Malus Domestica Gloster Apple Tree

Malus Domestica Gloster or the Gloster Apple is a late-season dessert apple, but its fruit can also be used for making preserves and cooking. It was bred in Germany in 1951, by crossing Weisser Winterglockenapfel and Richared Delicious varieties. This is a decIduous heavy cropping apple tree with tasty and attractive red flushed fruit.

The Gloster Apple tree blooms in mid-season and its lovely pale pink flowers offer interest throughout May. The blossoms are scented and followed by cylindrical fruit, but not before they fade to a crisp white colour. The apples Malus Domestica Gloster produces are large and flushed with deep red. Their flavor is very sweet and aromatic. Apart from providing an abundant yield of apples, this fruit tree offers decorative value to the garden. Attractive form, prolific floral display in the spring, and vibrant autumn foliage make it an excellent addition to any landscape.

Easy to grow and to care for, Apple Gloster thrives in full sun and medium-fertile, loamy soil. This cultivar, same as all apple trees, dislikes wet conditions, so make sure to provide proper drainage. Malus Domestica Gloster is partially self-fertile, so it will produce some fruit on its own, but for an abundant yield, it will need a pollination partner. Plant a different variety (ideally Cox Orange or Golden Delicious) nearby to ensure cross-pollination that is required to encourage a better crop. For gardens with limited space, a suitable solution is relying on apple trees from neighbouring gardens or insects to provide pollen.

A cultivar with a good track record and reliable performance, Apple Gloster is fully hardy in the United Kingdom. This tree is not bothered by low winter temperatures, but its delicate spring flowers are susceptible to damage from late frosts. To prevent potential damage, choose a sheltered spot in your garden when planting this cultivar.

Undemanding, this variety requires little effort to stay in good shape. Routine, yearly pruning will promote good health and tidy habit. Since Apple Gloster is suitable for training in all forms, the method of pruning will depend on the tree’s shape. As a heavy cropping cultivar, this variety will need routine fruit thinning to avoid biennial bearing and promote a prolific fruit production each season.

Height & Spread:
As apple trees go, this is a considered a large size. Expect Gloster Apple trees to reach a maximum height of around 8 metres.