Prince William cider apple trees
Malus domestica Prince William is a modern bittersweet cider variety. It has an interesting parentage - it is a cross between Michelin, a traditional French bittersweet cider variety, and the well-known James Grieve dual-purpose apple from Scotland.
The apples have a yellow skin, overlaid with an orange flush where the sun catches them. The stalk is usually quite long - like Michelin.
The apples ripen in late September but are not really suitable for eating, and instead should be used for juice and cider blends.
Prince William cider apple trees for sale
Bare-root
BR11-year bare-root treeM116 rootstock£35.50
Medium tree
(2m-3m after 10 years)
BR22-year bare-root treeMM111 rootstock£43.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
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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
Although relatively new, Prince William has proved to be easy to grow and a reliable cropper.
History
Prince William was developed at the Long Ashton Research Station in the 1980s, part of a progamme supervised by the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) to extend the harvest period of UK cider production. Whereas most traditional varieties aren't ripe until November, Prince William can be harvested in late September.
The variety was named in June 2003 by cider manufacturers Bulmer, in honour of Prince Wiliam's 21st birthday - the Prince having apparently announced he preferred cider to beer.
Prince William characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
- Flowering group2
- Pollinating othersAverage
- Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
- Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climates
- Picking seasonMid
- CroppingHeavy
- Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
- Food usesJuiceHard cider
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1950 - 1999
- Flesh colourCream
Similar varieties
James GrieveJames Grieve is the classic Scottish dual-purpose apple. It can be eaten fresh, and is also excellent for juicing and cooking.
Three CountiesAnother bittersweet developed at Long Ashton, but Three Counties is a cross between Dabinett and James Grieve.
British-grown trees 
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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.
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Guaranteed fruit trees
When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst 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.
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More about cider apple trees
In England and France there is a tradition of breeding apple varieties specifically for the production of cider. These varieties are generally not edible, but are grown for the qualities of their juice.
Cider production usually relies on a blend of different cider apples, and cider varieties are divided into four groups on the characteristics of the juice they produce:
| |
Sweeter |
Sharper |
| Higher tannin |
Bitter sweet |
Bitter sharp |
| Lower tannin |
Sweet |
Sharp |
Some mainstream apple varieties can also be used for cider production or in cider blends, and some crab apples are also useful for cider blends.
