Heritage fruit varieties preserved and made available for planting in Germany

Efforts to preserve and distribute heritage fruit varieties are gaining momentum in the Alpine foothills of Germany. The Peiting Fruit and Horticulture Association recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with an exhibition of old fruit varieties, which drew 1,500 visitors. During the event, pomologist Anton Klaus identified a previously unnamed apple variety that grew wild in a gravel pit.

In a related development, the ‘Apfel-Birne-Berge’ project, which has been working since 2015 to locate and preserve forgotten apple and pear varieties across six districts, has reached a milestone. Robust trees from these rediscovered varieties are now available for purchase through several fruit tree nurseries, including Obstbaummanufaktur Heim, Obstbaumschule J. Schmitt, and Baumschule Ganslmaier.

The project utilizes an ‘orchard variety ark’ located in Wessobrunn, within the Weilheim-Schongau district. This site preserves approximately 85 selected varieties, ranging from tiny dried pears to large, sweet pear types, to ensure their survival for future generations. These traditional orchards are noted for their high biodiversity, supporting up to 5,000 different plant and animal species.