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Originally Posted by naturallandscapes  Anybody got any ideas of a fruit tree to plant for wildlife,birds etc. Its for a customer of mine who has a 300 acre farm dedicated to wildlife and not farming, the tree is going to be planted next to a track, so any ideas would be good. |
Hi there
If looking to go with any sort of cultivated fruit I would only say that the main priority should be to seek out a local variety, a heritage variety of fruit typical of the area. Brogdale in Kent, or Deacons on the Isle of Wight have extensive collections of fruit varieties, especially apples. There are others doing similar work, but these are the ones I know best. I think Brogdale has the National Fruit Collection.
I would say that the out and out wildlife benefits of any cultivated fruit tree are more or less similar, but the importance of preserving local fruit varieties is huge. They are part of our culture and history, and if we keep them going, maybe one day when we lose our obsession with South African grown Pink Ladies or whatever bland monstrosities are this years flavour of the month, we can all look forward to a huge range of unique flavours and textures grown in our own back yard.
I think you are Sussex based as I recall - I've got a list somewhere of apple varieties typical of this county, and I'll see if I can track it down for you if that would help. I have recommended this approach on numerous occasions and it tends to be an extremely popular idea with my clients.