Experience-Seeds-Knowledge-Plant Discoveries-Ecological Enrichment-Join Now Click Here!

Timber Apple Tree Seeds

        

Currently unavailable: Timber apple trees are selected apple seedlings known for their upright and straight growth habit. The non apple looking tree structure is the result of finding seedlings with both strong central leader growth habit as well as fast growth creating a large trunk early on in the apple trees life.  Trees show high vigor and low yield of small bright red or green crabapples.  The low yield of apples combined with the extreme vigor make the trees kind of oak like in appearance; the opposite of what most apple trees look like today. A number of trees have been selected and moved out to my plantings and a few were left in place surrounded by other seedling apples. The trees structure is not related to pruning. It shows the possibility of finding vigorous apple trees for longer lived rootstocks with strong growth habit, deep rooted trees as well as moving the apple tree back to a forest type setting again. And maybe even lumber or wood production. Timber apples have a competitive advantage. 

Seedlings could be developed for faster growth rate and a more concentrated orchard of apple trees with these characteristics. Clones could be taken from my trees to further establish and keep these unique characteristics even if it is bred with more culinary apples. 

These selections were discovered in a grow out of about 3000 seedlings of cultivated apples found near some high rise apartments in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They let us collect the apples as it was a hot spot for hunters looking for a deer attractant as well. We collected a truck load of apples and smashed them by hand and then by blender until we had enough seeds. We planted those seeds out and 30 years later the best of those seedlings were labeled as the  'apples that look like oak trees."  

This package comes with scions of the best trees as well as seeds from the best plants. 

"Oak-Like"  Selected as one of the best strongest upright trees with wide branching. Small astringent fruit. Not a heavy producer of crabapples  but the tree is vigorous because of the smaller load of fruit. Compared to the nearby apples it is three times the height of them. Not a fastigiate selection, "Oak-Like" is the strongest growing type found. 


To germinate the seed: Like other apples, store in a moist media in a zip lock bag in your fridge for 90-120 days. Seeds will begin sprouting after 60-90 days. Plant in a pot covering the seed lightly by 1/8 inch of soil. Careful about damp off so be careful not to over water. Better to under water. 

Plant Specs
Genus & Species Malus x domestica x purpurea
Seed Source Michigan
Hardiness -25F or more
Pollination Requirements Self fertile. Would be ideal to have these trees close to each other to improve the traits of fast growth in future seedling strains.
Soil Sandy to sandy loam
Ease of Cultivation Super easy to get a strong 2-4 ft. in one year with this seed strain. One thing to improve it would be to select it over time to get even more vigorous selections and create an even faster growing apple tree. To do this, keep the best most vigorous seedlings with the cleanest foliage health.

Related Plants

Ranetka Crabapple Seeds-"Rotunda"

 Ranetka is a Malus baccata –Manchurian apple cross which can tolerate extreme cold and short s..

View

$220.00

Timber Pear Seeds

Currently unavailable: Selected Hybrid Pear Varieties and Seedlings known for their strong upright s..

View

$0.00