Cider apple tree for Northern Ireland

[ady]

Hi I am looking for advice on the above topic, varieties that work well here in Northern Ireland. Any advice welcome. P.s I am looking for a leaving present for a friend from work

[cheops]

Your ideal cider apple tree would be a variety called Katy. Suitable for your climate, suitable for eating and suitable for making cider. However this apple tree is NOT self fertile and would require a pollination partner nearby. There are many varieties suitable as a pollination partner - Google this. Even varieties of white flowering crab apple trees would provide a pollination partner.

[FB.]

To get a worthwhile amount of cider you'll need lots of apples which means you'll need a variety/rootstock combination which can grow quickly and make a big tree.

There are many eating or cooking apples which can double-up as cider apples.

Bear in mind that different types of apple create very different ciders. Sweet? Sharp? Bitter?

It's quite possible that the recipient might not like the cider created from that the tree you choose.

The other problem will be finding a supplier; the majority of fruit trees are supplied bare-root in winter. Garden centres tend to have a very limited choice - mostly well-known varieties which also tend to lack disease resistance.