Old fashioned or 'heritage' fruit trees including apple, quince, fig, plum, peach and pear trees are increasingly popular due to their extra flavour and nutritional qualities. In supermarkets only a limited range of commercial fruit varieties is available to us. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the diversity was huge. Old nursery catalogues were filled with plums, peaches, pears and apples of numerous varieties, few of which are grown today. HFS is preserving our history to make a fantastic variety of fruit trees available again to the home gardener, by renovating old orchards, sourcing historic fruit varieties and encouraging community participation.
What is the difference between heritage fruits and heirloom plants?
Heirloom plants may be reproduced by asexual vegetative propagation (usually grafting) or by sexual reproduction (seeds).
Heritage fruits are only reproduced by vegetative propagation. This ensures that the identical genes are passed on to each new tree.
Why preserve heritage fruits?
• Flavour and nutritional benefits.
• Biodiversity - Genetic diversity insures against pests and diseases.
• Longer picking season with early & late ripening
• Culture - heritage varieties are living history. Collections like Petty’s are precious - anyone who is the custodian of an old tree should treasure it.
