Bess Pool

A large attractive late sweet dessert apple.

Origin: Nottinghamshire UK, 1750

Pollination: Bess Pool 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 ...

Bess Pool apple trees produced to order

Closing date for custom graft orders: 14 Jul 2025

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 2026. More details of our custom grafting service here.

History and description of Bess Pool

An old variety found in the 18th Century in a wood in Nottinghamshire, UK by Bess Pool, the daughter of a village innkeeper. The attractive fruit gained fame locally and grafts were taken. It was introduced by J R Pearson a nurseryman from Chilwell.

Medium to large, round-conical fruit. Crimson flush and lines over pale greenish yellow skin. Rather dry and crumbly white flesh. Sweet with some aromatic flavour.

Vigorous part tip bearing tree. Slow to bear and an erratic cropper. Very late flowering good for areas prone to late frosts.

Characteristics of Bess Pool apple trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Flushed
Flavour	Sweet
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Early/Mid Oct
Season of use	Nov-Mar
Tree vigour	Vigorous
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Partial tip-bearer
Cropping	Erratic
Suitable for	Late Frost
Pollination date	22
Pollination group	F
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners