Apple (Malus) Newton Wonder MM106

Said to have originated as a chance seedling found growing in a gutter near King's Newton, Derbyshire, around 1870, 'Newton Wonder' has since earned the RHS Award of Garden Merit as one of the finest cooking apples around — large, colourful, and reliably productive. Grafted onto the semi-vigorous MM106 rootstock, it makes a robust, well-anchored tree reaching around 4m in height and spread, suited to larger gardens or orchards.

Pink blossom with good frost resistance appears in spring, followed by large, green fruit with an attractive red flush. Milder and less acidic than a Bramley, it cooks down to a lovely creamy purée, and once stored through winter, sweetens enough to be enjoyed as an eating apple by spring. Harvest from October, with the fruit storing exceptionally well from November right through to March.

'Newton Wonder' is self-fertile but crops far more heavily with a pollination partner in the same period (Group 5) or an adjacent group (4 or 6). It's a vigorous, heavy cropper with a tendency towards biennial bearing — a larger crop every other year is normal for this variety. MM106 tolerates a wide range of soils and generally doesn't need permanent staking once established, though it takes a little longer to come into fruit than more dwarfing rootstocks — usually 4–5 years.

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.