ID an apple.

[Jimny14]

We have a fairly old apple tree in the garden which has been fairly neglected by the previous occupants (as was most of the garden), I have been trying to renovation prune it over the last couple of years and have a little more to do soon (or if not then next winter).
We'd love to get a definitive ID For the variety but not sure how to be confident we know what we've got. I think it may be ashmead's kernel but not confident. What information do I need to collect next year to make it possible to get an accurate identification for the tree?

[nickdub]

What information do I need to collect next year to make it possible to get an accurate identification for the tree?

Time of flowering
Habit of growth eg up-right, straggly etc
and most importantly a photo of the fruit when ripe, both whole and cut in half from the top down

I grow Ashmead's - they flower quite late with pinky white petals. The fruit starts green and slowly goes yellower and a bit russeted with some developing red areas, prone to bitter pit some years - usually ripe for picking in mid-October. The trees are about 30' tall on MM106 rootstock.

[Jimny14]

Thanks nick, will start taking photos when blossom opens, can't remember when it appears but think it's got some pink to it, the tree is shorter than that but probably on different root stock? We still have some apples stored at the moment and they are quite yellow now (we're greener) and russety.

[nickdub]

Thanks nick, will start taking photos when blossom opens, can't remember when it appears but think it's got some pink to it, the tree is shorter than that but probably on different root stock? We still have some apples stored at the moment and they are quite yellow now (we're greener) and russety.

By the sound of it your apple is quite like to be an Ashmead. My trees are over 30 years old now so I don't expect them to get much bigger. They are my favourite of the late keeping English apples.

[Jimny14]

Our tree does make a lovely apple. Very crisp flesh when fresh and when straight off the tree very tart. A few weeks in storage they become significantly sweeter, I like them as an eating apple fairly young and they're good for making crumbles when older (don't need to add sugar to the apples when stewing).

[WalterWhite]

If the tree has been grown from seed rather than graft then you will not be able to identify it.

[Jimny14]

Very good point Walter. Hadn't crossed my mind that it might be a seedling

[Jimny14]

This is the tree in question

[Jimny14]

And blossom buds

[nickdub]

looks about right from the timing POV as my Ashmeads are at the pink bud stage currently.

Would you take a close-up of one flower spur when the blossoms are fully open please ?

[Jimny14]

Will do, cheers.

[Jimny14]

Blossom out!

[nickdub]

Looks virtually identical to my Ashmead's, which are also in full flower now.

[Jimny14]

Looking good so far then, it's a lovely blossom too. Now to wait for fruit I guess.

[nickdub]

For sure - shouldn't be any difficulty with pollination this year given great weather and all the blossom out at more or less the same time - I could hear the bees in my little orchard humming from a fair distance. Probably going to have to thin a load of little apples off the trees.