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Apple trees

Laxton's Superb

Laxton's Superb is a classic English dessert apple from the Victorian era, still widely grown in gardens and small orchards.  The apples have the orange/red flush which is characteristic of many English apple varieties.  The flavour is basically sweet, and the flesh is firm rather than crunchy.  All in all, a typical Victorian apple.

One of the parents of Laxton's Superb is Cox's Orange Pippin, and it is often grown as a Cox-substitute.  The appearance and flavour are quite close to Cox's Orange Pippin but the tree is hardier and better-cropping.

Fresh fruit for sale of this variety

Laxton's Superb apple trees for sale (2010/2011 season)

Deliver to mainland UKDelivery to the mainland UK (price includes delivery)

Mature heightSupplied as*Delivery
period
Price
inc. delivery
Quantity
Very small (1.5m - 2m)1-year - Bare-root - M27 rootstockNov-March£29.00
Very small (1.5m - 2m)2-year - 12L container - M27 rootstockSept-April£35.00
Small (1.8m - 2.5m)Cordon - Bare-root - M9 rootstockNov-March£33.00
Small (1.8m - 2.5m)Cordon - 12L container - M9 rootstockSept-April£36.00
Medium (2.2m - 3m)1-year - Bare-root - M26 rootstockNov-March£29.00
Medium (2.2m - 3m)2-year - 12L container - M26 rootstockSept-April£34.00
Large (2.5m - 4.5m)1-year - Bare-root - MM106 rootstockNov-March£29.00
Large (2.5m - 4.5m)2-year - 12L container - MM106 rootstockSept-April£34.00

Product formats | Bare-root or Container-grown | Delivery | Rootstocks

All prices include delivery. We offer a discount on orders of multiple bare-root trees for delivery at the same time - this will be shown at the checkout.

*Delivery period: Container-grown trees will be delivered from September 2010. Bare-root trees will be delivered from mid-November 2010. You can order now and your items will be reserved for you, but you will not be asked to pay until nearer the time of delivery.



Uses

Growing

  • Cropping - Heavy
  • Fertility - Partially self-fertile
  • Flowering group - 4
  • Triploid - No
  • Biennial tendency
  • Gardening skill - Average
  • Disease resistance - Average
  • Vigour - Vigourous

Climate

Pollination partners for Laxton's Superb

Laxton's Superb is in flowering group 4. It is partially self-fertile, but a nearby pollination partner is beneficial. The following varieties will pollinate Laxton's Superb:

Important: advice about pollination


Horticultural characteristics of Laxton's Superb apple trees

Laxton's Superb is a good apple variety for the garden.  It blossoms quite late which can be useful in areas subject to spring frosts, and the tree is fairly disease resistant (although it can be affected by scab).  The tree is quite easy to identify (even without apples on it) owing to its weeping growth habit and long whippy branches.

The main problem with Laxton's Superb is a tendency towards biennial bearing, which means it will produce a good crop one year and then hardly anything the next.  If you notice this occurring you can help to some extent by deliberately over-thinning in the "on year", although many owners just put up with it.

Laxton's Superb produces a strong-growing tree, and is therefore best grown on a less vigorous rootstock for smaller gardens.

Historical details

Developed by the famous Laxton Brothers nursery, and introduced in 1897.  A cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Wyken Pippin.




Example trees as supplied (container-grown only)

This is an illustration of what our products look like as delivered. Please remember that trees are natural products, so this information is for general guidance only. The trees at this stage are 1-2 years old, and will get larger as they grow older, the likely mature heights are indicated in the ordering section above. The trees you receive may differ in some respects from those shown here, for some of the following reasons:

  • Many of these photos were taken in early autumn - trees delivered during winter will not have leaves.
  • There can be a considerable size variation between different varieties of the same species.
  • Some varieties naturally "feather" or produce many side branches at an early age. Others may not feather at all.
  • In some cases we may have to "tip" the tops of trees to fit in our delivery cartons. Please do not be alarmed, as this will be carried out immediately prior to despatch, and is actually good practice when planting a new tree.

For comparison purposes the model in our photos is 5ft 6" / 1m 68cm tall. Click any of the images to view a larger one.




Product photo
2-year pre-trained apple tree in a 12L container on M27 rootstock
Product photo
2-year pre-trained apple tree in a 12L container on M26 rootstock
Product photo
2-year pre-trained apple tree in a 12L container on MM106 rootstock
Product photo
1-year apple tree in a 3L container on M9 rootstock
Product photo
Cordon apple tree in a 12L container on M9 rootstock