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Cordon Fruit Trees

What is a Cordon Fruit Tree?

Buying Cordon Trees: Browse the Apple Tree and Pear Tree sections.

Apple trees and pear trees can be grown against a wire or a cane as a Cordon. Cordons are a really simple way of making a dwarf tree.
  • Most apples & pears are spur-bearing and can be used as cordons.
    Some are listed as tip-bearing, these are not suitable for making cordons.

  • Cordons are often used as the starting point to train into an arch or stepover.
Pros Cons
Save lots of space. Small final size. Your crop will be about 4-6 kilos.
One cordon can be used as a pollinator for a lonely big tree. Must be grown on supporting wires.
2nd cheapest option.  
You can grow a row of cordons to get a wide variety of different apples & pears.

Growing Cordon Fruit Trees:
Cordons are grown diagonally from the ground, on wires.
Spacing:
If your soil is very rich, you can get away with planting cordons 60 cms apart. If your soil is a bit average, plant them 1 metre apart.

Pruning Apple & Pear Cordons:
Cordons have a special summer pruning regime that helps to keep them restricted. This is called the Modified Lorette System.

Browse the Apple Tree and Pear Tree sections - any spur bearing tree can be grown into a cordon from a maiden sized tree and many are available as ready made cordons.

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