What's my apple, and what's my pear?

[Kellybean]

Hi everyone,

Is it possible to roughly identify apple and pear trees by the time they blossom? I've just moved house and have inherited an apple and a pear tree. I'm regenerating the pear as it was cut down by the previous owner and has started to re-grow. It's been blossoming since late March and has now just finished. There were only 6 clumps of blossom on it, however, so I'm not holding out much hope of getting any fruit unless it's self-fertile. The apple tree is just about to burst into blossom (covered in lots of pink buds). I'm fairly sure there were a few bright green apples on it when we came to view the house at the end of September. At first I thought it might be a Bramley, but the apples were too small, as I remember.

Anyway, any help or guidance would be much appreciated as I would love to know what variety they are!

[FB.]

Not much chance of a reliable ID from the blossom unless it is particularly distinctive.

However, during this year, it would be a good idea to take pictures about once every month or two, of the tree, branches, twigs, blossoms, leaves and fruits.
You will then have a reasonably good chance of putting a name to it.

If you have some pictures - close-up and further away - it would be worth putting them up just in case they can be recognised; as I said; a few varieties are instantly recognisable but most aren't.
Some apple trees grow in a distinctive way (e.g. mushroom-shape/conifer-shape/thick-stemmed/thin-stemmed, wonky branches, wide branch angles/narrow branch angles/tip-bearing and so on).

Of course, it could be a rare variety which is difficult to recognise, or it could have been grown from seed, therefore not a known variety.

You could also consider the probablilities, based on what is commonly planted, plus the size of the fruit, plus the time or ripening etc.

The more information, the better the chance of putting a name to it.

[sugar]

Usually, when pear (leaf)buds start to open, there is some yellow coloring in the buds.
Apple (leaf)buds are a bit plushy

[FB.]

Usually, when pear (leaf)buds start to open, there is some yellow coloring in the buds.
Apple (leaf)buds are a bit plushy

Telling various types of fruit tree apart from each other is fairly easy - but I thought the question was asking:
"I have an apple tree; can anyone tell me which variety of apple?"
- and -
"I have a pear tree; can anyone tell me which variety of pear?


But now looking at the first part of the opening poster's question, it could have meant either of our interpretations:

Is it possible to roughly identify apple and pear trees by the time they blossom?

[Loudbarker1]

If you're desperate and can spare a few quid try the Brogdale indentification service: £16 a pop. You still need all the info FB suggests.

Brogdale Farm - home of the National Fruit Collection - fruit identification

[mrbadexample]

"I have an apple tree; can anyone tell me which variety of apple?"
- and -
"I have a pear tree; can anyone tell me which variety of pear?

I think this is the correct interpretation, judging by the thread title.

[Kellybean]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I was asking what variety of apple and what variety of pear I might have. Sorry if any of you were misled! I'll try to put some pictures up over the weekend if I can. The apple tree's main trunk slants to the right and then the top part of the tree curls over to the left, so the tree is a bit candy-cane-on-an-angle shaped, if that makes sense. The top part is rather bushy and could do with a good prune, if I ever get the time. There's a lot of blossom on it though so hopefully I might get a few apples. Loudbarker - thanks for the link - however I'm not desperate enough to fork out just yet!

FB - thanks for the great advice yet again. I'll do as you say and hopefully with the photos someone can help.

[veggiechicken]

Each year, I wait for the apple identification days that are held throughout the country and take along 4-6 different varieties for identification. The fruit trees in my garden are about 70 years old and an interesting mix. Does it really matter what yours are at the moment? Wait for the fruit and you'll have a much better idea.

[Kellybean]

Hi again everyone,

Unfortunately the weather was so bad over the weekend that I didn't get a chance to go out and take photos of the trees. What I have noticed, however, is that the apple tree bark is quite distinctive. I don't know whether this is common, but the bark appears smooth, greyish and is covered with a pattern of circles which are slightly depressed into the surface of the bark. This may or may not help with potential identification since I have no idea about apple tree bark! The blossom has now opened and looks lovely.

There appear to be very small, purplish swellings behind the dead pear blossoms, so I'm hoping these will evolve into full-grown pears. Fingers crossed!

Veggiechicken - I'll keep my eyes open for one of the identification days. Rather excited to see what the apples look like!

[FB.]

Need pictures, I'm afraid.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Blossom will only last a couple of weeks, and its colour, size, and location on the branches may be an essential piece of evidence in pinpointing the variety name.
Sometimes even a picture of what seems like a silly observation can clinch an identification as it may be a distinctive feature.

[Llamas]

Don't suppose you sniffed the pear blossom? (Sorry to be totally unhelpful )

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post984374

[veggiechicken]

Don't suppose you sniffed the pear blossom? (Sorry to be totally unhelpful )

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post984374

Pear blossom is white and smells yuk and fishy, apple blossom is pinkish and smells good. (Credit to Llamas for the sniff test).

[Kellybean]

Now you come to mention it, I did sniff the pear blossom and it didn't smell too good. Definitely a faint hint of something nasty. Haven't sniffed the apple blossom as there was none at nose level.

Have also discovered some apple trees growing (and blossoming) in our local park about 100m away - hoping these can serve as pollinators if the bees oblige!

Photos are on the way!

[Kellybean]

Finally - some piccies!

Hello all,

Well, finally had a few minutes spare to upload the long-awaited photos!

So, here they are - the apple tree:







(seems I got the direction it bends wrong!)

and the pear:





Apologies for the delay. Hopefully now someone can enlighten me!

There are more photos if anyone would like to see any further pics.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[FB.]

Nothing conclusive from the pictures although I have a few ideas - but the risk of a mistaken identity is high due to not having seen the fruit.

Keep taking pics at various times of the year, then take them to an apple event (and keep posting them on here; if you have some more, put them up; every piece of information can help).
Pics of the fruit will be helpful and stating what they're used for (cooking,eatig, cider etc). Also, when you take pics of the fruit, note the date as the time of ripening and stages of development may help.