If you could have ONE fruit tree...which one would you choose?

[Edith]

Sunny, south facing plot at my allotment. I'm not allowed 20 ft trees or anything but it seems that so long as you go for a smaller (not dwarf) rootstock, its ok. Soil good, site reasonably sheltered (so far it just seems lovely and such a change in conditions from my last plot :-) ).

I reckon we have space for one tree. The only catch is that its not a huge plot-technically its only a hlaf though its really a bit more.

My big consideration would be productivity, ideally over a longish season. I can tend it, feed it, prune it, do anything it wants really (and I'm quite confident to do it) as long as I get a return, and ideally without waiting four or five years. I have 3 primary age kids and our fruit bills are embarrassing.

So-if you could have one, what would you have? And which variety?

An apple is the obvious choice i guess. My kids like sour apples, they will eat cookers and crab apples quite happily. And there are so many apples on the site that there will be no issues with pollination. But open to any other suggestions.

[BUFFS]

we have a bramley,trained as an espalier,it gives us enough apples to last virtually the whole year,it flowers later than the other apples so the blooms dont seem to get frosted,its tough as old boots,puts up with winds of up to 80mph in the winter,seems pest free and got me a second in the class in the local veg show,i just trim out any stray braches coming onto the drive or over the veg patch it sits beside,i give the roots a handful of bonemeal early in the year and thats it,it outproduces the other apples by a factor of at least 3 to 4 so we would not be without it..

[mrbadexample]

And there are so many apples on the site that there will be no issues with pollination.

I went for a pear, for this reason. There are loads of apple trees about, so someone always has some spare. No one's ever given me pears though.

[FB.]

I would suggest you see whether the poster "yummersetter" sees this topic; they're experienced with fruit trees and not far from you so will know what does well in your area.
Interestingly, there's a big difference in what does well for me in my soil/climate compared to what does well in yummersetter's soil/climate.

However, there's no "perfect" fruit. Each has drawbacks and some do well in some years while others do well the following year. I'd prefer to spread my risk across a handful.

I suggest not growing varieties which you find in shops because they tend to be prone to pests and diseases. I would suggest older, rarer varieties - preferably triploid varieties if pollination isn't a concern. I love triploids because they tend to be stronger, healthier and require less care than their diploid counterparts. Unfortunately Bramley has been grown so widely for so long that in some areas (usually high-rainfall Western areas) there are strains of pests and diseases which have evolved ways to attack it, so its disease resistance is nothing special, unlike other triploids.

[rita1]

have you thought of a tree that produces two different fruits, they are grafted on so one tree with two different fruits.

[orangepippin]

I know you said one tree, but for an allotment, I'd plant several very-dwarf apple trees on the M27 rootstock. You'll get more apples than off a single large tree, yet taking up probably the same amount of space (and no risk of shading your neighbouring plot-holders). This will also mean you can have a diverse collection of varieties which can cross-pollinate each other (so you can get some of FB's recommended triploid varieties), and a spread of crops through the season. You should also avoid the potential of losing all your crop because of early frosts / late frosts / codling moths / too much rain / not enough rain and all the other little challenges - by growing several varieties you can be confident you will have some apples one way or another.

[boundtothesoil]

I'd choose the apple varieties Sunset and/or Lord Lambourne as they are reliable 'every year' croppers, mid-season varieties, good flavour and disease free, at least where I live near Aberystwyth.

I've grown these varieties on MM106 and M26 rootstocks and on both they start cropping within 3-4 years. It's very wet where I live and I don't spray, so scab resistance and relative freedom from Codling Moth are vital - both these varieties are good in this respect. Further, Sunset will store reasonably well for several weeks.

[FB.]

Sunset and/or Lord Lambourne as they are reliable 'every year' croppers, mid-season varieties, good flavour and disease free, at least where I live near Aberystwyth.........scab resistance and relative freedom from Codling Moth are vital - both these varieties are good in this respect.....

Another interesting regional variation: Lambourne (at least the ones I've seen) is prone to scab, canker, bitter pit, brown rot, wasp/insect damage and codling moth in East Anglia, and tends to need quite good growing conditions to be worth growing at all - not that its crops are anything to shout about in this area either.
Not a variety that I'd grow here, but I don't doubt that it may do well elsewhere - and you're a lot closer to the opening poster's location than me!

*
The Lambourne's that I've seen are uncertain rootstock, but possibly MM106 (which doesn't do well here in low-rainfall, alkaline, low-fertility, shallow soil) and which may take the blame off the Lambourne part and pass the blame to unsuitable rootstock.

[yummersetter]

I'm thinking about the length of time it takes some fruit trees to begin bearing - I have planted lots of apples that don't give a decent crop till they're teenagers. OP's advice of dwarf trees is good and they'd be faster to come into bearing.
I think you should plant something that's a bit unusual and good for swaps with other people's fruit, so how about a mirabelle plum? They're good to eat raw, tremendous cooked, preserved and chutneyed and will freeze well. Mine have started fruiting within three years of planting. And not a tree, but an autumn raspberry to get you through the time till you get your plums, they produce masses of fruit over months.

[Edith]

great advice all, thank you so much.

mirabelle plum-like this idea. Are they self fertile? Not sure we have any other plum trees close by, would need to have a look.

Failing that, I was wondering about a triploid apple, since they will almost certainly grow. Like pears a lot but IME they just don't have a long cropping season...

Off to go and look up the varieties mentioned :-)

[salome2001]

plums or peaches or nectarines, only because the ones you buy in the supermarkets are so revolting (rock hard or rotten)