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Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Tremlett's Bitter

Malus domestica
Tremlett's Bitter apples
Tremlett's Bitter is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

Tremlett's Bitter is a traditional English cider apple variety producing a bittersweet juice.

Tremlett's Bitter cider apple trees for sale

  • 1-year bare-root tree on M25 rootstock£35.75
    Mature height: 5m-7m after 10 years
    Can be trained on to produce a big 'standard' free-standing apple tree in a traditional apple orchard.
    Available next season

Growing and Training

Tremlett's Bitter has a reputation for being one of the easier cider varieties to grow, and the blossom has some frost resistance.


Recommended pollinators for Tremlett's Bitter cider apple trees

Tremlett's Bitter 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 Tremlett's Bitter. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Dabinett
    Dabinett
    Dabinett is a traditional English cider apple variety, producing a bittersweet juice.
  • Pollinator Brown's Apple
    Brown's Apple
    Brown's Apple is a traditional English cider apple variety producing a sharp juice.
  • Pollinator Golden Hornet
    Golden Hornet
    Malus Golden Hornet is a traditional white blossom crab apple, with persistent yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator Red Foxwhelp
    Red Foxwhelp
    Red Foxwhelp also known as Herefordshire Redstreak, is an old English cider apple variety which produces a dull red bittersweet juice.
  • Pollinator Somerset Redstreak
    Somerset Redstreak
    An English cider apple variety producing a very high-quality bittersweet juice.
  • Pollinator Yarlington Mill
    Yarlington Mill
    Yarlington Mill is a traditional English cider apple variety producing a bittersweet juice.

History

Tremlett's Bitter seems to have originated in Devon, and although it is probably an old variety, seems to have been little known outside the south-west until the 1950s..

This article by Bill Bradshaw gives more insight into making cider with Tremlett's Bitter.


Tremlett's Bitter characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Fruit persistencePersistent
  • Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonLate
  • Picking periodearly October
  • Food usesHard cider
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1850 - 1899
  • Fruit colourOrange / Red

You might also like these varieties

  • See also Dabinett
    Dabinett
    Dabinett is a traditional English cider apple variety, producing a bittersweet juice.
  • See also Kingston Black
    Kingston Black
    Kingston Black is one of the premier English cider varieties and produces a bittersharp juice.
  • See also Michelin
    Michelin
    Michelin is a traditional French cider apple variety producing a bittersweet juice.
  • See also Yarlington Mill
    Yarlington Mill
    Yarlington Mill is a traditional English cider apple variety producing a bittersweet juice.

More about cider apple trees

In the west of England, and across the Channel in north-west France, there is a long tradition of brewing cider using dedicated apple varieties. These apples are usually full of tannins, which makes them too astringent for eating fresh ... but it is these unpaltable tannins which give the 'body' which is so essential in traditional cider.

If you are serious about making your own cider then you'll probably need quite a few cider trees. As a rule of thumb, you'll need about 2kg-3kg of apples to produce 1 litre of apple juice. A big old traditional cider apple tree might produce 80kg - 160kg of apples, while a more manageable semi-vigorous tree might give you up to 50kg of apples.


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