Malus 'Cheltenham' at Bute Park

Malus 'Cheltenham' 0

Malus 'Cheltenham'
late November 2015

Malus 'Cheltenham' 1

Malus 'Cheltenham'
late April 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' 2

Malus 'Cheltenham'
early May 2016

Grid reference ST 17763 77021
Common name Cheltenham crab
Origin Garden origin
Deciduous Yes
Status GB Champion 2023
Tag 2371
Planted Possibly 1960s
Height 7.5M November 2015
Height 7.5M August 2017
Height 7.5M March 2024
Girth 87cm November 2015
Girth 89cm August 2017
Girth 89cm February 2023
Girth 90.5cm March 2024
Reference 353

This tree is at the south end of the Apple group, west of the main path and approximately 75M south of Fishers Bridge. In early September 2016 the diameter of the fruit was typically 25mm. The fruits had a bitter taste.

The only other known tree of this kind is Malus 'Cheltenham' at Dyffryn Gardens.

Malus 'Cheltenham' bark

Malus 'Cheltenham' bark
March 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' leaf4

Malus 'Cheltenham' leaves
mid April 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' bud

Malus 'Cheltenham' leaves & buds
late April 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' flower

Malus 'Cheltenham' leaves & flowers
early May 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' flower2

Malus 'Cheltenham' flowers
early May 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit1

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit
early July 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit2

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit
early August 2016

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit3

Malus 'Cheltenham' fruit
early September 2016

General tree description

No sources of information have been found for Malus 'Cheltenham'. Two examples of this cultivar are known to exist, one at Bute Park, Cardiff and the other at Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan.

For Bute Park the name occurred on 1950s hand-drawn planting plans made by William Nelmes Senior, who was planting the arboretum from the late 1940s until the mid 1960s. At Dyffryn Gardens, in 1997, there was on old-looking label on the tree. Both trees are believed to have been planted in the 1960s.

It is possible that this cultivar could have been raised by W.Hopwood and son (Cheltenham) Ltd who were a fruit and rose nursery in the first half of the 20th century.