Identification of St Ives Community Orchard Fruit trees.  

St Ives Community Orchard has over 100 different types of fruit and nut trees, with at least 50 different varieties of Apple trees, mostly Cornish and Heritage varieties. See our full St Ives Orchard Tree list

We are working to get all of the fruit trees identified as well as making notes on their flavour, texture, blossom colour, time of year that the apples blossom and apples fall which will all help in their identification.

The orchard was planted Feb 2013 with over 100 different varieties of fruit and nut trees. These trees had been moved from another site in Penzance and many of the labels were lost in the move. A year later a hand drawn map was made with the trees that still had labels. Since then many more trees have been planted and most of these were recorded using GPS co-ordinates. This method isn’t very accurate and user friendly but at least gives us some record as you can see on this Tree map.
We are now working on a physical numbered map and have plans to put labels onto each tree.

A new labelling system was introduced in 2023, hanging silver, numbered metal disks on the apple trees , starting from below the orchard shed, zigzagging down the orchard from left to right.

Apple Trees with tasting notes

** This means that it’s not a definite identification, it is possibly this type of apple.

  1. ?? Sweet, red, stripy, very crisp.
  2. ** Court Pendu Plat
    Tasting notes: 2024 – Big, green/red, hard, sour, tough skin.
    23rd Oct 2025 – Skin red & green, some striping, slight roughness in places, little wax.
    Texture: crisp, firm, “more of a bite”, denser, maybe. Very slightly and finely grainy.
    Taste: very aromatic, floral, complex, sweet, very slight tannins.
  3. Winter Peach Big, yellow, sweet. Mostly fallen by end of Sept. Does not store well. Red flush on one side of the apple that faces the sun.
  4. Laxton Superb Big, green/red. Initially hard, sour, tough skin but if picked late season and stored for a couple weeks, the apple is sweet and delicious. Adopted by J&M
  5. Laxton Superb as above
  6. James Grieve?
  7. Charles Ross– memory tree planted by Senara
  8. Laxton Superb
  9. ?? No apples
  10. Sunset  – Yellow / Red / sweet – spotted apples
  11. ?? Dark red / large / super sweet
  12. ?? Small green / sour
  13. ?? No apples in 2024, red / yellow stripy apples – Early
  14. ?? Small green / brown, tough, semi sour. Must remember to move number disk as it’s going to strangle the branch.
  15. Bloody Butcher / Breadfruit, no apples 24 / 25
  16. Ellisons Orange **
  17. ?? quite similar to Ellisons Orange
  18. ?????
  19. Egremot Russet.  Khaki brown. Adopted & planted by Jane Bassett in March 2017. GPS record.
  20. Dr Harvey. Id’d by RHS in 2026.  Large, green/yellow, sweet. One of the oldest recorded English apple varieties, first documented in 1629. Tip bearer apple. Sweet.
  21. ?? Small green, not very sour but dry / tart
  22. Jonagold.  Id’d in 2026 by RHS. Very sweet, delicious red / green, small apples. These are often very large apples. Small, mottled red, sweet, not a happy tree in 25, one branch had died, looked much happier in 26. (Note there is also a Jonagold planted close to skatepark / chippings area – that was sponsored by the Choc factory next door)
  23. John Standish.  Id’d by RHS in 2026. Very sweet, red / green, small apples
  24. ?? Semi sweet, nice crunch
  25. ?? No apples
  26. Cox’s Orange Pippen. Sweetish, red apples
  27. ????
  28. ?? Sweet, red/yellow
  29. Chiver’s Delight?? (based on gps) Khaki green and red, not sour but not sweet. Tall tree next to path
  30. ?? Red, not that sweet, Stained pink flesh inside.
  31. Golden Delicious?  (based on GPS) Yellow / green mottled, sweet, thin branches. RHS actually id’d it as a Mutsu Crispin in 2026 which is the Japanese family of Golden Delicious.)
  32. Ashmeads Kernal. Yellow mottled, sweet, thin branches
  33. ?? Wide branching, no apples
  34. ?? Early sweet red, very aromatic flavour. Pink tinge inside the apple. Next to gooseberries and cherry.
  35. Fiesta. ID’d by RHS in 2026.  Large red apples with amazing flavour, short tree. Planted Jan 2020 (ordered from Beechwood Nursery)
  36. Discovery. Small, no apples as of 2023. Adopted by Drazen Neskovic for Sandra.
  37. ?? Yellow apples
  38. Spartan. Planted 2019. Adopted by Sarah Taylor
  39. Discovery. Pink & white blossom.
  40. Seed Surprise. Lilly, Jazmin & Poppy’s tree planted from seed.
  41. Golden Delicious. Id’d by RHS in 2026.  Green mottled. Planted / adopted by Charly Scott in 2020 as a wedding gift.
  42. Katy apple  Planted 2020. No apples in 2023. Adopted in memory of Trevor Both. White blossom with tinge of pink. Red apples
  43. ?? Sweetish, nice, small green apples
  44. Crab apple. Small green / yellow, sour
  45. ?? No apples in 24 /
  46. Laxton** Loads of apples. Red / khaki, sour / tart. Mid / Late
  47. Sops in Wine or Pendragon. Small, deep red apples with white / pink flesh, sweetish / mild flavour. Was convinced it was a Pendragon but Sally from Kehelland identified it as Sops in Wine.
  48. King of the Pippens.  Id’d by RHS in 2026. Small tree. Sweet, red / khaki / green apples. Next to Laxton superb & Sops in wine tree.
  49. Cornish Pine Apple. No apples 2023. Beautiful big apples in 25 & 26.
  50. Crab Apple? Little red / orange apple
  51. Small tree, no apples 2023
  52. Venus Pippen. Planted 2020
  53. Beauty of Bath. Planted 2020
  54. ?? Delicious, red apples
  55. ?? Deep red, not sour, not sweet
  56. Discovery. Adopted by Angela. Tasty tart unusual flavour, not sure if it is a discovery???
  57. ?? Sweet, orange / red apples. Planted in 2017.
  58. Scrumptious. Adopted memory tree
  59. Rosemary Russet – planted in 2020. Adopted by Lynn Archard
  60. ?? Sweet, red
  61. ?? Not a happy tree, looks like it’s dying. Close to 2 Mulberry trees that died.
  62. ?? Very low apple tree, dark green apples
  63. ?? beautiful red apple, sweet, lots of apples, tiny tree
  64. Slack ma girdle, red, not sweet not sour delicious. Adopted by Senara Wilson
  65. Ellison’s Orange. ID’d by RHS in 2026 – by the smell (smelt of aniseed). Deep red, beautiful apples
  66. ?? no apples
  67. Tom Putt Planted 2015, falling over, no apples 2023
  68. Greensleeves?  green apples with red flush.
  69. Adams Pearmain. Loaded with small apples, conical shaped, not that sweet but delicious.
    23rd Oct 2025 – loaded with apples starting to fall, Skin: red & green, small light spots/dappling. Smooth, no detectable wax. Texture: quite soft, “almost buttery”. Taste: sweet and mellow, “apple crumble flavour”
  70. ?? no apples. Plum?
  71. ?? small newish tree no apples
  72. Belle de Boscoop Khaki / green /  red, large, a bit sour, crunchy. 2025 lots of large misshapen apples, cooker / eater, late season, stores well. No seeds to be seen when cut open.
  73. **Cornish Gillyflower or Cox Orange Pippen.  Red, large, very sweet apples, crisp & juicy. Close to wooden compost bin. It has many characteristics of both but closer in description to a Gillyflower. An orange pippen rattles!! A Gillyflower smells like cloves. An orange pippen is a spur bearer whereas a Gilly flower is a tip bearer. A pippen is mid season and gillyflower is late season & a good keeper.
  74. ?? Dying tree. Pear or Apple?
  75. ?? little tree, small, red, sweet, mottled apples
  76. Kims tree. No apples this year. Loaded last year with red apples
  77. ?? Large green apples, not to sour but not sweet. Tree on bank
  78. Small, red/yellow, spotty, sweetish apples
  79. ?? Small, red/yellow, spotty, sweetish apples
  80. Star of Devon. ID’d by RHS in 2026. Stripy red (orange flame colour) apples, with yellow base, very sweet. GPS and photos made us think it was definitely Hoary morning but on tasting notes, we now think that is possibly the tree just behind.
  81. Cornish Mother
  82. ?? Large, red, floury apples. Planted 2013
  83. Ellisons Orange apple – deep red, sweet apple
  84. Jupiter** Big red, floury apples
  85. Allington Pippen.  ID’d by RHS in 2026. Small tree, late, loaded with pink / yellow apples. Tart flavour
  86. ?? Sparse tree, little misshapen apples, motley apples. Late dropper
  87. Ribston Pippen * Khaki / red, med size, sweet, lots of apples
  88. ?? Tree next to polytunnel. Dark red apples, medium size, lots, short stalk, open eye, white crisp flesh. Delicious. **
  89. ?? Med, red, large, sweet, juicy, skin a little thick
  90. ?? Narrow tree, orange/red apples, sweet
  91. ?? Lots of yellow/red apples, med, sweet **
  92. ?? Pink white blossom, red yellow, tastes horrible
  93. ** Upton Pyne. Id’d by RHS in 2026 but he wasn’t sure.  Red, yellow, mottled, white flesh, juicy, unusual flavour, sweetish
  94. ?? Large, bushy, no apples
  95. ??
  96. ??
  97. Bramley
  98. Fallen over tree
  99. Apple or pear?
  100. Catshead
  101. Primrose or Buttercup – Fallen over tree
  102. Fiesta 2020
  103. Red Devil (next to willow dome). Sweet with white / pink flesh.
  104. Rossette
  105. ?? Big tree, little red/green apples. Sweet

