Spring / Summer 2025Pre-order now for delivery September onwards.
Tel. 01759 392007

Saint Edmund's Russet apple trees

Saint Edmund's Russet has received the RHS Award of Garden MeritSaint Edmund's Russet is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current) 1993

Saint Edmund's Russet (sometimes known as St. Edmund's Pippin) is one of the best English russet apple varieties. It looks superb with its dull matt russet colouring, and tastes great.

The flavour is arguably richer than its better-known compatriot Egremont Russet, and noticeably juicier.

Saint Edmund's Russet apple trees for sale

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£34.95
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR21-year bare-root treeM25 rootstock£34.95
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)
  • BR32-year (1.75m) bare-root treeM25 rootstock£46.95
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)

Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Pre-ordering

Pre-order now for delivery in September 2025

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Saint Edmund's Russet is a good garden apple variety, it crops reliably and grows in a wide range of conditions. Like many russet varieties, it has some natural resistance to many of the main apple diseases. It is a good choice for growers in areas of high rainfall.

The only thing to look out for is that it can be a partial tip-bearer - some apples are borne on the ends of shoots rather than the more usual short fruit-bearing spurs. For this reason it is best to keep pruning to a minimum, to avoid accidentally pruning the fruit-bearing tips of shoots.

Recommended pollinators for Saint Edmund's Russet apple trees

Saint Edmund's Russet is partially self-fertile, so you do not need another variety to pollinate it to produce fruit. However you will get a better crop if you plant any of the following pollinator varieties nearby. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Butterball
    Butterball
    Malus Butterball is named for its bright yellow fruits, which are also good for crab apple jelly.
  • Pollinator Evereste
    Evereste
    Evereste is one of the most well-known crab-apples, featuring white blossom and red-yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator Fiesta
    Fiesta
    Fiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
  • Pollinator Gorgeous
    Gorgeous
    Malus Gorgeous has pink/white blossom and spherical cherry-like red fruits which are good for jelly.
  • Pollinator Greensleeves
    Greensleeves
    Greensleeves is a reliable and popular mid-season green/yellow apple, easy to grow and productive.
  • Pollinator James Grieve
    James Grieve
    James Grieve is the classic Scottish dual-purpose apple. It can be eaten fresh, and is also excellent for juicing and cooking.
  • Pollinator Katy
    Katy
    Katy is an attractive and versatile early apple variety from Sweden, very easy to grow.
  • Pollinator Red Devil
    Red Devil
    Red Devil is a good apple variety for the UK garden, and produces a sweet red-tinted juice.

History

Raised by Mr Harvey of the town of Bury St. Edmunds, in the county of Suffolk, England, in 1875.


Saint Edmund's Russet characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilityPartially self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Fruit bearingPartial tip-bearer
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climates

Using

  • Picking seasonMid
  • CroppingGood
  • Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating freshJuiceHard cider

Problems

  • Disease resistanceGood
  • CankerSome resistance
  • Scab (Apple and Pear)Very resistant
  • Powdery mildewSome resistance

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1850 - 1899
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourRusset
  • AwardsRHS AGM (current)

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more.

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden while it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund, subject to some conditions. Find out more.

More about apple trees

For apples the mid-season period usually starts in early September and finishes later in September when the late-season varieties start arriving.

Mid-season apples are best eaten straight from the tree. However unlike early-season apples, they will usually keep fresh for a couple of weeks in a fridge. On the other hand, just like early apples, mid-season apples ripen quite quickly so be sure to keep a close watch on them in early September and see if they are ready to pick.

Another thing you notice with mid-season apples is they still have that fresh zing you get with the early varieties, but the flavours are now more nuanced and interesting.

Some really good apple varieties fall into this category - including Red Windsor, Red Devil, and Lord Lambourne. These are un-fussy apples with good flavours, ideal for taking to work for a mid-morning snack.

And the famous Cox's Orange Pippin also just about falls into this category.


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