Bramley 20 apple trees

PreviousNext

• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Flowering group: 3
• List of other varieties that will pollinate Bramley 20

Bramley 20 is a naturally smaller version of Bramley's Seedling (the apples are the same size though).

Bramley 20 apple trees for sale

Bramley's Seedling is the definitive English "cooker". However it is an extremely vigorous variety, producing a tree that is substantially larger than all other apple varieties (only Blenheim Orange comes close).

Bramley 20 is a sport of Bramley's Seedling which happens to produce a tree which is naturally about 20% smaller, making it more suitable for the garden.

Bramley 20 is a valuable alternative to the regular Bramley's Seedling at both ends of the size scale. You can use it on dwarfing rootstocks, allowing you to grow Bramley apples in a small space. You can also use it on semi-vigorous rootstocks to produce a free-standing tree which is still not too large.

Another advantage is that if you are planting several apple trees together, you probably want them to be about the same mature size on any given rootstock. A regular Bramley's Seedling will become much larger than the others whereas Bramley 20 will have similar proportions to the other trees.

Although the tree is smaller, the apples are the same size as the regular Bramley's Seedling.

How to grow

Bramley 20 retains most of the horticultural characteristics of Bramley's Seedling, but produces a tree approximately 20% smaller on any given rootstock than Bramley's Seedling. It is quite easy to grow but like Bramley's Seedling it is a triploid and needs 2 separate compatible pollination partners although in most suburban environments you can usually assume there will be suitable varieties in the neighbourhood. See our page on Bramley's Seedling for more details of suitable pollination partners.

The pink-flushed white blossom is prolific and attractive. The fruit ripens late in the season, and stores very well.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Bramley 20 was developed at the Long Ashton Research Station in the UK in the 1970s, and is a compact sport of Bramley's Seedling.

Bramley 20 characteristics