Tree on bank loaded with apples, not labelled yet.  Tydemman’s Late Orange**. Very late picker, sweetens in the winter, picking in Nov – jan recommended.

XX – Sunset – next to Belle de Boskoop. Sweet bountiful tree. Tree number disk has also disappeared.

Jumbo apple – the only tree in the Core garden.

Trees in forest garden – cox’s orange pippen, Monarch, Bramley, Cathy Quince, Cornus Mas

This is aprox 3 quarters of the apple trees in the orchard then there are more in the wild orchard above the skatepark and around the playgrounds.

Other Fruit Trees:

  • Sunburst Cherry x 2 
  • Stella Cherry 
  • Cherry Plum
  • Fig Rouge de Bordeux  
  • Gage – Oullins Golden 
  • Grapes – Boskoop Glory x 3 
  • Kiwi (Oriental Delight)  
  • Kiwi (Delisiosa) x 2  
  • Louise Bonne de Jersey Pear tree in the veg garden. Memory of Patrick James who died at age 33. Have discussed moving it as it doesn’t seem very happy there.
  • Medlar x 3 
  • Asian Nashi Pear x 3 
  • Pear – Conference x 3 
  • Pear – Louise Bonne de Jersey 
  • Kea Plum 
  • Victoria Plum 
  • Damson Merryweather Plum 
  • Cherry Plum x 5 
  • Opal Plum 
  • Quince

Fruit bushes & vines 

  • Aronia / Choke berries x 4 
  • Autumn Olive (Eleagnus Umbellata) x 2
  • Blackberries  (Thornless / Wild)
  • Blueberries x 5 ( Blue crop / Northland / Patriot)
  • Chillian Guavas x4 
  • Chocolate vine 
  • Red & White Currants 
  • Gooseberries 
  • Grapes x 4 
  • Honey Berries x 2 
  • Japanese Wineberries x 2
  • June Berries  
  • Logan berries
  • Raspberries 
  • Passion Flower (Edulis) 

