Malus domestica 'Breadfruit' (Breadfruit Apple)
Botanical Information
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Malus |
| Species | domestica |
| Cultivar | 'Breadfruit' |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous) |
| Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | The fruit is eatable and is used in traditional cider making. Apple wood is used as a fuel and is admired for the blue-green flames it produces during burning. The wood may also be used in the production of furniture and household utensils such as bowls. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 3-8 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 4-9 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H5 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -34 |
| Temperature (°F) | 20 |
| Height | 5-12 m |
| Spread | 4.5 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | April, May |
Description and Growing Information
| Shape | It has a broad spreading, and a densely twiggy crown. |
| Landscape | The tree can be used in hedgerows, ornamentally or grown for its fruit. The small tree is very tolerant to cold temperatures and thrives well in cool, moist microclimates. |
| Propagation | The domestic apple is not commonly self-fertile, and requires a different tree as a pollinator to set good crops. Generally domestic apple cultivars are propagated through grafting. Grafting occurs in the winter when both scion and rootstock are dormant. Summer budding is also another technique used to propagate desirable cultivars with very little use today for the parent plant M. x domestica. |
| Cultivation | It may be grown in full sun to partial shade in moist conditions preferring well-drained, loamy type soils. It will tolerate poor soil conditions but size and quality of the fruit is diminished. It is a frost hardy species and responds well to pruning in winter and improved cultivation practices such as fertilizer. |
| Pests | Prone to bacterial and fungal diseases such as mildew, fireblight, apple scab, and insects such as aphids. |
| Notable Specimens | Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Bark is a grey-brown colour with a thick, scaly, rough texture. The twigs of the tree vary from a grey to reddish colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Small glabrous red buds, often tomentose, to about .5 cm. |
| Leaf Description | The dark green, simple, alternate, leaves are oval shaped, are 3-10 cm in length with a serrated margin and a lighter green underside. |
| Flower Description | The flowers, emerging in the spring, are white with a red-pink underside. They are cup-shaped with five petals, ranging in size from 8-10 cm. Each flower has many red stamens, copious amounts of pollen and are perfect in form. |
| Fruit Description | Irregular round, flattened, conic, ribbed sometimes lopsided in shape. Medium-large to large size . Skin is green turning yellow developing a brownish-red flush over much of the apple. |
| Texture Description | Both summer and winter texture of the plant is coarse. |
Photographs
Malus domestica 'Breadfruit', form, Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Malus domestica 'Breadfruit', form, Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom.