Apple (Malus) Limelight M26

Bred by Hugh Ermen from 'Discovery' and 'Greensleeves' and holding the RHS Award of Garden Merit, 'Limelight' lives up to its name with vivid, luminous yellow-green fruit that stands out beautifully against dark green foliage. Grafted onto the semi-dwarfing M26 rootstock, it makes a compact, manageable tree reaching around 3m in height and spread, ideal for the average garden.

Pink-tinged blossom appears in spring, followed by mid-season fruit with a sharp, refreshing flavour and crisp, juicy flesh. It ripens successively on the tree from September into early autumn, giving a nicely extended eating season, and keeps for a couple of weeks — with any windfalls making excellent juice.

'Limelight' is not self-fertile, so a pollination partner is essential — choose a variety in the same period (Group 3) or an adjacent group (2 or 4), such as 'Discovery', 'James Grieve', or 'Fiesta'. M26 typically needs staking for the first few years while the root system establishes, and trees usually begin cropping within a year or two. It's a reliable, moderately vigorous tree, though can show some susceptibility to scab.

Plant in full sun in moist, well-drained soil, and prune each winter to maintain an open, productive shape. 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.