Fifteen years ago, I planted a Northpole apple tree in my yard. Here it is today. I thought it might be useful to show a mature columnar tree. The trees in nursery ads are more like sticks with apples directly off them. As the trees age, at least this one, they develop thick spurs that remain short, for a continued columnar shape but a bit different from most photos I have seen because of the stubby horizontal spurs. I included me for size reference, I am about 6 foot. In the past, I topped the tree where it is now. During winter 2014/5 I shortened all of the spurs to maintain the shape, and as a result got no apples from it last year.
As for bloom time, NorthPole seems to me to be in the early range. The only other varieties that I have boomming at the same time are Scarlet Sentinel, Golden Sentinel, Jonagold, and Queen Cox.
NorthPole has McIntosh-like apples. I think they are better for pies than for eating out of hand. That they are like McIntosh makes sense. Columnar apple trees are all descended from a sport of a McIntosh tree. I don't know how many generations removed this variety is, from McIntosh, but it is old enough that I a pretty sure it is off patent. Newer ones are further removed from their McIntosh ancestor, so are less likely to have that influence.
I do have a new graft of NorthPole that I grafted onto a roots sprout from an apple tree that I removed. I also have younger trees of Scarlet Sentinel and Golden Sentinel. I can't speak for the first yet, but the Golden Sentinel apples are pretty good, to me. I am no gourmet, but they seemed to me like a good tasting home grown apple. NorthPole and Golden Sentinel fruited on 3rd leaf, and Scarlet Sentinel on 4th leaf.
The second photo is from the new graft. It is blooming nicely. My intent is to thin to about 6 inches apart.
I forgot to check the scion fair for this variety, so I don't know if they have them. It's a nice form for a small yard or near the house as an ornamental.
John, I don't know about the productivity, for the same square feet of garden space. They might be more productive compared to traditional tree form.
You are right about the cost. I can provide scion from North Pole if anyone is interested in playing with it, although we are past the scion window for this year. I spent a lot of time searching for patent, and I am pretty sure this variety is post patent. It might be trademarked, which makes it complicated as to how to refer to it = "The tree from scion from a North Pole apple tree" is kind of awkward.
I also tried to find patents for Scarlet Sentinel and Golden Sentinel. They appear to have been created in 1986, but I don't know when they were patented in the US and again, there is the Trademark issue.
Grafting them could be interesting. Because of the form, they would be a strange multigraft.
Daniel:
Both my pictures are from the same apple tree taken 6 weeks ago just prior to our federal shutdown in Corvallis OR ag office parking lot. With Joanie we were collecting pear scions that day. This is so amazing!! Same height as yours above but more cactus like branching.
-What kinds do you think these are??
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Hi Rooney,
What a great photo, and cool tree!
I have several thoughts about the reason for the candelabra cactus shape. Any could be correct, or not 🙂
First, these trees actually tend to have that shape. I think that is not shown on the nursery websites much, because they think the single cordon shape with apples snug against the one trunk, might sell better. Also, the trees in those photos tend to be young, and may outgrow the single cordon shape. Mine have that shape because I prune off the maverick stems and prune the spurs back to buds nearer the main trunk, when they grow too long. The single cordon shape works in my situation, and I like the sort of goofy appearance.
Second, of my three cultivars, Northpole and Golden Sentinel seem to be easier to maintain in columnar shape. My third one, Scarlet Sentinel, has that candelabra cactus shape. One possible difference, is it is on a much more vigorous rootstock too. I didnt plan it that way - thats what was available when I bought them.
So, it could be the cultivar (in my case, Scarlet Sentinel), or a more vigorous rootstock than these trees are usually on, or just not pruned to columnar shape.
I have two others ordered, but have not received them yet.
These are ideal in my narrow deer pen, where I can safely grow several trees in a narrow space, having the apples at a nice picking height. Trees with wide branching dont fit as well there.
I will bring scion from Northpole to the scion fair on Sunday am. I've researched patent issues as well as I am able. My tree is at least 19 years old and was not the first year of release, probably by far. I can't find any patent info. So I feel certain, it's OK to propagate. I think it's a tasty variety, McIntosh flavor, which makes sense because it's a close descendent of the original columnar tree, a somatic mutation of McIntosh. Makes great apple sauce.
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