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Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Norfolk Royal Russet

Norfolk Royal Russet apples
Norfolk Royal Russet is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

This must surely qualify as one of the best-looking apples - and it tastes great too. It has the classic English russet flavours, sweet and pear-like, with soft-chewy slightly dry flesh - very moreish.

As with most russets, it somehow seems more appropriate to eat this apple by cutting it into slices first, rather than just biting into it.

Norfolk Royal Russet apple trees for sale

  • 1-year bare-root tree on MM106 rootstock£34.95
    Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
    Can be trained on as a large free-standing apple tree, a half-standard apple tree, a large apple fan or espalier, or a pleached apple tree.
    Available next season

Recommended pollinators for Norfolk Royal Russet apple trees

Norfolk Royal 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 Norfolk Royal Russet. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.

  • Pollinator Evereste
    Evereste
    Evereste is one of the most well-known crab-apples, featuring white blossom and red-yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator Fiesta
    Fiesta
    Fiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
  • Pollinator Gorgeous
    Gorgeous
    Malus Gorgeous has pink/white blossom and spherical cherry-like red fruits which are good for jelly.
  • Pollinator Greensleeves
    Greensleeves
    Greensleeves is a reliable and popular mid-season green/yellow apple, easy to grow and productive.
  • Pollinator Katy
    Katy
    Katy is an attractive and versatile early apple variety from Sweden, very easy to grow.
  • Pollinator Red Devil
    Red Devil
    Red Devil is a good apple variety for the UK garden, and produces a sweet red-tinted juice.
  • Pollinator Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff is one of the best garden apple trees, heavy crops, easy to grow, and very juicy.
  • Pollinator Saturn
    Saturn
    An attractive modern English apple, crisp flesh and an excellent flavour.

History

A russeted sport of Norfolk Royal, found in 1983.


Norfolk Royal Russet characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonMid
  • Picking periodmid-September
  • Keeping2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Fruit colourRusset

You might also like these varieties

  • See also Ashmead's Kernel
    Ashmead's Kernel
    A versatile English 17th century russet apple, Ashmead's Kernel is noted for its distinctive pear-like flavour.
  • See also Egremont Russet
    Egremont Russet
    Egremont Russet is the most popular English russet variety, and a good apple tree for the garden.
  • See also Herefordshire Russet
    Herefordshire Russet
    Herefordshire Russet is a modern russet apple variety, with an excellent strong Cox-like flavour.
  • See also Saint Edmund's Russet
    Saint Edmund's Russet
    Not as well known as other russets, St. Edmund's Russet is nevertheless one of the best.

More about apple trees

Apples are very versatile, and all varieties can be eaten or used in the kitchen. However varieties specifically grown as eating apples tend to have the best flavours for eating raw.

The main thing to decide when choosing an eating apple is when you intend to eat the apples. Early season apples are typically ready in August, and generally don't keep very long. Mid-season apples are ripe in early September, while late-season apples start to become ripe in late September and October. Many of the late-season varieties can also be stored in a fridge or cold shed for several months into the winter.

Some apple varieties are self-fertile, but most are not. However in most areas of the UK you do not need to worry whether your apple trees are self-fertile or not, as there will be other apple trees in nearby gardens to help with pollination.


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