Apple (Malus) Pixie MM106

Introduced in 1947 from Cox parentage and holding the RHS Award of Garden Merit, 'Pixie' is a real treat for anyone who loves a Cox-style flavour — intensely aromatic, sharper, and firmer-fleshed than its famous ancestor. 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.

Light pink blossom appears in spring, followed by greenish-yellow fruit flushed orange-red. Good to heavy crops are produced, though the fruit can be small unless thinned. Harvest from early October, and this is a real keeper — the fruit stores beautifully, often through to March.

'Pixie' is not self-fertile, so a pollination partner is essential — choose a variety in the same period (Group 4) or an adjacent group (3 or 5). It's particularly well suited to northerly, colder, higher-rainfall areas, and has good disease resistance. 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 or partial shade 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.