Spring 2026*** Last week for pot grown tree orders for this season ***
01759 392007

Ashmead's Kernel apple trees

£57.50 - £62.50
Ashmead's Kernel apples

A versatile English 17th century russet apple, Ashmead's Kernel is noted for its distinctive pear-like flavour.

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Ashmead's Kernel apple trees for sale

Choose a size - pot-grown

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

  • PG12-year bush-trained 11.5L pot-grown tree, M27 rootstock£61.50
    Very small tree (< 1.7m after 10 years)
  • PG22-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree, M26 rootstock£57.50
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
  • PG32-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree, MM106 rootstock£57.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • PG4Premium half-standard 12L pot-grown tree, MM106 rootstock£62.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Choose a size - bare-root

  • BR12-year bush-trained bare-root tree,M9 rootstock£44.75
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR2Cordon-trained bare-root tree,M9 rootstock£46.25
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR31-year bare-root tree,M26 rootstock£34.95
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR42-year bush-trained bare-root tree,M26 rootstock£43.00
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR52-year bare-root tree,M116 rootstock£43.00
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR61-year bare-root tree,MM106 rootstock£34.95
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR72-year bush-trained bare-root tree,MM106 rootstock£43.00
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR82-year bare-root tree,MM106 rootstock£46.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR91-year bare-root tree,M25 rootstock£35.75
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
  • BR102-year (1.75m) bare-root tree,M25 rootstock£46.95
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
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Need help?

Ask our fruit tree experts on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 18th May.

Delivery charges

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

All about Ashmead's Kernel apple trees

Ashmeads Kernel is a very old traditional English russet apple. It remains popular for its distinctive pear-like flavour which is quite different from most other apple varieties. The flesh is firm, and the juice feels rich and thick. The flavours will continue to develop for a month or so after picking.

Although often considered as a connoisseur's dessert apple, Ashmead's Kernel is actually quite versatile. It can be used for cooking, or sliced in savoury salads, and it keeps very well in a cold store.

Ashmead's Kernel is also becoming increasingly recognised for its juice, which adds an interesting fruity component to cider blends.

Growing and Training

Ashmead's Kernel is quite easy to grow, and perhaps because it is such an ancient variety, it is relatively disease resistant. It can be a light cropper and this usually caused by poor pollination at blossom time - planting another late-flowering apple tree or crab-apple tree nearby is a good idea.

Which pollinators are recommended for Ashmead's Kernel apple trees?

Ashmead's Kernel is not self-fertile and is also a poor pollinator of other varieties. Ideally you need two other different but compatible varieties planted nearby in order to produce fruit, or one compatible self-fertile variety. The following varieties are good pollinators for Ashmead's Kernel. If you are not sure about pollination requirements just ask us.

  • Pollinator Braeburn
    Braeburn
    Braeburn is one of the best-flavoured supermarket apple varieties.
  • Pollinator Golden Hornet
    Golden Hornet
    Malus Golden Hornet is a traditional white blossom crab apple, with persistent yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator John Downie
    John Downie
    John Downie is a traditional crab apple for making crab apple jelly. White blossom and orange-red fruits.
  • Pollinator Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange is a well respected Cox-style apple which can achieve very good flavour.
  • Pollinator Newton Wonder
    Newton Wonder
    A traditional English cooking apple, a good alternative to Bramley.
  • Pollinator Gala
    Gala
    Gala is popular supermarket apple - but better when home-grown, with a sweet pleasant flavour.
  • Pollinator Golden Gem
    Golden Gem
    A traditional crab-apple featuring a mass of white blossom in spring, followed by yellow crab apples.
  • Pollinator Harry Baker
    Harry Baker
    Malus Harry Baker is a popular crab-apple with deep pink flowers and dark red fruits which are very good for crab-apple jelly.
  • More pollinators >

History

Ashmeads Kernel originated in England in the 1700s, probably in Gloucestershire.


Ashmead's Kernel characteristics

Growing

  • What level of gardening skill is needed to grow Ashmead's Kernel?Average
  • Is Ashmead's Kernel self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • What flowering group is Ashmead's Kernel?4
  • Is Ashmead's Kernel good for pollinating others?Poor
  • How does Ashmead's Kernel bear fruit?Spur-bearer
  • What climates is Ashmead's Kernel suitable for?Temperate climatesMild damp climates

Using

  • What season do you pick Ashmead's Kernel?Late
  • CroppingLight
  • How long can you keep Ashmead's Kernel in a fridge?3 months or more
  • Food usesEating freshJuice

Problems

  • What is the overall disease resistance of Ashmead's Kernel?Good
  • Is Ashmead's Kernel resistant to scab?Some resistance
  • Is Ashmead's Kernel resistant to powdery mildew?Some resistance

Identification

  • Where does Ashmead's Kernel originate from?United Kingdom
  • When was Ashmead's Kernel first introduced?1700 - 1749
  • What colour is the blossom of Ashmead's Kernel?White
  • Fruit colourRusset
  • Which awards has Ashmead's Kernel received?RHS AGM (current)
  • British-grown trees

  • Trees grown in the UK.
  • Plant Healthy scheme logo

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

All our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. 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

Towards the end of September and into October we see late-season apple varieties beginning to ripen. Their longer ripening period typically means these varieties have the most interesting flavours.

Unlike mid and early season apples which are generally best eaten straight from the tree, many late-season varieties need to be stored in a fridge for a few weeks to mature before their flavours are at their peak. So if you want to be able to eat home-grown apples through the winter then late-season varieties are your best choice.

Some of the most famous English apple varieties fall into this category - including the classic Adams Pearmain, and the ancient Ashmead's Kernel with its peardrop flavours. We also find popular modern varieties such as Spartan, Red Falstaff, Fiesta, and Kidd's Orange Red all coming to perfection at this time of year.


This variety description was produced by Orange Pippin staff from first-hand research. Last checked: 15-May-2026.

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