Variety: Lord Lambourne, the early aromatic dessert Apple Latin name: Malus domestica 'Lord Lambourne' Sold as: Bareroot maiden, bush and half-standard Rootstock: MM106 Mature size: A bush is kept at about 3m, a half-standard at about 4m. 4.5m by 4.5m if left unpruned Fruit: Small to medium, streaky red over orange-green, with a little russet. Sweet, juicy, strongly aromatic Pollination: Group B. Partially self-fertile: it crops better with a partner Bearing: Partial tip bearer Picking: Late September Keeps: Late September to November Where it does well: Northerly, colder and higher-rainfall areas Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter RHS Award of Garden Merit: Yes (1993) Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available Lord Lambourne is a cross between James Grieve and Worcester Pearmain that beat both of them: an aromatic, juicy dessert Apple picked in late September and eaten through to November. It is in pollination group B, partially self-fertile, and it does well in colder, wetter, more northerly gardens. It holds the Award of Garden Merit. Lord Lambourne Apple Trees Lord Lambourne is one of those prodigies who took all the best bits from both of his parents, James Grieve and Worcester Pearmain, and became something quite different. The apple is a pleasing round shape and looks streaky red over orange/green with a smidgen of russeting present. Lord Lambourne is the earliest of the aromatic apples to fruit : very apple-y with a strong and pleasant taste that is tempered by clear acidity and will sweeten over time, even after picking. The flesh is clean white and juicy to the bite. Browse our range of apple trees or all our fruit trees. Growing Lord Lambourne Lord Lambo (to his friends) is very easy to grow, being highly resistant to scab and hard winters. Being partially self-fertile, it's recommended that you have another apple tree close by from Group B or C unless you have some flowering crab apples in the vicinity which will also do the job. A good partner is Howgate Wonder, a group C cooker that also eats well late in the season, and the contrast in size is part of the fun: one of Lord Lambourne's attractions is that the fruit is small enough for a child to hold. Planting Companions Lord Lambourne sets some fruit alone and a good deal more with an Apple from group B or C nearby. Both of its parents sit in that pool, James Grieve and Worcester Pearmain, each in group C, and both are linked above. Discovery is another group C, and the rest are on our Apple pollination chart. Dust bareroot roots with Rootgrow as you plant. Why Buy Your Apple Tree from Ashridge? Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Lord Lambourne Apple tree is grafted onto MM106 rootstock, and maidens are pre-pruned before despatch for the form you choose. Bareroot trees are lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months. Frequently Asked Questions Does Lord Lambourne need a pollination partner? It is partially self-fertile, so a lone tree crops. Plant an Apple from group B or C within sight of it and the crop is heavier. What pollination group is it in? Group B. That means it works with the other group B Apples and with group C. When do you pick it, and how long does it keep? Pick in late September. It eats from then until about November, and it sweetens after picking. Is it a good Apple for a cold or wet garden? Yes. It is one of the varieties recommended for northerly, colder, higher-rainfall areas, and it resists scab and mildew. Is it a tip bearer or a spur bearer? A partial tip bearer, so leave some of the previous year's shoot tips on when you prune: cut them all back and you cut off next year's Apples. How big does the tree grow? On MM106, a pruned bush is kept at about 3 metres and a half-standard at about 4 metres. Left unpruned, the rootstock gives a tree about 4.5 metres tall and wide. Do you sell Lord Lambourne as a cordon or espalier? You buy a maiden and make the shape yourself, which is how a cordon is made. Tell us the form you want and we pre-prune the maiden before despatch. MM106 suits cordons, fans and espaliers. When are the trees delivered? Bareroot only, from November to April, while the trees are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your tree is lifted and sent once the season opens.