Spring 2024 seasonYou can order trees for delivery from January 2024.
Trained Trees banner logoPre-trained fruit trees from Keepers Nursery in association with Orange Pippin

McIntosh

McIntosh
McIntosh is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Keeping: 2-3 weeks
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 2

McIntosh (or Macintosh) is one of the great North American apples. Discovered in Canada in the early 19th century it rapidly became an important home and commercial apple variety in Canada and the north-eastern USA.

It is best know for its distinctive sweet wine-like flavour - reminiscent of sweet grapes. Its maroon skin colour, and gleaming white juicy flesh are also very characteristic of this variety.

Trained McIntosh apple trees for sale

Next deliveries

For delivery from November 2023

  • Tree form iconLarge Espalier (starter) tree £45.00
    Supplied with 1 tier and a leader, for training on as an espalier or palmette. Approx. mature size: 3m wide and 2.5m high. Potential for 3-5 tiers. Red bare-root.

Growing and Training

Perhaps surprisingly given its Canadian origins McIntosh does best in a warm sunny climate, and in the UK is best grown as a fan or espalier against a wall or fence in full sun.


McIntosh characteristics

  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group2
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Picking period (southern UK)mid-September
  • CroppingHeavy
  • Keeping2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating freshCulinaryJuice
  • Disease resistanceGood
  • Country of originCanada
  • Period of origin1800 - 1849
  • Fruit colourCrimson

Similar varieties

  • See also Spartan
    Spartan
    Spartan produces lots of crimson maroon apples, crunchy, sweet, easy to grow, delicate "vinous" flavour.