Ben's Red

An old Cornish summer apple similar to Devonshire Quarrenden

Origin: Cornwall UK, 1830

Pollination: Ben's Red 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 ...

Ben's Red 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 Ben's Red

Raised from a Devonshire Quarrenden seedling possibly pollinated by Farleigh Pippin by B Roberts, Trannack, Cornwall, UK c1830. Introduced in 1890's by the nurseryman G Bunyard of Maidstone, Kent. Received RHS Award of Merit 1899. Grown commercially in Kent until the 1920's in place of Worcester Pearmain and sold as 'Quarrenden' apples. Traditionally propagated from cuttings in its native Cornwall.

Medium sized, flat-round fruit. Dark maroon flush covering most of the pale greenish yellow skin. Pale cream flesh often tinged pink. Crisp and sweet with a strawberry flavour. Very similar to Devonshire Quarrenden but with better flavour and a slightly later season.

Small, spreading tree. Heavy cropper but with a biennial tendency.

Characteristics of Ben's Red apple trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Red
Flavour	Strawberry
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Early Sep
Season of use	Sep
Tree vigour	Small
Tree habit	Spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Heavy
Pollination date	6
Pollination group	B
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners