canopy layer
apple
malus domestica
the classic guild centre. an apple on semi-dwarf rootstock anchors a ring of accumulators, insectaries, and fixers that feed and protect it.
functions
field guide
native to
domesticated from Malus sieversii, central Asia
height
2–10 m depending on rootstock
spread
1.5–8 m by rootstock
hardiness
RHS H6 · USDA 4–8
light
full sun
moisture
moderate
soil
free-draining, slightly acid
uses
in the kitchen
the fruit — fresh, cooked, juiced, or dried
harvest
late summer to late autumn depending on variety
propagation
grafted onto a chosen rootstock; pips won't come true to the parent
season
open the calendar →grower's notes
memberspropagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for apple — the members' view.
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relationships — grows well with
the takeaway
start a guild around apple
plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.
- canopy
- apple — the anchor
- herbaceous
- comfrey (bocking 14)chivesyarrowborage
- groundcover
- white clover
works inside: guild ring around a fruit tree · stacking in time · orchard meadow
design patterns using this plant