[Growster...]

I was chatting with a chap this morning, and gave him a bag of our apples, which are in full flow at the moment.

We both live in Kent, and I delivered the eternal moan that supermarkets still churn out tons of foreign fruit, while much of it rots on the trees round here.

He told me that he'd heard of one strain of apples, which is never grafted, as the apple has to come from it's own tree, and not from another source. I was thinking of buying a family tree one day, but I always thought that apples were always grafted - except the nonsuch types, which is perhaps what he meant.

I should know, as we're not far from East Malling, where the big fruit research place is, but I don't know the answer to this particular note...

Anyone got any ideas?

[Yorkie]

There was a Chris Beardshaw documentary a few weeks ago about apples.  I think the original Cox tree is still in existence - every single Cox tree is descended from it.

Or something similar.  Could that have been what he meant?

[cob nut]

Have you tried contacting Keepers Nursery in the East Farleigh area, they are experts on fruit trees and bushes.

[fatcat1955]

Got a catalogue today from Pomona fruits and they are selling Direct descendant's of the tree that Sir Issac Newton was sitting under when that famous apple hit him on the head. Catalogue no. APL041 £20.50 If you are interested.

[mumofstig]

There was a Chris Beardshaw documentary a few weeks ago about apples.  I think the original Cox tree is still in existence - every single Cox tree is descended from it.

Or something similar.  Could that have been what he meant?

I think that was the original Bramley's Seedling tree
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13764153

[Growster...]

This is very interesting - thanks!

I think what he meant was, that there is a particular tree, which always grows 'as itself' and doesn't need a stronger root stock for grafting onto.

I reckon its a visit to East Malling Research, otherwise I'll be up all Saturday night as well, wondering...;0)

[New shoot]

It would have to be an old variety that came true from seed to never be grafted and or some sort of wild/crab apple    

The rootstock controls the eventual size of the tree.  Most trees we get at work are grafted onto the dwarfing rootstocks as people can't accomodate a big spreading tree in their gardens, but we can get trees on the bigger rootstocks if people want them. As most apples need a polinating partner I'm not sure how you would propogate a tree to grow on its own roots without getting a hybrid  

[mumofstig]

At Brogdale there are a quite a few trees that grow on their own roots Devonshire Quarrenden is.

To propogate one of these you would have to root cuttings

[New shoot]

I've just googled that and there are records of it going back to 1676  :blink:  Now that is a venerable old variety 

[Growster...]

Even more interesting this!

Apparently, Growster Turrets' had a classified and certified 'Nonsuch' variety in the back garden, which was sadly brought down by the 1987 gale.

We moved here in '89, so didn't know about this until some time later, although there was a tree which had fruit not unlike a quince, when it bothered to fruit that is, and as it was in the way of our future plans and non-productive, I chopped it out once and for all.

There's the tiniest chance that this was a very, very old apple, but as it was nearly dead, there was no way of finding out.

And anyway, the Lord Lambournes do us proud each year, and I'm just going to get a few as we speak...