Apple (Malus) Sunset M26

A much-loved alternative to 'Cox's Orange Pippin' and holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, 'Sunset' offers all the deep, aromatic flavour of its famous parent, but in a far easier, more robust tree to grow. Naturally a compact variety, on the semi-dwarfing M26 rootstock it makes a manageable tree reaching around 3m in height and spread, ideal for the average garden.

Pale pink blossom appears in April and May, followed by fruit with a lovely orange-red flush. The flesh is crisp and intensely aromatic, with an intense sweetness followed by a satisfying sharp edge. Harvest from mid-September, though the apples are best enjoyed fresh, as they don't store for long — usually two to three weeks.

'Sunset' is partially self-fertile and will produce a crop alone, though yields improve with a pollination partner in the same period (Group 3) or an adjacent group (2 or 4). It's a heavy cropper with good resistance to pests and disease — genuinely far easier going than 'Cox' — though it does benefit from thinning in June if the crop is heavy.

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.