Age for apple tree

[hplp]

Afternoon all,

i have been asked to have a look at an apple tree that is thought to be nearly 250 years old ( apparantly as old as the house its planted beside) and it is starting to die back in the upper branches. Before I go and look at it, I was wondering whether firstly this is a likely age for it and also how old they can grow onto. Its roughly 18" diameter at the base of the trunk.

 

Thanks,

H

[scotspine1]

A pic showing the whole tree would be good and some pics of the dying branches - close ups if possible.

 

Has any groundwork been done recently near the tree?

[slack ma girdle]

All trees dies, and if the tree is 200+ years old, then it has had a good innings. Apple trees are not long lived.

However some pruning might help to breath some new life into the tree. But if the tree has not been pruned for a long time, and you are too heavy with the pruning the resulting regrowth can be too much for the tree to sustain.

Little and often over the next 3-4 years should help, and will not encourage too much vigourous re growth.

If all else fails find someone in your local area to take some grafts next winter, so that when the tree dies,it will still live on.

Also do you know what variety it is? there could be some interest if it is an unusual variety

 

Happy pruning

Slack ma girdle

I can spot a tree from 100 yards!!

[Dagmar]

Last summer I was involved with some apple and pear trees in Italy that were reputed to be 500 years old. There was documented 'proof' that the trees were growing in the same spot for this period ( at an old monastry). What is not clear, and by the way is the most probable scenario, is whether the tree was in fact grafted back onto the rootstock. This could have happened several times had the tree begun to fail. In the UK there are trees that are known to be in excess of 200 years old, these are of interst as they often are old and even lost varieties.

 

Some good info here:The oldest apple tree in Britain?

 

The staff at Bernwode are always pleased to hear of old fruit trees and can be contacted via the website above.The only way to sure of a variety is from the fruit, so if you have an example or a photo of it should be identfiable.