Malus Domestica Beauty Of Bath Apple Tree

Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath is an early fruiting dessert apple with plenty of flavour and character. It was bred by G. Coolings in 1864 and has remained popular in UK gardens & orchards ever since. The much loved Discovery Apple is a descendent cultivar of this apple tree. 

Years ago Beauty of Bath was popular as an early season eating apple, but its habit of dropping as soon as it was ripe meant it fell out of favour as a commercial apple. However, this is still one of the best early eating apples you can grow.

Fruits are small with a slightly flattened shape, and an acid taste that matures into a sweet distinctive full flavour in August. The apple grows pale green to yellow and then develops an attractive flush of red that stains the flesh beneath. In spring Beauty of Bath Apple develops pink buds that gradually turn into fragrant white blossom to attract early pollinators. Its leaves cluster thickly on an upright spreading canopy. This is a compact to large tree with a heavy crop of small fruits. It’s hard to beat this classic heavily cropping dessert apple.

Height & Spread
As apple trees go, Beauty of Bath can be considered a large deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit. 

How Hardy Is Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath
This eating apple is very hardy throughout the UK, but like all apple trees the blossom will be damaged by late occurring frosts. Plant it in a sheltered aspect free from frost pockets. Beauty of Bath is particularly resistant to scab, so it’s a good choice for damper climates and conditions.

How To Use Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath
Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath can grow to be one of the larger apples tree, so it makes an excellent specimen for the lawn or a large flower border. Wildlife gardens benefit from an apple tree as they attract pollinators and birds. It’s possible to espalier or fan train this excellent eating apple and it grows well in a large container on the patio too, which will keep it on the smaller side. Apples are best eaten straight from the tree in August.

How To Care For Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath
The Beauty of Bath Apple tree needs a pollinating partner to fruit successfully, but because it is an early to mid season bloomer it can be pollinated by many other apple trees. It’s best planted in a sheltered area with moist well-drained soil and lots of light, but it will grow in poorer soils too.

Prune out the crown and reduce stems by one third in the winter months if you want to encourage vigorous new growth, but this tree will grow happily without inference.

Malus Domestica Beauty of Bath has stood the test of time, and although it’s not often grown commercially now, it is one of the best early to mid-season dessert apples around with a unique favour and mottled red shade you’re unlikely to find in the supermarkets. A top pick for apple fans who fancy something a little more unusual.