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Best way to identify apple tree variety?

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  • 02-10-2020 12:31pm
    #1
    p to the e
    Registered Users Posts: 2,318 ✭✭✭


    There are four apple trees out the in-laws' back garden in Cork. According to the father 3 are cookers and one is an eater but he doesn't know the variety of apple. What would be the best way to identify them?

    I plan to attempt to grow a few of them from seed for the craic and would just like to know more about them. As an aside I started to grow some braeburn seeds from a store bought apple a few weeks back and they are coming along nicely.


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    #2
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,485 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i think future forests or seed savers offer an identification service, but they charge for it.

    just be warned that your braeburn seeds will not grow into a tree which produces braeburn apples!


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    #3
    cruizer101
    Registered Users Posts: 3,205 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    Everytime you plant an apple seed you get a new variety of apple.
    To replicate the same variety you need to use cuttings or grafting.


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    #4
    p to the e
    Registered Users Posts: 2,318 ✭✭✭p to the e


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i think future forests or seed savers offer an identification service, but they charge for it.

    just be warned that your braeburn seeds will not grow into a tree which produces braeburn apples!

    Is that due to the climate? Needs more sun? I might just grow it anyway for the tree. If the identification service isn't too crazy expensive I might look into it.
    cruizer101 wrote: »
    Everytime you plant an apple seed you get a new variety of apple.
    To replicate the same variety you need to use cuttings or grafting.

    Oh really. Didn't know this. Would they be similar or wildly different? Maybe I'll try to grow some from a cutting just to try something different.


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    #5
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,485 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    you'll get a different apple for the same reason that if you have a kid, the kid won't be a clone of you. it's half the genes from the parent tree and half from the pollinating tree.


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    #6
    p to the e
    Registered Users Posts: 2,318 ✭✭✭p to the e


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    you'll get a different apple for the same reason that if you have a kid, the kid won't be a clone of you. it's half the genes from the parent tree and half from the pollinating tree.

    I see. Sorry if it's a stupid question but is it possible for the pollinating tree and parent tree to be one and the same?


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    #7
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,485 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    if i remember my genetics correctly, that wouldn't make a difference anyway - you've got two copies each of thousands of genes - one from your mother and one from your father. and when you pass your genes on, you pass on one of those two randomly, as does the other parent. so unless both copies of each gene you have are the same, you'll still get differences.


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    if i remember my genetics correctly, that wouldn't make a difference anyway - you've got two copies each of thousands of genes - one from your mother and one from your father. and when you pass your genes on, you pass on one of those two randomly, as does the other parent. so unless both copies of each gene you have are the same, you'll still get differences.

    Yes, that's it. Although, interestingly (but of little relevance here), there is enormous variety in plant reproductive systems. Lots of wild roses have maternal dominance, where the seed parent gives more genetic material, eg 80/20, and most wild blackberries, among other groups, produce seed apomictically, ie without fertilisation, so the progeny are in effect clones of the parent.


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    #9
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,429 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    We have inherited (bought a house) about 4 apple trees. One is a bramley, lovely fruit, good crop. Crows ate the middles out of quite a few but we got a good crop.

    The others are eaters. One produced a really good crop of apples. When they ripened they were nice flavour, if a bit small. As soon as they were ripe the crows got all but about 10 - they cleared the tree over 24 hours, just took them away. One was a tiny tree but solid with nice looking apples. Again they took all but one apple, overnight. I tasted the one and it didn't taste of anything much. The third still has a good crop of even smaller apples, similar looking to the first tree, but not a great flavour. The crows have left us this one, not bothered at all. Some culling will be done!

    I have no idea what apples they are, a bit like a Laxton Superb in appearance, almost towards an Orange Pippin, but I am not sure they are either. Certainly not a Cox's.


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