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Kingston Black Cider Apple Tree Plant at Producer Prices for Professional Apple Growers

Scion, distaff, half stem, tall stem - How to choose?

Understanding the Different Forms of Fruit Trees and Their Planting

Arboriverse , a specialist in the production and supply of professional fruit trees, offers a wide range of plants adapted to your needs and your growing objectives. Discover the characteristics of scions, cattails, half-stems and high-stems, and how to choose and plant these trees on your plot.


The Different Forms of Fruit Trees

1. Scion

  • Benefits :
    • Attractive price.
    • Flexibility: possibility of shaping the tree according to your needs.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Requires training.
    • Late production (4 to 5 years).
  • Location:
    • Spacing: 3 to 4 m.
    • Tutoring: recommended for 1 to 2 years.

2. Distaff

  • Benefits :
    • Perfect for small gardens or high density crops.
    • Fast production: fruiting in 1 to 2 years.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Shorter lifespan.
  • Location:
    • Spacing: 5 to 7 m.
    • Tutoring: recommended for 2 to 3 years.

3. Half-stem

  • Benefits :
    • Good production.
    • Accessible size for maintenance.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Requires more space.
    • Production in 2 to 4 years.
  • Location:
    • Spacing: 5 to 10 m.
    • Tutoring: necessary for 3 to 4 years.

4. High-top

  • Benefits :
    • Longevity and high production.
    • Promotes biodiversity.
  • Disadvantages:
    • Significant space (8 to 10 m between trees).
    • Late production (5 years minimum).
  • Location:
    • Spacing: 8 to 10 m.
    • Density: 150 to 250 trees/ha.

Criteria for Choosing the Right Tree Shape

  • Available space: Choose cattails for small gardens or scions for personalized management. For larger spaces, tall stems or half-stems are ideal.
  • Desired production: rapid production favors cattails, while sustainable production favors tall stems.
  • Maintenance: Half-stems are more accessible, while high-stems require little intervention after establishment.
  • Biodiversity: tall stems are best suited to creating natural habitats.

Tips for Planting Your Fruit Trees

1. Soil preparation

  • Analysis and amendment: test the soil and enrich it with compost.
  • Drainage: Avoid compacted or wet soils.

2. Planting

  • Planting hole: adapted to the size of the roots (60x60x60 cm for scions, up to 1 m for tall stems).
  • Positioning: The graft point must be at least 7.5 cm above the ground.
  • Watering and mulching: essential for recovery.

3. Layout and orientation

  • Spacing: respect the recommended distances according to the type of plant.
  • Orientation: north-south for optimal sunshine.

4. Pollination

  • Varietal compatibility: Mix compatible varieties.
  • Pollinators: Plan for 10 to 12% pollinator trees in your orchard.

Why Choose Arboriverse?

  • Professional quality: grafted plants produced by specialist nurserymen.
  • Producer prices: excellent value for money.
  • Fast delivery: throughout France, directly to your orchard.
  • Technical support: personalized advice and free quotes within 48 hours.

Take advantage of our producer prices to buy your fruit trees!

Plant your grafted fruit plot with Arboriverse today.

Request a free quote and benefit from expert advice.

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Kingston Black Cider Apple Tree Plant at Producer Prices for Professional Apple Growers

Kingston Black Variety Fact Sheet

  • Fruit color: Yellow, tinged with red near the skin.
  • Skin Color: Very dark red, with almost complete flecks or streaks, and may have russeting spots.
  • Size and shape: Medium size (50 to 90 grams), rounded in shape, slightly flattened at both poles.
  • Tree size: Reaches a height of 4 to 5 meters.
  • Fruit maturity: Late, harvested in October.
  • Fruit Taste: Moderately sweet flavor with a pronounced astringency. The juice is red, abundant and full-bodied, sweet and fruity with a tannic aftertaste of hazelnut, lemon, and salted caramel.
  • Earliness of the variety: Semi-late.
  • Fruiting period: Late, in October.
  • Disease Resistance and Storage: Susceptible to certain diseases such as fireblight, scab, cedar rust, and canker. Shelf life of 2 to 3 weeks after harvest.
  • Is this variety self-fertile? No, it requires a pollinator.
  • Commercial use: Cider making, particularly for British-style single-variety ciders.
  • Comments: The Kingston Black variety is known for being capricious and does not thrive everywhere.

