Apple Tree Belle fille de l'Indre - Malus domestica

Malus domestica 'Belle fille de l'Indre' is a very old variety of Apple tree, still appreciated for the taste of its fruits and their good suitability for winter storage. This highly productive tree produces a large quantity of medium to large-sized fruits. Their beautiful yellow skin, largely marked with red, protects a firm and juicy white flesh, sweet and delicately fragrant. It is a delicious apple for eating fresh and also produces very good juice. Edible from November, they can be stored in good condition until April-May. Hardy and easy to cultivate, the tree is self-sterile and therefore needs to be planted near a pollinator to bear fruit.

The Apple tree is a member of the rich Rosaceae family, which encompasses many other fruit genera (Apricot trees, Cherry trees, Raspberry bushes...), numerous wild species from forests and countryside, as well as a multitude of ornamental plants, including of course Roses. The Malus genus comprises around forty species, including the Common Apple, Malus domestica (synonyms, Malus communis or Malus pumila). Cultivated since ancient times (the Romans already had 29 different varieties), this tree now comes in approximately 20,000 varieties.
'Belle fille de l'Indre' has very ancient origins, likely before 1600, and with uncertain origins, although it is thought to be from close to Creuse and Haute-Vienne. It forms a spreading tree, reaching approximately 5 m in height and 4 m in spread at maturity. The branches are adorned with large ovate leaves, medium to dark green on the upper side and whitish green on the underside. Its late flowering occurs in May, which is an advantage against the risk of late frosts from which it is normally spared. The white flowers are charming in spring and are honey-bearing and nectar-rich, which is also a good point for the wildlife, including bees. However, its poor-quality pollen renders it self-sterile, necessitating the planting of another tree nearby flowering at the same time, which will act as a pollinator. Varieties well-suited for cross-pollination include: Court Pendu, Jacques Lebel, Jonathan, Reine des Reinettes, Reinette du Mans, Reinette Etoilée, Reinette du Canada blanc, Winston or any other late-flowering variety. Once fertilised, the flowers will develop into beautiful apples of excellent taste. This highly productive apple tree tends to produce numerous fruits, which can affect the size of the fruits if thinning is not carried out to reduce the apple load. The size will therefore vary from medium to large, yielding yellow apples, largely streaked with red, with a smooth, thin, and shiny skin. The white flesh is both firm and sweet, with no acidity, juicy and sugary. The harvest occurs in October-November and the fruit is excellent for eating fresh, while also being able to be stored until the following spring. It also produces excellent juice and can be cooked into compotes and desserts.

Very productive, rather resistant to bacterial canker, powdery mildew, and scab, the 'Belle fille de l'Indre' Apple tree will delight enthusiasts of old varieties. You could plant it alongside other ancient fruit trees, such as the famous Pear tree 'Beurré Hardy', from the early 19th century, which will delight you with its smooth-skinned fruits of characteristic bronzed green. The Mirabelle de Nancy, imported from the Caucasus by King René, has been widely cultivated since the 16th century and its yellow fruits will tempt you. It is not just trees that bear fruit, also consider grapes, particularly 'Chasselas Doré', known and appreciated for several centuries for its generous, delicious clusters. Bushes are not to be overlooked either, and among the small fruits, the Blackcurrant bush from Burgundy, traditionally used for Dijon Kir, will have a place in your garden of flavours.