Malus domestica 'Hocking's Green' (Hocking's Green Apple)
Botanical Information
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Malus |
| Species | domestica |
| Cultivar | 'Hocking's Green' |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous) |
| Origin | Raised at Illand Farm, Coads Green, near Callington, Cornwall, England. It was received by the National Fruit Trials in 1984. Fruit have a firm, sharp flesh. |
| 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 | H4 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -34 |
| Temperature (°F) | 20 |
| Flowering Period | May |
Description and Growing Information
| 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 | 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 | Grow 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 | Very resistant to scab and canker. |
| 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 | Medium, globose, sharp, and plain but good after storage. |
Photographs
Malus domestica 'Hocking's Green', form, Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Malus domestica 'Hocking's Green', flower, Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Malus domestica 'Hocking's Green', flower, Cotehele House National Trust, St Dominick, Cornwall, United Kingdom.