Malus domestica ‘Boskoop Rouge’

Description

Quick Facts
– Botanical Name: Malus domestica ‘Boskoop Rouge’ (also sold as ‘Red Belle de Boskoop’)
– Common Name: Boskoop Rouge Apple, Red Belle de Boskoop
– Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree
– Mature Height: Approx. 3-4m on a semi-dwarfing rootstock (varies with rootstock)
– Mature Spread: Approx. 3-4m
– Growth Rate: Vigorous
– Flowering Period: April to May
– Flower Colour: White blossom flushed with pink
– Foliage Colour: Mid-green, turning yellow in autumn
– Fruit: Large, flat-round apple with deep red skin over a green-yellow base, with some russet; firm, crisp, aromatic flesh
– Fruit Use: Cooking and eating (dual-purpose)
– Harvest Period: October; stores well into winter
– Pollination: Group C; a triploid, so it needs two other apple varieties nearby, and it will not pollinate them
– Hardiness: RHS H6 (fully hardy)
– Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, fertile soil
– Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
– Maintenance: Moderate: annual winter pruning

Description
‘Boskoop Rouge’ is the red-skinned form of the traditional Dutch apple ‘Belle de Boskoop’. It has the same firm, crisp, aromatic flesh and rich flavour, with a deep red colour that makes the fruit more striking in the bowl and on the tree.

Picked in October, the apples are sharp and keep their shape when cooked, so they are excellent for pies, crumbles and sauces. Stored through winter, they mellow and sweeten and can be eaten fresh.

In spring the tree is covered in white blossom with a pink flush. It is vigorous and hardy, copes well in cooler, damper sites, and is a reliable cropper once established.

Hardy, generous and versatile, ‘Boskoop Rouge’ is a dependable apple for baking and storing, with extra colour on the fruit.

Caragh Garden Notebook

Planting:
Plant in autumn or early spring in moist, well-drained soil with well-rotted compost or manure worked in. Choose a sunny spot, sheltered from strong winds. Plant at the same depth as the pot, stake securely, firm in gently, water in well and mulch. Allow enough room for its vigorous, spreading growth.

Watering:
Water regularly through the first two growing seasons, especially in dry spells. Established trees benefit from a good soak during dry weather in summer while the fruit is swelling. Container trees need more frequent watering.

Feeding:
Apply a balanced fruit tree fertiliser in early spring. A mulch of well-rotted compost in autumn keeps the soil fertile. Avoid too much nitrogen, which gives leafy growth at the expense of fruit.

Seasonal Care & Tidy-Up:
Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. Remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, and keep the centre open so light and air reach the fruit. Thin heavy crops in early summer for larger fruit. Pick in October when the fruit comes away easily, and store in a cool, dark, frost-free place. The flavour sweetens and mellows over winter.

Pollination:
‘Boskoop Rouge’ is a triploid, so it cannot pollinate other trees and needs two other apple varieties flowering nearby to set a good crop. Choose companions from pollination groups B, C or D. Ask in store and we can suggest suitable partners.

Pests & Problems:
Generally manageable. Watch for apple scab, canker, codling moth and aphids. Good pruning, an open airy canopy and prompt removal of infected material keep most problems down. Its hardiness helps it cope with wet and cool conditions.

Design Notes:
A good choice for kitchen gardens, orchards and family gardens where you want an apple for both cooking and eating. The spring blossom is attractive, and the red fruit that stores well extends the harvest into winter. Underplant with spring bulbs, herbs or low perennials.

Propagation:
Fruit trees are grafted onto rootstock, so named varieties need nursery-grown stock to be true to type.