Apple Tree Belle fille de Salins - Malus domestica

The 'Belle Fille de Salins' Apple Tree is an old variety, late, originating from the Jura region, highly appreciated for its high cold resistance. Productive, it bears delicious small colourful apples, with a yellow skin streaked with red covering a white flesh, crisp, juicy with a subtle hint of almond fragrance. The fruits are harvested in October. These are excellent apples of a reasonably small size, as good raw as cooked. They also have the advantage of long storage; they can be kept until June if stored under very good conditions.

The apple tree (Malus domestica) is a fruit tree belonging to the rose family. It is grown almost everywhere in the world and includes an infinite number of varieties, old or modern, which produce apples of various sizes and more or less sweet or tangy flavours. Apple trees are native to Europe, where their presence has been documented since antiquity. Very hardy, the 'Belle Fille de Salins' variety easily withstands temperatures down to -20°C (-4°F) and blooms very late, usually in mid-May, which protects its flowers from late frosts. It is a disease-resistant variety, including scab, and is ideal for cold climates and mountainous regions. This apple tree is not self-fertile, so it should be planted near varieties that bloom simultaneously to bear abundant fruit.

The size of the domestic apple tree does not exceed ten meters in height and almost as much in width. This size can be even smaller depending on the rootstock's vigour. This fruit tree is generally a tall trunk tree that naturally spreads out. It comes in different forms (bush, half-standard, standard...) and can be trained in many ways (column, cordon, espalier...). The apple tree leaves are deciduous and arranged alternately on the branches. Their lamina is oval and toothed. They have a dark green upper surface and a whitish lower surface, which is slightly hairy. In spring, the apple tree bears white or pinkish-white flowers grouped in corymbs. The apple flowers consist of 5 petals and the white flowers surround a core of about 20 stamens. They give birth to fleshy, spherical fruits filled with pips. Their colour, size, flavour, and storage duration vary depending on the variety.

The apple tree can be grown in all climates but particularly appreciates temperate regions, preferably humid. It thrives in the sun in reasonably moist and rich soil. It is traditionally planted in the heart of an orchard but can also be grown as a standalone tree or hedge. It is an easy fruit tree that requires at least some pruning. Proper pruning will prevent alternate bearing (fruiting every other year). An annual or biennial application of well-rotted compost also promotes apple tree productivity. Apples are harvested in late summer and autumn and can sometimes be stored for an extended period in a cellar and consumed until early spring. Apples lend themselves to various culinary preparations (compotes, pies, jellies) but can also be used to make apple juice or cider.

This fruit tree is delivered in a "ready-to-plant" root ball. During planting, the root ball should be planted as is. The biodegradable tontine surrounding the root ball and preserving the rootlets will rot down naturally during the plant's growth. By doing so, you ensure better establishment.