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

Winter Gem apple trees

Check pollinators >
Winter Gem is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3

Winter Gem is one of the best-flavoured new apple varieties developed in the 1990s by the late Hugh Ermen.

It is a cross between Grimes Golden and Cox's Orange Pippin, and as you might expect has a pronounced aromatic flavour. Grimes Golden is not that well-known in the UK but is the probable parent of Golden Delicious. Some enthusiasts reckon that Grimes Golden is a better apple than Golden Delicious, as it has the same sweetness but with a bit more richness. This means that Winter Gem inherits characteristics from two of the most influential apple families in the world, and if you appreciate apple flavours it is well worth trying.

As the name suggests, Winter Gem is a late-season apple, and the apples can be stored for several months.

Winter Gem apple trees for sale

Pot-grown

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

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

  • PG12-year bush-trained 11.5L pot-grown tree, M27 rootstock£61.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Very small tree (< 1.7m after 10 years)
  • PG2Premium cordon 12L pot-grown tree, M9 rootstock£61.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
  • PG32-year 12L pot-grown tree, M26 rootstock£57.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree,M9 rootstock£38.25
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR22-year bush-trained bare-root tree,M9 rootstock£44.75
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
  • BR3Cordon-trained bare-root tree,M9 rootstock£46.25
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
  • BR41-year bare-root tree,M26 rootstock£34.95
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR51-year bare-root tree,M116 rootstock£34.95
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR61-year bare-root tree,MM106 rootstock£34.95
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Please try next season
  • BR72-year bush-trained bare-root tree,MM106 rootstock£43.00
    Large tree (3m-5m 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

Next deliveries

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

Unlike either of its parents, Winter Gem is well-suited to UK gardens - indeed this is a characteristic of many varieties developed by Hugh Ermen.

It can be a light cropper (although this is perhaps part of the reason for its good flavour). Make sure there are suitable pollination partner varieties nearby - Red Devil, Srumptious, Falstaff, Saturn and Charles Ross would be good choices. In other respects it is quite easy to grow.

Winter Gem works particularly well as a small tree on a dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock. On more vigorous rootstocks it will produce a large and attractive tree.

History

Winter Gem is a cross between Grimes Golden and Cox's Orange Pippin, and was developed in the UK by Hugh Ermen.


Winter Gem characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climates

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingGood
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • Food usesEating fresh

Problems

  • Scab (Apple and Pear)Some susceptibility

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Blossom colourPink - light
  • Fruit colourOrange flush

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

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.


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