Duke of Devonshire

A late russet apple with an intense sweet-sharp flavour.

Origin: Cumbria UK, 1835

Pollination: Duke of Devonshire 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 ...

Duke of Devonshire 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 Duke of Devonshire

Raised by Wilson, head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at Holker Hall, Cumbria in 1835. Introduced c1875. Popular in Edwardian times and still a valued garden apple.

Medium-sized fruit. Flat-round to short-round-conical shape. Dull green skin becoming pale golden yellow, covered with russet patches, with sometimes a slight brownish yellow flush. Creamy white flesh, tinged green. Firm and fine-textured with an intense fruit-drop flavour, and a rich nutty finish.

A spreading tree of moderate vigour. Light cropper. Prone to mildew.

Characteristics of Duke of Devonshire apple trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Russet
Flavour	Sweet-sharp
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Early/Mid Oct
Season of use	Dec-Mar
Tree vigour	Moderate
Tree habit	Spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Light
Disease resistance	Mildew - Susceptible Scab - Very resistant
Suitable for	Northern Britain Wet Regions
Pollination date	11
Pollination group	C
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Progeny	Polly Prosser