The size and height of the tree crown of the apple tree is generally determined by many different factors. It is not always possible to reliably estimate how big a seedling will become later.
What determines the size and height of an apple tree?
The size and height of an apple tree depends on genetics, tree pruning, growth habit, lighting conditions, soil conditions and nutrient supply. Typical growth forms range from small potted trees to semi-stem and tall trunks with a crown height of up to 10 meters.
The diversity of growth forms in the apple tree
The growth of the apple tree, as of other plants, is linked to influences such as lighting conditions, soil conditions and the supply of water and nutrients. In addition, height and size can also be significantly determined by other influences, for example:
- the genetic predisposition of an apple variety
- interventions during tree pruning
- the growth habit determined by copulation
The combination of these different factors determines how large the root network and the crown of an apple tree can become.
The selection of growth forms and varieties on the market
Traditionally, there are three classic growth forms for most types of fruit in Central Europe. While with the bush copulation takes place on the growth base near the ground, the half-trunk and standard trunk have a straight trunk below the tree crown. However, in recent years an increasing number of apple trees have been bred that are suitable for cultivation in pots or as espaliers. These trees are grafted onto growing bases that have weaker growth and are therefore easier to control at a certain size.
Growth varies with the age of the apple tree
While young apple trees made from cores take around three to four years to grow to a height of one meter, the treetops of larger specimens can grow up to one meter in one year. Despite the joy of increasing growth, even a young tree should be pruned in order to maintain a well-formed and vital tree crown. A tree crown with a height and a diameter of up to ten meters is not of much value for the harvest if the branches do not have the necessary stability to support the amount of large and heavy fruit without breaking.
Tips & Tricks
Creating a trellis of apple trees enables a relatively high yield in a small space, as all branches are well lit and ventilated.