Kingston Black: A cider legend

The Kingston Black cider apple tree, also known as the "Queen of Cider Apples," is a legendary variety prized for its unique ability to produce exceptional single-variety ciders. Native to Somerset, England, this variety embodies cider excellence and appeals to professional market gardeners and cider makers who want to offer products with a rich and inimitable character. Arboriverse, your specialist wholesale supplier of cider apple plants, offers you this iconic variety to enhance your orchard and conquer the premium cider market.


Fruits serving an authentic and refined cider

Kingston Black Apple Profile

  • Elegant Appearance: Dark red, ridged, and slightly russeted skin, enveloping yellow flesh tinged with red near the skin.
  • Size and shape: Medium-sized apples (50 to 90 g), round and slightly flattened, ideal for processing.
  • Unique Flavor: Categorized as bittersharp, they combine high tannin and acidity.

Kingston Black apple juice is full-bodied, rich, and balanced, with subtle notes of hazelnut, lemon, and salted caramel. This unique flavor profile produces a sophisticated cider, appreciated by connoisseurs and suited to premium positioning.


A demanding but rewarding apple tree

Tree characteristics

  • Semi-erect shape: The tree adopts a well-spreading shape, facilitating harvesting.
  • Size and growth: Vigorous, it reaches a height of 4 to 5 meters with a balanced wingspan.
  • Conditions required: This variety thrives in well-drained, rich soils and requires 1000 hours of winter chill to ensure good flowering and fruiting.

Harvesting and processing

Kingston Black apples ripen in October and must be processed quickly, as their shelf life is limited to 2-3 weeks. This constraint ensures fresh, optimal juice for producing ciders with intense aromas.


A variety dedicated to high-end single-variety ciders

An exceptional unadulterated cider

Kingston Black is distinguished by its ability to produce balanced single-variety ciders without the need to add other varieties. Its juice, naturally rich in tannins and acidity, provides the perfect structure for sophisticated ciders.

Aromatic blends

It can also be used as a complement in blends, bringing depth and complexity to sweet or mild ciders.


Pollination and orchard management

Cross-pollination

Kingston Black is completely non-self-fertile and does not produce viable pollen. To ensure optimal fruiting, it is imperative to combine it with compatible pollinator varieties such as:

  • Queen of Reinettes
  • Brown's Apple
  • Queen of the Early Ones

A ratio of 3% pollinators well distributed in the orchard is recommended to optimize fertilization.

Maintenance and disease prevention

  • Scab
  • Fire blight
  • Chancre
  • Cedar rust

Preventive biological treatments (sulfur, copper) and foliage aeration practices (pruning, trimming) can limit these risks.


Profitability and business opportunities

Premium performance and quality

Although Kingston Black is less productive than other varieties, each harvest presents an opportunity to produce premium ciders, highly prized by discerning consumers. Single-variety ciders made from this variety typically command a premium price in the craft market.

Added value for producers

The rich and aromatic red juice gives the cider a distinctive color and flavor, reinforcing its appeal to lovers of authentic and refined products.


Why choose Arboriverse for your Kingston Black plants?

As a specialist wholesale supplier of cider apple plants, Arboriverse offers you rigorously selected plants to guarantee the quality and performance of your orchards.

Our strengths:

  • Certified plants: Adapted to the requirements of professionals.
  • Technical expertise: Personalized advice for optimal management of your orchard.
  • Fast and reliable delivery: Order in bulk and receive your plants in the best conditions.

Take action with Arboriverse!

Add Kingston Black to your orchard and stand out in the premium cider market. Contact Arboriverse today for a personalized quote and let us guide you through the production of exceptional ciders.