Apple (Malus) Red Devil M26

Bred by Hugh Ermen in Kent from 'Discovery' and named after the famous parachute display team, 'Red Devil' is a striking apple with scarlet skin, pink-stained flesh, and even pink juice — a lovely talking point as much as an eating apple. 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 and white blossom appears in spring, followed by sweet, rounded, bright red fruit with distinctive red-stained flesh and a hint of strawberry in the flavour. Harvest from September into October, though the fruit is best enjoyed fresh, keeping for only a couple of weeks.

'Red Devil' is self-fertile, so it will crop well alone — a real plus for a smaller garden or a single specimen tree — though a pollination partner in the same period (Group 3) can still improve yields. M26 typically needs staking for the first few years while the root system establishes, and trees usually begin cropping within a year or two.

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.