Cider Apple Trees

Can you eat cider apples?

Cider apples have a bittersweet taste caused by something called tannin. This means that while they’re perfectly safe to eat, cider apples likely won’t taste very nice. Compared to eating and cooking apples, cider apples will taste extremely bitter and astringent.

How long does it take for a cider apple tree to produce?

A maiden cider tree (a cider tree that is one year old) will take approximately 3 to 4 years to begin producing apples. This is around the same time as a standard rootstock apple tree, but much quicker than growing a standard apple tree from seed which can take between 5 to 12 years to begin producing fruit!

What’s the difference between cider apples and regular apples?

There are three main types of apples – eating (or ‘standard’), cooking, and cider apples. Cider apples are almost always unpalatable to eat, proving extremely bitter and dry to taste. They have much higher sugar levels than eating or cooking apples which, combined with the bitter taste, makes them perfect for making cider.

If you wish to eat or cook with apples, browse our collections of dessert apple trees and cooking apple trees for more palatable flavours! Discover our full range of apple trees to find one to suit your needs at Primrose.