Apple Tree Grochówka - Malus domestica

The 'Grochówka' Apple Tree is a historic variety, resistant to powdery mildew and apple scab. This variety is also very frost-resistant and is therefore often cultivated in Central Europe, such as in Poland. However, it is not self-fertile and therefore requires the presence of a pollinator to produce fruit. The apples are medium-sized, with a yellow-green colour marked with red, and have a fairly firm flesh. They are tart, even slightly sour at first, but become sweeter when stored for a long time. They are suitable for making preserves, juice, and desserts.

The Apple Tree (Malus) is one of the members of the large Rose family, which includes more than 5000 wild species (Potentilla, Burnet...), ornamental plants (Amelanchier, Cotoneaster, Roses of course), as well as most of our temperate climate fruit trees (Pear trees, Apricot trees...). The Malus genus includes approximately thirty-five species of deciduous trees, both ornamental and fruit-bearing. The Malus domestica, or Common Apple Tree, is the most important fruit-bearing species, whose ancestor is native to Central Asia. It is undoubtedly the most cultivated fruit tree in Northern Europe, with about 20,000 varieties recorded.
'Grochówka' is an old German variety from the 18th century, initially known as 'Grosser Rheinischer Bohnapfel' and also by many other names depending on the country ('Gros Bohn' in France, where it was imported in 1868 by a certain Leroy). This apple tree forms a conical crown that gradually widens and reaches approximately 4 to 5 m in height and 3 to 4 m in width. Narrower when young, its crown, formed by branches covered with dark green leaves, widens with age. This variety is well-suited for organic cultivation as it is naturally resistant to apple scab and powdery mildew. It is also perfect for cold climates as it is extremely frost-resistant. In addition, its flowering is late, the white-pink flowers, slightly fragrant, often only appear in May, which is a definite advantage compared to late spring frosts (which are fatal to production at temperatures below -2° to -3°C). However, as for disadvantages, it is a triploid variety that produces poor quality pollen, making it unable to pollinate other apple varieties. Self-sterile, it needs to be pollinated by other varieties, such as Reinette ananas or Ontario. It then produces medium-sized fruits, 6 to 7 cm in diameter, spherical to oval, with a yellow-green skin and red on the sunny side. Like the flowering, fruiting is logically also late, mainly in October. The fruits have a hard white-yellow flesh, which makes them resistant to mechanical stress and easy to transport. They are widely used in professional production for making preserves. For amateur use, it is recommended to wait until January or February before consuming these apples, as they are tart and slightly sour when harvested. During this storage period, they develop a sweeter and more aromatic flavour than initially. Juicy, they also have an above-average vitamin C content. Under good conditions (cool, healthy place, protected from light, at a temperature around 8 to 10 °C), these apples can be stored until June. You can consume them as juice, dessert, or even as a sliced fruit when the sugar content is sufficiently increased. It should be noted that this variety alternates, meaning that a lean year generally follows a year of high production, as the plant replenishes its reserves in a way. It is therefore recommended to thin out, in other words, remove part of the overly abundant production to try to have a better harvest the following year.

The 'Grochówka' Apple Tree is a variety that has as many advantages as disadvantages, and should therefore be chosen with full knowledge. Well-suited for cold climates, you can plant it alongside other resistant species to create a robust orchard. The Mirabelle de Nancy will be perfect for this role, with its delicious yellow plums in August. In the Pear Tree genus, many varieties are just as hardy and will delight you with their tasty fruits. Unjustly forgotten, the Medlar (Mespilus germanica) will allow you to diversify your harvests with this large shrub, whose white blossoms have a charm of their own.