple for 3 years now. Wasn't doing terribly well in it's original place - gave it a place of honour as it was supposed to be so good - and moved it in with the others. Not doing terribly well but early years yet. Doesn't look to be that tough though.

[alan refail]

afal enlli.jpg (173.8 KiB) Viewed 2801 times

© Copyright David Medcalf and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Maybe it needs the tough life its parent gets on Enlli!

[alan refail]

Another thought occurred to me, looking at my tree yesterday. I don't know what rootstock it is on. Ian Sturrock's website has options of trees to grow to 10 or 15 feet. These both suggest a smaller (and weaker?) tree than the original Enlli apple which may or may not have been grafted - but if it was, it would have been a vigorous rootstock in the 1870s.

[John]

Hello Sincerity
As others have said any lack of growth in this variety is most likely to be due to the use of a less vigorous rootstock. There is not must you can do about this once you've got your tree. If you are looking at the P_ _ _ _ A catalogue this says (hidden away) that the rootstock used is M26 - a semi-dwarfing one. This may not be the best match for this variety.

In my limited experience of the West Wales coast and islands I think the claim that this is 'A tree that is able to cope with all that the Welsh weather/ climate or tiroir can throw at it must be a tough beast!' is a bit far fetched! It might be a bit wet and windy on Bardsey at times but otherwise I guess that it has a pleasant mild climate.

John