Our Variety Assessment

Its strengths, growing requirements and the conditions in which it performs best.

Barbarie is an old cider apple from the Boulonnais area of northern France and is especially valuable for conserving regional fruit heritage. Sweet, fairly high in sugar and moderately tannic, it adds roundness and fruit without making a blend overly harsh. We recommend it for traditional cider orchards in northern France and neighbouring regions. It remains rare and less documented than modern cultivars.

Barbarie

Price range: 26,75 € through 59,75 €

Traditional cider apple from Northern France producing sweet, lightly tannic fruit used for balanced, aromatic cider blends.

Choose your tree form

1 year old grafted tree – approx. 1–2 m

Half-standard – 1 to 1.5 m stem

Standard tree – 1.8 m stem and over

Apple rootstock options

Bittenfelder – approx. 6 m mature height

EM9 – approx. 2.5 m mature height

M116 – approx. 4 m mature height

MM111 – approx. 4 m mature height

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SKU: 29226 Categories: Apple trees, Cider apple trees

Description

Barbarie is a traditional French cider apple originating from Northern France. It has been cultivated for generations and remains an important heritage variety for traditional cider production.

The small to medium-sized apples are sweet, fairly rich in sugar and moderately tannic. Their juice contributes sweetness, body and gentle tannins without overpowering other varieties, making Barbarie particularly valuable in carefully balanced cider blends.

Harvest usually takes place in early October, while the fruit reaches optimum pressing maturity during November. It is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to recreate authentic French cider orchards using historic regional cultivars.

Variety characteristics

Variety origin

A traditional cider apple from Northern France, long cultivated in historic orchards and appreciated for producing well balanced lightly tannic ciders.

Origin

France

Period of origin

USDA zone

Zone 7 (-18C)

Flowering

4 - late

Harvest period

October 1-15

Eating / keeping period

Use

Disease resistance

Self-fertility

Pollinator value

Ploidy

Origin and identity

Parentage

Unknown.

Synonyms

No well established synonyms are documented.

Growth and adaptation

Vigour and habit

Vigorous tree with a broad, spreading habit. Hardy, long lived and well suited to standard orchards, producing regular crops under a wide range of growing conditions.