Apple Widow’s Friend

Once widely grown in Co Armagh, Apple Widow’s Friend is an early dessert apple and a prolific cropper, hence, no doubt, the name! Variably sized fruit, round to conical, with a rather irregular shape, pale yellow with a large area of crimson blush and a few flecks of russet. The flesh is white, soft and very juicy, with a good flavour on a favourable site. The tree tolerates thin, poor soil and coastal conditions but really needs a good, sunny site for maximum flavour, and to minimise its susceptibility to scab.

This Irish Heritage Apple variety was originally saved and propagated by Irish Seed Savers in Scarriff, County Clare.

Site: Some shelter
Soil: Any reasonably well drained
Position: Crops best in full sun
Pick: Early August
Keep: Late August–early September
Hardiness: Hardy
Pollination: Pollination Group 2 (pollinates with Groups 1, 2 and 3)
Uses: Eating apple; juicing

During the bareroot season, our apples are pre pruned before being dispatched by mail order.