Columnar Apple Trees

Columnar apple trees are specially bred for compact, upright growth, making them perfect for small spaces, urban gardens, container planting, hedges and orchards. 

Columnar apple trees reach 8-10 feet in height, but stay only 2-3 feet wide. Producing fruiting spurs right on their trunk, there is little need for branches.

Despite their small footprint, columnar apple trees produce full-sized apples with exceptional flavour. There are multiple cultivars available, each with its own unique colour and taste, providing a range of options for fresh eating, baking, or cider. 

When considering yield per square foot, columnar apples can compete with or surpass regular apple trees. Several columnar trees can fit into a small area and allow you to harvest multiple varieties in the same amount of space as one large tree.

Columnar apple trees are low maintenance, requiring minimal pruning to keep their shape. 

The varieties offered here require cross-pollination by another variety of apple or crabapple. All of the varieties offered here bloom mid-season and will cross-pollinate each other. They will also cross-pollinate with dwarf and standard size apple and crabapple trees that also bloom mid-season.

Varieties

Urban Apple® Blushing Delight™ Columnar Apple 

• Yellow apples with a red blush. Sweet-tart, balanced. Crisp and juicy. Stores for 2-3 months. Excellent for fresh eating, salads (firm flesh resists browning), light baking and juicing or cider blending. Zone 4.

Urban Apple® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple

• Golden apples. Sweet with mild tart - get sweeter the longer they are on the tree. Crisp. Stores for an incredible 3-5 months. Texture and flavour remain good deep into winter if refrigerated. Good for fresh eating, baking, apple sauce and dehydrating. Zone 4.

Urban Apple® Tasty Red™ Columnar Apple 

• Bright red apples. Mild, sweet, classic apple flavour appeals broadly. Firm and juicy. Stores for 3-4 months under cool, humid conditions. Good for fresh eating, cooking, dehydrating and lunch boxes/snacks. Zone 4.

Treasured Red (aka TreasuRed) Columnar Apple

• Apples are a deep, rich red — very attractive. Sweet and mildly tart, with a pleasant balance and good aromatic quality. Crisp and juicy, not mealy. Good storage potential—keeps several weeks to a few months under cool, dry conditions. Excellent for fresh eating and baking. Zone 4.
  

Golden Sentinel Columnar Apple

• Bright yellow apples, sometimes with a pink blush. Sweet, mildly tart; similar to Golden Delicious but slightly more aromatic. Crisp and juicy. Excellent for fresh eating; good for salads, baking, and applesauce. Stores for several weeks. Zone 4.

Scarlet Sentinel Columnar Apple

• Bright red to crimson apples, often glossy. Flavour is sweet with a bit more tartness than Golden Sentinel; refreshing and well-balanced. Firm, crisp, and juicy. Very good storage life; maintains flavour and texture for months in cool storage. Excellent for eating fresh, and good for pies and cider. Zone 4.

General Info

Scientific name: Malus x   
Light requirements: Full sun 
Full-grown size: 8-10' tall, by only 2-3' wide 

Pollination: These varieties are partially self-fertile, but cross-pollination is required for normal and high yields. (You need two *different* apple varieties within 50-100' of each other. Columnar, dwarf and standard apple trees, as well as crabapples, can all cross-pollinate with each other if they bloom at the same time.)

Wildlife: Attracts pollinators and wildlife.

Origins: 

• Urban Apple series - Czech Republic (2011).
• Treasured Red - University of Saskatchewan (2010's).
• Golden Sentinel and Scarlet Sentinel - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, B.C. (1990's).

Noteworthy: Trees grow in the shape of a column. Very productive on a per square foot basis.

WE DO NOT SHIP LIVE PLANTS. THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP AT OUR NURSERY IN ERRINGTON, BC.