Protecting endangered apple trees through teamwork

We’re helping to conserve wild apples (Malus sylvestris) by planting 500 wild apple trees. 

Donated by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), the wild apple trees are one of the focal species in the Scottish Plant Recovery project, which aims to increase the numbers and distribution of ten threatened native plants.

The project, backed by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, collects and propagates the plants to maximise genetic diversity and adaptability, with a view to establishing resilient and self-sustaining populations.

Kenny Hay, our Tree Nursery and Seed Resource Manager, said;

“Projects like this are little heard about but fascinating side of the work that we do. We are more than happy to be able to help conserve such important specimens and our goal, in the next ten years, is to have a healthy supply of this largely ignored but significant tree species which is important for rare woodland pasture, oak-birch woodland and wet woodlands.”

The wild apple trees have been grown from seed collected from trees in Blair Atholl, Pitcastle, Loch Rannoch, Dun Coillich, Struan, Wood of Cree and Glen Falloch.

Aline Finger, Conservation Geneticist with RBGE, said;

“Because of the nature of the project, we need to be extra meticulous with our record work so each seedling will be labelled with its unique identifier, details of its provenance and also its exact planting location.” 

Because apples hybridise easily, the donated seedlings are being planted at least 500 metres from other apple trees.

The donated trees were planted in Glen Gyle, Errochty Forest and at Glentrool in early June. They'll also be protected from potential browsing damage.

“These trees will serve as a valuable seed bank that will allow us to grow and plant wild apples across our forests and increase the genetics of wild apples in Scotland,” adds Kenny.