Apple tree - Wolf's paw

Wolf's Paw Apple (Malus domestica 'Wolf's Paw')

An old and hardy French variety, the Patte de Loup is a winter apple highly prized for its distinctive flavor and good storage qualities. A local variety with an evocative name!

🍎 Fruit description

A medium to large apple, flattened and irregularly shaped. The skin is rough, thick, and gray-green to gray-brown with lighter patches. Its distinctive surface resembles a wolf's paw, hence its name. The flesh is greenish-white, firm, crisp, juicy, and fragrant. It has a well-balanced sweet-tart flavor with pronounced aromas.

🥧 Usage

An excellent eating apple, perfect for fresh juice thanks to its juicy and fragrant flesh. Ideal for quality cider where it contributes structure and aroma. Also suitable for tarts and compotes where it retains its texture well. A versatile fruit appreciated by connoisseurs.

📅 Harvest

October to November. Harvesting takes place when the fruit detaches easily from the tree. The harvest is generally regular and abundant.

🏺 Conservation

Store for 3 to 5 months in a cool, well-ventilated cellar. Best enjoyed from November to March. Apples improve with age and develop their aromas.

🐝 Pollination

Self-sterile variety requiring a pollinator. Good pollinators: Reine des Reinettes, Belle de Boskoop, Jacques Lebel, Reinette Clochard. Mid-season to late flowering. Good productivity.

🛡️ Disease resistance

Good overall disease resistance. Adequate scab resistance. Hardy and vigorous variety, well-suited to cool, damp climates. Tolerates poor soils and difficult exposures well.

📖 History

An old French variety whose exact origin remains uncertain. Traditionally cultivated in western France. Its name comes from the rough, greyish appearance of its skin, reminiscent of a wolf's paw. A local variety prized for its hardiness.

🌱 Cultivation characteristics

A vigorous tree with a spreading, upright habit. Bears fruit fairly quickly. Regular and abundant production. Adapts to all soil types, even poor and wet ones. Prefers a sunny to partially shaded location. An easy-to-grow variety recommended for home orchards.