Alfriston

A traditional old cooking apple from Sussex.

Origin: Sussex UK, 1800

Pollination: Alfriston is self-sterile and would require a pollinator to produce a crop.Find pollination partners >

British-grown All our bare-root trees are personally hand-grafted by our Nursery Manager and grown on at our nursery in Kent. We have Defra and Plant Healthy certification. More ...

Alfriston apple trees produced to order

Closing date for custom graft orders: 14 Jul 2026

We do not stock this variety, but we can produce custom-graft trees for you. Trees can be grafted on any of the following rootstocks:

Form	Rootstock	Price
Maiden	M9Dwarfing	£39.00
Maiden	M26Semi-dwarfing	£39.00
Maiden	MM106Semi-vigorous	£39.00
Maiden	MM111Vigorous	£39.00
Maiden	M25Very vigorous	£39.00

Custom graft trees would be supplied in December 2027. More details of our custom grafting service here.

History and description of Alfriston

Alfriston apple was raised late 18th Century by a Mr Shepherd of Uckfield, Sussex, UK. Originally known as Shepherd's Pippin. Renamed Alfriston in 1891 when it was sent to the London Horticultural Society by a Mr Booker of Alfriston, near Lewes, Sussex. Received RHS Award of Merit 1920. Grown commercially in the UK until 1930's. Also grown in Australia.

Medium to large, oblong fruit. Bright yellowish green skin. Soft, cream coloured flesh. Quite sharp, cooking to a light flavoured froth. Keeps very well but loses its acidity after November.

Moderately vigorous tree. Good cropper but biennial. Good disease resistance.

Characteristics of Alfriston apple trees

Use	Culinary
Colour	Green
Flavour	Sharp
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Early/Mid Oct
Season of use	Nov-Apr
Tree vigour	Moderate
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Biennial
Disease resistance	Scab - Resistant Canker - Resistant Mildew - Resistant
Suitable for	Wet Regions
Pollination date	10
Pollination group	C
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Progeny	Morley's Seedling