History: Noël des Champs (translated from French as 'Christmas Field') emerged in the Normandy region of France in the 1800s. It has remained a well-regarded apple and is one of thirteen apples prized for cider production in the Pays d'Auge region.
Why We Grow It: This rare cider apple is bittersweet with small, flattish fruits. They are dark red with some striping. As its prestige suggests, this is a good quality cider apple. The tree tends to start bearing fruit at a young age.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
Soil Preference: Sandy loam, loam, clay loam. Prefers average to moist conditions, avoid planting anywhere that floods for more than two weeks in the spring. Generally quite adaptable to different soil conditions.
Growth Habits and Disease Resistance: Precocious, produces crops of a good size. Resistant to scab.
Sun/Shade: Full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of sun daily)
Pollination: Requires a pollinator of a different apple variety that blooms around the same time
Flowering Time: Very late
Ripens: Mid October
Storage: Keeps a couple weeks at most
Recommended Use: Cider
- Class: Bittersweet
- Sugar: Medium, SG 1.050
- Acidity: Low, TA <4.5 g/L
- Tannins: Medium to high, >2 g/L
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Juice Yield: Likely high
- Recommendations: Good in cider blends
Size including roots:
- 1 year grade 100-200 cm whip
- 2 year grade 100 cm+ with 3 or more branches, 30 cm or more
- B grade less than 100 cm
- Potted: 100cm+ with branches in a 5 gallon pot
NOTE: Potted plants are not available for shipping!