Malus domestica Rajewskie - Pommier domestique, Pommier commun

The 'Rajewskie' Apple Tree is one of those heritage varieties that have gracefully stood the test of time. Originating from Ukraine, its hardiness, good productivity, and the delicious taste of its fruits explain its longevity. With its vigorous growth, the tree forms a spherical to trailing crown, adorned with beautiful spring blossom. Pollinated by another nearby pollinator variety, the flowers develop into large-sized apples. When ripe in October, the yellow-green apples with a red blush reveal a crunchy and juicy flesh. A dessert apple perfect for eating straight from the tree, this variety also makes delightful desserts.

The Apple Tree is a member of the Rosaceae family, a vast group that includes most of our other fruit-bearing genera (Cherry, Plum, Raspberries...). The genus Malus comprises around forty species, including the Common Apple Tree, or Malus domestica (also known as Malus communis or Malus pumila). Cultivated since antiquity (the Romans already knew 29 different varieties), today there are no fewer than 20,000 varieties!
The Malus domestica ‘Rajewskie’ was first described in 1880 after its discovery in the Raj Estate near Lviv, a major Ukrainian city. This variety grows quickly, forming a spherical crown with a somewhat flattened top. This dome consists of trailing branches, which may sometimes reach the ground, giving the tree a distinctive silhouette. Like other varieties, this Apple Tree produces a beautiful spring blossom of single pale pink-white flowers that attract bees. They must be pollinated by another nearby variety, such as 'Reine des Reinettes'. The developing fruits grow to a large size by October, when they reach ripeness and can be harvested. Their smooth skin is straw-green and covered with a carmine-red blush of varying intensity. The large apples are slightly ribbed and often somewhat asymmetrical, with one side more developed than the other. When cut, they reveal a white, slightly greenish flesh—crunchy, juicy, and aromatic. The tree is known to start bearing relatively late and may exhibit biennial bearing, meaning a high-yield year is often followed by a low-yield one. Thinning young fruits when too abundant can help mitigate this alternation, while also increasing the average size of the apples.

Highly hardy and less prone to powdery mildew (though more susceptible to scab), the 'Rajewskie' Apple Tree is easy to grow in spacious gardens, as it can grow quite large. It pairs well with the Mirabelle de Nancy, a Plum Tree adapted to semi-continental conditions, bearing small round yellow fruits from August. To extend the harvest season, consider planting a Gooseberry 'Hinnonmaki Rod', whose tangy fruits ripen in July. For an even earlier harvest, the Cherry Tree 'Bigarreau Burlat' offers crunchy, sweet cherries from May onwards.