Kitchen Garden Forum

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.

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

Naming is fine, advertising is not.

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.

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

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

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.

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