Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for EU delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Monty's Surprise apple trees

Malus domestica
Monty's Surprise is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3

Monty's Surprise is a late-season dual-purpose apple from New Zealand, primarily used for eating fresh.

The apples are typically quite large, often 300g-400g per apple, with a pale green skin extensively covered wtih red flush.

All apples have anti-oxidants in the skin and flesh and pips, but Monty's Surprise apples typically have very high levels of these compounds, which are thought to be beneficial for human health.

The apples do not keep for long, and juicing is perhaps the best way to preserve the valuable anti-oxidants - the juice can easily be frozen.

Monty's Surprise has average disease-resistance but it is not widely grown so its track-record against scab and canker is not established. It appears somewhat susceptible to fireblight. The skin also bruises extremely easily, and bruised apples will not keep. Even the act of picking the apples by hand needs to be done gently.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Monty's Surprise organic apple trees for sale

  • 11-yeartree on M9 rootstock23.25€
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 21-yeartree on M116 rootstock23.25€
    Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 31-yeartree on MM111 rootstock23.25€
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 41-yeartree on Bittenfelder rootstock23.25€
    Very large tree (5m-6m+ after 10 years) Bare-root
EU delivery countries
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
Delivery chargesClick here to view estimated delivery charges.

History

The original Monty's Surprise apple tree was found growing as a chance seedling in New Zealand at the end of the 20th century. The lone tree was estimated to be roughly 80-90 years old at the time - so the pip it grew from must have fallen to the ground around the period of the First World War.


Monty's Surprise characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Disease resistanceAverage
  • Picking seasonLate
  • Season of use2-3 weeks
  • Food usesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
  • Country of originNew Zealand
  • Period of origin2000
  • Flesh colourWhite
  • Fruit colourOrange flushRed / Green

Similar varieties

  • See also Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox is widely acknowledged as having the best flavour of any apple variety.
  • See also GoldRush
    GoldRush
    A modern disease-resistant apple, like Golden Delicious but with a better tart/sweet balance. Good for eating fresh and juicing / cider.
  • See also Lanscailler
    Lanscailler
    A traditional dual-purpose apple, particularly good for cooking and juicing.
  • See also Roberts Crab
    Roberts Crab
    Roberts Red or Roberts Crab is an unusual red-fleshed crab-apple, with dark pink blossom, and purple fruits.