Spring / Summer 2025Pre-orders will be open again from May. Deliveries will begin again from late November.
Roots2Fruits logo
Roots 2 Fruits
Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Herefordshire Russet

Herefordshire Russet apples
Herefordshire Russet is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

A modern russet variety, and probably one of the best-flavoured russet apples available.

Promoted with some justification as a russet with the flavour of Cox's Orange Pippin, Herefordshire Russet has a very good aromatic flavour, quite different from the nutty flavour usually associated with russet varieties.

Herefordshire Russet apple trees for sale

  • RF11-year bare-root tree on M26 rootstock£34.95
    Mature height: 2m-3.5m after 10 years
    Suitable for a semi-dwarf apple tree, a medium apple spindlebush, a medium apple fan or espalier, a large apple cordon or U-cordon.
    Available next season
  • RF22-year bare-root tree on M26 rootstock£43.00
    Mature height: 2m-3.5m after 10 years
    Suitable for a medium bush-trained semi-dwarf apple tree.
    Available next season
  • RF31-year bare-root tree on M116 rootstock£34.95
    Mature height: 2m-3.5m after 10 years
    Can be grown on as a large free-standing apple tree, a small half-standard apple tree, or a large apple fan or espalier.
    Available next season
  • RF41-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
  • RF52-year bare-root tree on MM106 rootstock£43.00
    Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
    Suitable for a large bush-trained free-standing apple tree.
    Available next season
  • RF62-year half-standard bare-root tree on MM106 rootstock£46.50
    Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
    Suitable for a free-standing half-standard apple tree.
    Available next season

Growing and Training

Herefordshire Russet is quite easy to grow, and shares many of the horticultural characteristics of its sibling Fiesta (also the offspring of Cox's Orange Pippin and Idared).


Recommended pollinators for Herefordshire Russet apple trees

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

  • Pollinator Scrumptious
    Scrumptious
    Scrumptious is a modern award-winning early-season English dessert apple.
  • Pollinator Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff is one of the best garden apple trees, heavy crops, easy to grow, and very juicy.
  • Pollinator Red Devil
    Red Devil
    Red Devil is a good apple variety for the UK garden, and produces a sweet red-tinted juice.
  • Pollinator Spartan
    Spartan
    Spartan produces lots of crimson maroon apples, crunchy, sweet, easy to grow, delicate "vinous" flavour.
  • Pollinator Fiesta
    Fiesta
    Fiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
  • Pollinator Sunset
    Sunset
    Sunset is a popular garden alternative to Cox, easier to grow, with a sweet aromatic flavour.
  • Pollinator Greensleeves
    Greensleeves
    Greensleeves is a reliable and popular mid-season green/yellow apple, easy to grow and productive.
  • Pollinator Worcester Pearmain
    Worcester Pearmain
    Worcester Pearmain is a well-known early-season English apple, noted for its strawberry-like flavours.

History

Herefordshire Russet was developed by the English apple breeder Hugh Ermen, and released in 2002. It is a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Golden Delicious.


Herefordshire Russet characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonLate
  • Picking periodmid-October
  • Keeping1-2 months
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin2000
  • 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 Norfolk Royal Russet
    Norfolk Royal Russet
    Norfolk Royal Russet is a glorious golden-russet apple which tastes as good as it looks.
  • 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.


Pages you viewed