Tree Labelling System – learn from our mistakes

Printed or permanent marker labels provided with trees only last a few years before rubbing off so it’s important to have a good labelling system. We’ve tried a few different methods but have realised that the best method would be a map showing numbered trees correlating with metal numbered disks hanging from the trees.
The orchard was planted Feb 2013 with over 100 different varieties of fruit and nut trees. These trees had been moved from another site in Penzance. Some of the labels were lost in the move and a year later a hand drawn map was made with the trees that still had labels. Since then many more trees have been planted and most of these were recorded using GPS. This method isn’t very accurate and user friendly but at least gives us some record.  Many trees were labelled using a wood-burning tool on stakes, but this method is labour intensive and doesn’t last well either. In 2023 we started this new labelling method using metal disks and recording information on the list above. Once we have most of the tree names we intend to get the names printed directly onto metal to hang from the trees alongside the number. A map will be drawn up with the numbers so that they can be more easily found. We wish we had done this from the very start but it’s also been quite exciting discovering and learning how to identify our apples.

Where did our trees come from?

Most of our first trees came via PEN (Penwith Environment Network) from Adam Apples

See history & list below.

Since then most of our trees and fruit bushes have been sourced from local places –  Kehelland Trust, Dobbies in Lelant,  Falmouth Forest Garden , Hayle Plants

We got some very interesting Cornish varieties (ie Sops in Wine & Hoary Morning) from Cornish Garden Nurseries situated on the A39 in Perran-ar-worthal between Falmouth and Truro. The website no longer seems available so not sure if it’s still open. Contact Kevin – kwoodmanltd@gmail.com

Many of our fruiting bushes were from E-forests (we also get virtually all our woodland trees from them too) – they provided most of the trees, stakes and guards from //www.perriehale.co.uk/

We have also ordered online from //3fatpigs.co.uk/ and //www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/

//jurassicplants.co.uk/ has a wonderful stock of unusual fruit and nut trees.

History:

The fruit trees planted in St Ives Community Orchard were originally part of a community project of PEN’s (Penwith Environmental Network) that Stephanie Hirtenstein and Dylan Keating created called Penwith Edible Forest and the money was raised from a local food grant. Half of the trees were planted in Penzance on a community site they managed at the time called Love Lane Wildlife Garden and are still there. The rest of the trees were planted at Castle gate but when Dylan moved to the States, the new owner didn’t want the trees and a new location was needed.

Members of the Steeple Woodland group suggested the land alongside the Palemon Best Recreational park & they were transplanted here in  St Ives Community Orchard. 

The  trees listed below were bought in 2010 for the project mentioned above, half of this list of trees were planted at Castle gate then moved here in Feb 2013

  • 3 x Arther Turner
  • 5 x Black Dabinett
  • 3 x Bramley
  • Cheddar Cross
  • Cherokee Cherry [Prunus] 2 year
  • 5 x Cornish Aromatic
  • 5 x Court of Wick
  • Dennistons Superb Gage 1 year
  • 2 x Dunkerton Late Sweet
  • 5 x Ellison’s Orange
  • 3 x English Codling
  • 3 x Fair Maid of Devon
  • 2 x Howgate Wonder
  • Jubilee
  • 3 x John Downie Crab Apple
  • 5 x Kingston Black
  • 2 x Lanes Prince Albert
  • 3 x Lord Derby
  • 3 x Lord Lambourne
  • Maidens Apple M25
  • Majorie seedling
  • Merryweather Damson [Prunus] 2 year
  • 2 x Monarch
  • Morello (Prunus| 2 year
  • Opal Plum [Prunus] St.julien A 2 year
  • 5 x 0rleans Rienette
  • 5 x Pitmaston Pineapple
  • Plum [Prunus One year old
  • Plum [Prunus| One year old
  • Quince Vranja ‘Cydonia’ 2 year ol
  • 3 x Red Sentinel
  • Rheine Claude de Bavay [Prunus] 2 year
  • 5 x Ribston Pippin
  • 2 x Slack ma Girdle
  • 5 x Somerset Redstreak
  • Saturn Sunset
  • Stella cherry [Prunus] tree 2 year
  • 2 x Sweet Coppin
  • 2 x Tale Sweet
  • 5 x Tydemans Late Orange
  • Victoria Plum [Prunus| Tree 2year
  • 2 x Yarlington Mill
  • 5 x Winter Peach
  • Sunburst Cherry [Prunus] tree 2 year