People asked to keep their eyes peeled for apple blossom as Council publishes the first Highland Apple Map

Now we are into May it is time to keep you eyes peeled for Apple blossom, trees that don’t seem that obvious through the rest of the year are bursting into glorious flower. If you see a tree or have one in your garden and would like to put it on the Highland Apple Map then send Highland Council the number of apple trees, the variety (if known) and the address or postcode of where they are growing.

The finalised Highland Apple map has just been uploaded onto the Highland Council website. This data was collected from all over Highland in the last eight months and contains 86 different locations of apple trees.

Jonathan Willet the Council’s Biodiversity Officer said: “I have been really pleased by the response to collecting locations of apple trees for the apple map and the enthusiasm for apple in general that was shown by all those that attended the Apple Day event last October.

“Of the 86 sites, 15 had ancient trees over 80 years old, 20 had trees over 20 and 39 had trees under 20 years old. This shows that there are quite a few new apple trees being planted in the Highlands, there are even some Orchards being planted. One orchard with 256 trees has been planted just near Strathpeffer, it includes 7 cider varieties. With the south of England getting less rainfall, new orchards will planted further north as apple trees need plenty of moisture to grow and set fruit. Our survey discovered here are only a handful of commercial orchards in Highland.”

There were 74 varieties that were named with one site near Inverness having a remarkable 58 varieties, almost double the number of the next most diverse site. Some of the best names of the varieties were Pitmaston Pine Apple, Irish Peach, Enmeth Early and Ballerina Polka.

Highland’s Apple Map is on the Council’s website at http://www.highland.gov.uk/applemap.htm. Anyone who would like to submit their apple trees for inclusion on the apple map can contact Jonathan Willet on 01463 702274 or email jonathan.willet@highland.gov.uk .