10 year old apple tree that won’t produce any blossoms - Ask Extension
I have a small home orchard with five apple trees, one pear and one peach tree. I grow / train the trees espalier. The apple trees are 10 to 13 years ...
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10 year old apple tree that won’t produce any blossoms #929193
Asked April 22, 2026, 8:31 AM EDT
I have a small home orchard with five apple trees, one pear and one peach tree. I grow / train the trees espalier. The apple trees are 10 to 13 years old. All the trees have blossomed with the exception of one apple tree, which is a Candy Crisp. The Jonathan, Honey Crisp, Spitzenburg, and Cox’s Orange Pippin have blossomed for years and produced apples. The Cox’s Orange Pippin, the pear tree and Candy Crisp are planted along my garden fence near the lawn. After 10 years the Candy Crisp has NEVER produced blossoms. I have had the soil tested several times over the years and get an average PH of 6.5. I feed the trees with organic compost and prune the trees during dormancy. So, my two questions are one, any suggestions or thoughts why this one tree does not produce blossoms and two, I have some apples scion wood from tow different varieties that I plan on grafting to the Candy Crisp this week. If the grafts take, do you think they will blossom? Thank you
Ottawa County Michigan
Expert Response
That is unusual considering your other fruit trees are flowering. I don't think it's the soil based on the pH.
Certain standard rootstocks may take 4 - 7 years to begin blooming. 10+ years without blossoms probably means it won't bloom (but see the scouring suggestion below) If the graft union was planted below the ground, this can affect the characteristics of the tree ant the flowering potential too.
One other thing to try is scouring the limbs to induce flowering next season. Use a sharp knife and
make a cut to a depth of about one-quarter inch all the way around several branches. Scoring induces ethylene production will assist trees in bud formation.
If that still doesnt work, then trying new grafts would be a good option.
Certain standard rootstocks may take 4 - 7 years to begin blooming. 10+ years without blossoms probably means it won't bloom (but see the scouring suggestion below) If the graft union was planted below the ground, this can affect the characteristics of the tree ant the flowering potential too.
One other thing to try is scouring the limbs to induce flowering next season. Use a sharp knife and
make a cut to a depth of about one-quarter inch all the way around several branches. Scoring induces ethylene production will assist trees in bud formation.
If that still doesnt work, then trying new grafts would be a good option.
