Malus domestica ‘Elstar’
£30.00
Frequently Bought Together
Description
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Elstar Apple
- Botanical Name: Malus domestica ‘Elstar’
- Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree
- Mature Height: 3–4m (as a standard tree; can be kept smaller with pruning or on dwarfing rootstock)
- Mature Spread: 2.5–3.5m
- Flowering Period: April to May
- Flower Colour: White to pale pink
- Fruit: Medium to large apples, yellow-green flushed with bright red; crisp, juicy, sweet with a hint of tang; harvest September to October
- Foliage: Mid-green, turning golden in autumn
- Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK & Ireland)
- Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, moderately fertile
- Aspect: Full sun (essential for best fruiting and colour)
- Maintenance: Moderate (annual pruning and thinning recommended)
Description
Malus domestica ‘Elstar’ is a reliable, productive apple tree prized for its crisp, juicy fruit and beautiful spring blossom. Elstar apples are a true delight—medium to large, with yellow-green skin flushed with bright red, and a sweet, aromatic flavour with just the right touch of tang. They’re perfect for eating fresh, juicing, or baking, and they keep well for several weeks after harvest.
In spring, ‘Elstar’ covers itself in clusters of white to pale pink flowers, attracting pollinators and adding a cheerful note to the garden. As the season progresses, the tree forms a neat, spreading canopy, and by early autumn, the branches are heavy with colourful, flavourful apples. The foliage turns golden as autumn deepens, providing another moment of seasonal beauty.
Elstar is a vigorous, easy-to-grow variety that performs especially well in Irish and UK gardens. It’s partially self-fertile but will crop more heavily with a compatible pollination partner (group 3, such as ‘Discovery’, ‘James Grieve’, or ‘Fiesta’) nearby. Its disease resistance and reliable performance make it a favourite for home orchards and family gardens alike.
Plant as a specimen in a lawn, as part of a mini-orchard, or train against a sunny wall for a productive, decorative feature. Its combination of blossom, fruit, and autumn colour makes it a standout choice for any garden.
Caragh Garden Notebook
Planting:
Space trees 2.5–3.5m apart for standards, or closer for cordons/espaliers. Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in late autumn to early spring (November–March). Choose a sunny, sheltered site with fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid frost pockets and waterlogged areas. Dig a generous hole, incorporate well-rotted compost, and plant at the same depth as in the nursery. Firm soil, water well, and mulch to retain moisture.
Space trees 2.5–3.5m apart for standards, or closer for cordons/espaliers. Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in late autumn to early spring (November–March). Choose a sunny, sheltered site with fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid frost pockets and waterlogged areas. Dig a generous hole, incorporate well-rotted compost, and plant at the same depth as in the nursery. Firm soil, water well, and mulch to retain moisture.
Soil Preparation:
Prefers moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0 is ideal. Improve poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
Prefers moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0 is ideal. Improve poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
Pruning & Care:
Prune annually in late winter or early spring to maintain shape, encourage fruiting spurs, and remove any dead or congested growth. Thin fruit in early summer to promote larger, healthier apples and prevent biennial bearing.
Prune annually in late winter or early spring to maintain shape, encourage fruiting spurs, and remove any dead or congested growth. Thin fruit in early summer to promote larger, healthier apples and prevent biennial bearing.
Pollination:
‘Elstar’ is partially self-fertile but will crop best with a pollination partner from group 3 (such as ‘Discovery’, ‘James Grieve’, or ‘Fiesta’).
‘Elstar’ is partially self-fertile but will crop best with a pollination partner from group 3 (such as ‘Discovery’, ‘James Grieve’, or ‘Fiesta’).
Harvesting:
Pick fruit from late September to October when apples are fully coloured and come away easily from the branch. Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for several weeks in a cool, dry place.
Pick fruit from late September to October when apples are fully coloured and come away easily from the branch. Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for several weeks in a cool, dry place.
Pests & Problems:
Generally reliable and disease resistant, but watch for aphids, apple scab, and codling moth. Good hygiene and regular checks help keep trees healthy.
Generally reliable and disease resistant, but watch for aphids, apple scab, and codling moth. Good hygiene and regular checks help keep trees healthy.
Propagation:
Not typically divided; propagate by grafting in winter for more trees.
Not typically divided; propagate by grafting in winter for more trees.
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