James Grieve is a dual-purpose (cooker/dessert) apple, mid-season; it does not keep well. It does not need a pollinator, and it is a regular cropper, suitable for the North. It was introduced in 1890.

The variety was raised in Edinburgh by nurseryman James Grieve, from the pollination of Cox’s Orange Pippin or Pott’s Seedling. The apple is initially tart and juicy, and it becomes sweeter as it matures in September. The flesh soon softens, which is why it is no longer a commercially traded apple. But it is good for home-growing for its taste, reliability, and its status as a good pollinator.

View the Apple Pollination Chart to find suitable pollinators.

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James Grieve
James Grieve, photo courtesy of bestfor/richard/flickr.com