Malus domestica 'Reverend W. Wilks' (C)
apple 'Reverend W. Wilks'
A very early, cooking apple with pale green skin, mottled and striped with orange and red, and white, juicy flesh cooking to a light, quite sweet, pale yellow puree. Compact trees tend to biennial bear, but can produce a good crop in late summer, fruit storing into autumn. Named at the turn of the 20th century, in honour of the RHS Secretary, vicar of Shirley in south London and raiser of Shirley poppies
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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
2.5–4 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, °Â±ð±ô±ô–d°ù²¹¾±²Ô±ð»åpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink White | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | Green Orange Red | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or °Â±ð²õ³Ù–f²¹³¦¾±²Ô²µ
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Spreading branched
- Genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Apples suitable for culinary use have a tart flavour and are best cooked or made into a puree
How to grow
Cultivation
Prefers deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter. Plants grown from pips are unlikely to resemble the parent
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Edible fruit
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Prune according to chosen training method. See apple pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews
Malus domestica 'Reverend W. Wilks' (C)
apple 'Reverend W. Wilks'
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