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Item Number: FT011

Ashmead Kernel Apple Tree

Ashmead Kernel Apple Tree

Heirloom flavor with modern charm.

Ashmead Kernel apple trees are a treasured heirloom variety known for their russeted green-gold skin and aromatic, sweet-tart flavor. The fruit has a dense, crisp texture and is highly prized for fresh eating, gourmet desserts, and cider making. This mid-season variety thrives in sunny, well-draining soil and requires moderate chill hours, performing well in temperate climates. Ashmead Kernel trees are self-fruitful but benefit from a pollinator, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, for increased yields. With its rich heritage and complex flavor, Ashmead Kernel is a must-have for orchardists who value exceptional taste and timeless charm.

Semi-Dwarf on M-111 rootstock.

  • Zones: 4-9
  • Chill hours: 800-1000
  • Bloom Time: Late (Based on typical Central Valley California weather)
  • Harvest: September 5 - September 20
  • Looks: Green underneath golden brown russet skin, with red highlights. Creamy yellow flesh. Oddly shaped and somewhat small.
  • Personality: Aromatic, crisp and sweet. Use for dessert, cider, and sauce.
  • Facts of note: Considered by many as the best-tasting apple. It is thought to be related to Nonpareil but has no other known relatives which is thought to account for its unique flavor. This is one of the few Old World apples grown in America. The cultivar came from a tree planted by Dr. Ashmead in Gloucester, England in the 1700s. Great for eating fresh, cider making, and baking. Stores up to 4 months in the refrigerator. Regular pruning and thinning is a must.
  • Pollination: Partially self-pollinated, does much better with a pollinizer

For more information, please enjoy our Resource Guide for planting and growing fruit trees.

 

Visit our Fruit Tree Central for a listing of all our fruit tree videos and articles.

Visit Tree Characteristics for a listing of all our fruit & nut tree growing characteristics.

Available to Ship After: 1/17/2025. Order today to reserve yours!
$59.99
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Description

Ashmead Kernel apple trees are a treasured heirloom variety known for their russeted green-gold skin and aromatic, sweet-tart flavor. The fruit has a dense, crisp texture and is highly prized for fresh eating, gourmet desserts, and cider making. This mid-season variety thrives in sunny, well-draining soil and requires moderate chill hours, performing well in temperate climates. Ashmead Kernel trees are self-fruitful but benefit from a pollinator, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, for increased yields. With its rich heritage and complex flavor, Ashmead Kernel is a must-have for orchardists who value exceptional taste and timeless charm.

Semi-Dwarf on M-111 rootstock.

  • Zones: 4-9
  • Chill hours: 800-1000
  • Bloom Time: Late (Based on typical Central Valley California weather)
  • Harvest: September 5 - September 20
  • Looks: Green underneath golden brown russet skin, with red highlights. Creamy yellow flesh. Oddly shaped and somewhat small.
  • Personality: Aromatic, crisp and sweet. Use for dessert, cider, and sauce.
  • Facts of note: Considered by many as the best-tasting apple. It is thought to be related to Nonpareil but has no other known relatives which is thought to account for its unique flavor. This is one of the few Old World apples grown in America. The cultivar came from a tree planted by Dr. Ashmead in Gloucester, England in the 1700s. Great for eating fresh, cider making, and baking. Stores up to 4 months in the refrigerator. Regular pruning and thinning is a must.
  • Pollination: Partially self-pollinated, does much better with a pollinizer

For more information, please enjoy our Resource Guide for planting and growing fruit trees.

 

Visit our Fruit Tree Central for a listing of all our fruit tree videos and articles.

Visit Tree Characteristics for a listing of all our fruit & nut tree growing characteristics.

Apples are generally late blooming. Need full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate fertility. Thin fruit to maximize quality and size. Susceptible to codling moth, apple scab, powdery mildew, and gophers. Generally cross-fertile, which means that the variety is not pollinated by itself, but by a different variety of the same fruit. Three or more varieties are best. Harvest 3rd - 4th year.

Please Note: Although most of our bare-root trees arrive to our warehouse in mid-December, there are a few varieties that will not arrive until mid-January. If you order any of those varieties along with varieties that arrive in mid-December, your order will be delayed for shipment until mid-January. If you'd like us to split your shipments, please contact us at (888) 784-1722 or orderdesk@groworganic.com. Additional shipping charges will apply.

Shipping Information

Ships from Northern CA.

