Black Dabinett

Black Dabinett is a traditional English cider apple from Somerset, valued for producing a full-bodied bittersweet cider with classic West Country character. 

It is a reliable cropping heritage variety, especially suited to cider orchards.

Features

• Medium bittersweet cider apple with vintage-style flavour
• Produces heavy, consistent annual crops
• Spur-bearing and moderately vigorous tree
• Well-suited to traditional cider orchards
• High juice quality for fermentation
• Reliable and productive heritage cider variety

Origins / Notes

Originates from Somerset and is part of the traditional West Country cider apple group. Closely associated with classic English bittersweet cider production and widely planted in heritage cider orchards.

Storage

Poor keeping variety and should be pressed or used soon after harvest for best quality cider production.

Disease Resistance

Generally considered a hardy and reliable cider apple with good field resilience.

Pollination-season

Mid-season flowering

Harvest-season

Mid to late season harvest, typically September to October depending on season and location.

Choosing Rootstocks

Please refer to our  Rootstock Guide for guidance on this. 

Whereas varieties determine the type of apple you get, the rootstock determines the growing characteristics, vigour and ultimate height of the tree.

Selecting the right rootstock for your site and preference is just as important as the variety you chose. The different rootstocks we graft with and their uses are listed below.

M26 – Semi dwarf. Up to 3m high. Requires staking. Used for bush trees. Suitable for small gardens & allotments, for training into cordons & espaliers. Startsbfruiting after 2-3 years. Space bush trees 2-4m apart.

M116 – Medium. A semi-vigorous rootstock, with trees growing up to 3-4m high. Good for wet soil conditions. Start fruiting after 3-4 years.  Space trees 3.6m with 4.5m between the rows.

MM106 – Medium. A semi-vigorous rootstock, with trees growing up to 3-4m high. Good for half standards, espaliers, cordons. Start fruiting after 3-4 years. Space trees 3.6m with 4.5m between the rows.     

M111 – Large. A vigorous rootstock, with trees growing up to 4m high. Tolerates wet ground, more exposed sites, higher altitudes, and shallower soil conditions, has good disease resistance. Good for farms, larger smallholdings. Start fruiting after 4-5 years   Space trees 4-6m apart with 6m between the rows.

M25– Very Large. A very vigorous rootstock, with trees growing up to 6m (20ft) high. Grow as full or half standard. Ideal in poorer soil in exposed sites. Not ideal for the most gardens unless the soil is poor. Start fruiting after 5-6 years.  Space trees 4.5m apart with 6m between the rows.

Mid Season

For more information about pollination groups, please click here.