Apple (Malus) Laxton's Superb Cordon M9

Bred by the Laxton Brothers in Bedford in 1897 from parentage including 'Cox's Orange Pippin', 'Laxton's Superb' is a much-loved heritage variety with a rich, aromatic flavour reminiscent of its famous parent. Trained as a cordon on the dwarfing M9 rootstock, it's grown as a single stem at a 45-degree angle, making it an excellent way to fit several different apple varieties into a small space.

Pink blossom appears in April and May, followed by greenish-yellow fruit flushed and striped with red. The flesh is firm, slightly dry, and very sweet, with a lovely complex, floral bouquet. Harvest in November, with the fruit storing reasonably well.

'Laxton's Superb' is partially self-fertile and will crop reasonably alone, though it fruits better with a pollination partner in the same period (Group 4) or an adjacent group (3 or 5) — worth bearing in mind if you're planting a single cordon rather than a mixed row. It's a vigorous, heavy cropper with a tendency towards biennial bearing, so thinning the fruit in late spring or early summer helps keep both size and cropping consistency up. Cordons are typically spaced around 75cm–1m apart against a wire support system and need summer pruning to maintain their narrow shape. On M9, trees will need permanent staking or wire support throughout their life, but reward you with an early, compact cropper well suited to intensive planting.

Plant in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. As with all apple varieties, the pips contain small amounts of naturally occurring toxins, so they're best removed if the fruit is being used for cooking with children in mind.

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch. Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.