Cannot ship to the following states: HI, AK, PR, GU, VI

Shipping Weight: 5.0 lb

Dimensions: 47.5"L x 7.3"W x 2.75"H

Features

  • Bare Root
  • Flavor Pick
  • Good Keeper
  • Self-fruitful

Characteristics

USDA Growing Zone: 4 - 9
Approximate Harvest Time : Early Fall
Chill Hours Needed : 800-1000
Fruit Bearing : Spur
Time to Fruit Production : 2-3 Years
Tree Size : Semi-dwarf

Planting & Care

Useful Information

Guarantee

Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee

* Claim deadline is June 15th

We guarantee that your dormant tree or plant will arrive in good, viable condition. If your tree arrives in substandard condition, notify us within 3 days of delivery. Please email pictures of the box, inside packaging, the tree and its roots to helpdesk@groworganic.com.  We will investigate your claim and process a request to exchange or refund the damaged product.

If your dormant tree or plant has not grown new leaves by June 15th, you may be eligible for our Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee. This guarantee provides for a store credit for the purchase price of the tree, excluding shipping. Please see the Instructions below.

Important Dates:

  • April 1st Dormant trees/plants must be planted in the ground
  • May 15th Perform scratch test, if no new leaves have grown
  • June 15th Deadline to apply for a dormant tree/plant credit

All required documentation must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. Claims or documentation received after June 15th will be denied, without exception. Instructions listed below

Terms and Conditions

We cannot guarantee that your tree or plant will remain alive and healthy after it is received, or bear fruit as there are too many variables in your environment that are beyond our control (i.e. soil preparation, weed and pest control, proper irrigation, chill hours, compatible hardiness for your growing zone, proper choice of pollinator, extreme weather, rodent damage, disease, etc.). 

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a replacement tree/plant of the same species either that same growing season or in future years. Customers are responsible for all shipping fees associated with replacement trees and plants. 

If we determine that the tree you purchased directly from us is not viable, we will issue you a store credit (not a refund) for the purchase price of the affected dormant tree or plant. Shipping is not included in the dormant tree/plant guarantee. Store credits can be used to purchase any product we sell and are valid for use only until July 1st of the following year.

Historically, 98% of our dormant trees and plants grow and thrive when they have been cared for and planted using our growing guides. Dormant trees and plants must be planted in the ground by April 1st in order to be eligible for credit. If the ground in your area is still frozen solid, you may temporarily plant your tree or plant in a pot. 

Potted, non-dormant trees or plants are excluded from this guarantee as they are not dormant at the time of shipment. Evergreen trees such as citrus, avocado and olive trees are not available for credit under the Dormant Tree and Plant Guarantee. 

Instructions

We guarantee that your dormant fruit tree or plant will leaf out, if you care for it according to our growing guides. In the unlikely event that your dormant tree or plant does not have leaves by May 15th, follow these simple steps to apply for a store credit:

Before you call or email, please perform a “scratch test” to determine if the tree or plant is still alive. This video shows how to check for live tissue under the bark. Scratch tests need to be done a few inches above and below the graft. 

Green Cambium Layer / Living Trees

If the cambium layer under the bark is green, give your tree a little more time. It is still alive, but hasn’t come out of dormancy yet. Check to make sure that it is getting the right amount of deep root water, enough sunlight and that the weather is warm enough for that type of tree/plant to come out of dormancy. Every tree has its own personality and will come out of dormancy at different times. Be sure to submit the required documentation listed below by June 15th, if it doesn’t grow leaves.

Brown Cambium Layer / Dead Trees

If the scratch test shows a brown cambium layer or if your dormant tree/plant doesn’t have leaves by June 1st, please email us at helpdesk@groworganic.com. All required documentation listed below must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. To be considered for the guarantee claim, all required documentation must be received by June 15th.  Incomplete submissions will be denied.

Required Documentation

  1. Order number
  2. Name of dormant tree/plant and the quantity affected
  3. Photos of each tree or plant showing: 
    1. The roots (tree or plant must be pulled out of the ground)
    2. The scratch test areas
    3. The entire tree/plant

We reserve the right to not issue credit for items that have already been replaced. We also reserve the right to require photographic evidence that the tree/plant was not killed by root rot, rodent or mechanical damage.

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Customer Reviews

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R
Rad
Strong tree

So good so far. Strong looking bare root tree.
We"ll see how it does.

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