COURT OF WICK APPLE TREE

Court of Wick is a very old variety of apple known to date back to at least 1790 and in all likelihood many decades earlier. It originated in Somerset but don’t let that put you off if you live in cooler parts of the UK because this variety is well know for not only withstanding cold well but also windy conditions.

As well as excellent resistance to canker it also has top quality flavour. Sweet and crisp but at the same time full of apple flavour. It makes an excellent eating apple and is unlikely to be grown by any of your neighbours.

PARENTAGE OF COURT OF WICK

There is only one real source for the parentage of Court of Wick and that is Hogg’s Fruit Manual. In that book he writes:

“This variety is said to have originated at Court of Wick, near Yatton, in Somersetshire, and to have been raised from seed of the Golden Pippin. In his Survey Somersetshire, Billingsly says, ‘The favourite apple, both as a table and cider fruit, is the Court of Wick Pippin, taking its name from the spot where it was first produced. It originated from the pip or seed of the Golden Pippin, and may be considered as a beautiful variety of that fruit. In shape, colour, and flavour it has not its superior.’ It was called Wood’s Huntingdon from being propagated by Mr. Wood, nurseryman, of Huntingdon, and sent out by him under that name about the year 1790.

APPEARANCE AND TASTE OF COURT OF WICK APPLES

This variety is never going to win any beauty contest. The skin is coloured yellow / light brown with some orange streaks and patches on the side facing the sun. Smaller marks on the surface occur randomly. Overall it lacks any eye appeal.

The taste however is something quite different. It’s definitely a sweet taste but at the same time very full apple-flavoured, more so than most other varieties. The flesh is pale yellow, crisp and very juicy. The apples are slightly smaller than average. Bite into this apple and you won’t be disappointed.

GROWING COURT OF WICK APPLES IN THE UK

Court of Wick does well in almost all areas of the UK, it is well known for withstanding the cold northern climate of the UK as well as windy coastal areas. The trees are spreading and grow strongly.

This variety is self sterile and needs a nearby suitable pollination partners nearby. It is in pollination group 3.

All the basic rules for growing apple trees apply to Court of Wick. We suggest growing it on MM106 rootstock in average soil and weather conditions.

PRUNING A COURT OF WICK APPLE TREE

Court of Wick produces fruit buds in the most common way, as a spur bearer. See here for more advice on pruning apple trees.

FLOWERING AND HARVEST TIMES:

The average flowering time (optimum time for pollination) and date when fruits are ripe for harvest in the UK for the Court of Wick apple tree are set out below. If you have set your home town we can give you a more accurate estimate, if you have not set your home town (do it now by clicking here) the dates below will be the average for the UK. Your town has not been set, the average main flowering time for Court of Wick in the UK is the second week of May. Fruit will be ready for harvesting in the third week of September. Click here if you want to set the dates to your home town.

Flowering and fruit picking dates vary according to the weather in any particular growing season so the above dates may well change slightly from one year to the next. The flowering date above is when the apple tree produces the maximum number of blossoms, it will also produce blossom, although less, a week or two either side of the date given.

BUYING COURT OF WICK APPLE TREES

Court of Wick apple trees are something of a rarity in the UK. A few of the online fruit tree suppliers do however stock it.

In common with most other apple trees buying online from a garden centre looks to be the most expensive option although picking up a tree yourself from your local garden centre will give better prices.

Wait until November onwards and bare-rooted trees will be in stock at much cheaper prices compared to pot grown ones.

Remember that all apple trees need a stake to support them for the first couple of years and some require staking for life. So if you haven’t got a stake and a tie for your new tree then buy one when you order the tree for convenience.

COMMON POLLINATION PARTNERS FOR COURT OF WICK

Court of Wick is in pollination group 3. It is self-sterile and needs a suitable pollination partner. Suitable pollination varieties include the following:

Alkmene – pollination group 2, self-sterile, eater
Arthur Turner – pollination group 3, self-sterile, cooker
Beauty of Bath – pollination group 2, self-sterile, eater
Bountiful – pollination group 3, self-sterile, cooker
Braeburn – pollination group 4, self-fertile, eater
Charles Ross – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker and eater
Cox’s Orange Pippin – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile (see here), eater and cooker
Devonshire Quarrenden – pollination group 2, partially self-fertile, cooker
Discovery – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eating and cider
Dumelows Seedling – pollination group 4, self-sterile, cooker
Egremont Russet – pollination group 2, partially self-fertile, eater and cooker
Ellison’s Orange – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater
Fiesta – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, eater
Gala – pollination group 4, self-fertile, eater
Granny Smith – pollination group 3, self fertile, eater and cooker
Greensleeves – pollination group 2, self-fertile, eater, cooker, juice
Grenadier – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker
Honeycrisp – pollination group 4, self-sterile, eater
Howgate Wonder – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker and eater
Idared – pollination group 2, self-sterile, eater
James Grieve – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eater, cooker, juicing and cider
Katy – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eater
Kidds Orange Red – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eater
King of The Pippins – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater and cooker
Laxtons Superb – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater
Lord Derby – pollination group 4, self-sterile, cooker
Lord Lambourne – pollination group 2, self-fertile, eater and cooker
Newton Wonder – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, cooker
Peasgoods Nonsuch – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker
Rajka – pollination group 4, self-sterile, eater
Reverend W Wilks – pollination group 2, self-fertile, cooker
Scrumptious – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater
Sops in Wine – pollination group 3, self-sterile, juicer
Spartan – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater
Sunset – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater
Tydemans Late Orange – pollination group 4, self-sterile, eater
Winston – pollination group 4, self-fertile, eater
Worcester Pearmain – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, eater

The full list of apple tree varieties which we have reviewed is listed below. Select any one of them and then click the “More Information” button to be taken to the in depth review: