Companion plants for Apple Trees can not only enhance the beauty of an apple tree guild but also improve the environmental quality of the apple fruit trees. There are many types of apple plant companions including flowering plants, edible plants, etc.
In this post, we have talked about all these plants to help you find the best companion plant for your apple trees.
Check out our descriptions of these plants below.
List of Companion Plants for Apple Trees
1. Daisy
The daisy scientifically called Bellis Perennis is an emblematic flower plant that has been adored and admired since antiquity and is a great companion for apple fruit trees. This resilient, low-maintenance plant may grow in a variety of climates and environments, though it favors nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Furthermore, the robust stems of these blooming plants make superb cut blossoms for any occasion. This plant is regarded not only for its aesthetic value but also for medical purposes.
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The daisy’s bright yellow core is encircled by little white petals, creating a joyful flower that is suitable for both gardens and floral arrangements. Whenever you decide to plant them, make sure that you would plant in such a way that the apple tree doesn’t give it shade, instead it lets it receive full sunlight, so that these little flowers would thrive.
2. Bee Balm
Bee balm or Monarda Didyma, often known as Bergamot or Oswego tea, is a mint family flowering plant. This herbaceous perennial endemic to North America produces beautiful pink to purple blooms from summer through October.
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This plant grows best in fine-drained soil with rich organic content, full sun to moderate shade and wet soils. Historically utilized by Native Americans for its therapeutic effects in common maladies such as colds and fevers, the plant has increased in popularity due to its capacity to attract many kinds of pollinators and produce a herbal tea. It is a wonderful feature in any garden setting, especially if you wish to be investing it next to the fruit trees.
3. Purple Coneflower
Purple coneflower or Echinacea Purpurea is a perennial herb native to central and eastern North America. This Echinacea species features stunning deep violet petals with a conspicuous bushy yellow cone core.
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It is a versatile flower that enjoys full sun and well-drained soils, making it simple to grow in a variety of settings.
It may grow to be about four feet tall depending on the cultivar. Not only that, but these flowers not only creates a lovely aesthetic impact, but they would also help different pollinators by supplying them with some rich nectar during the colder months. For this reason, companion planting of this tree with apple trees is an excellent idea.
4. Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia Hirta, sometimes known as black-eyed Susan, is a famous Asteraceae family perennial blooming plant. It blooms from mid to late summer and has a profusion of vivid yellow daisy-like flowers with distinctive black centers on robust fifteen inches tall stalks coated in coarse hairs.
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This plant attracts beneficial insects with nectar-rich blossoms that it has, making it ideal for sunny coastal locations. In addition to this, you should also consider how the smaller petals, ranging in hue from white to burgundy, encircle the daisies. This attractive gem may be found in a variety of environments, including prairies and open forests, and requires full light for optimal development.
5. Comfrey
Comfrey, or Symphytum Officinale, is a herbaceous perennial native to Europe and parts of Asia. Comfrey root and leaf, which have traditionally been used for medical purposes, are both anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial.
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It features dark green foliage, tiny bell-shaped blooms in pink, purple, and blue, and roots that include a variety of active pharmacological chemicals. In this way, during the season of its blooming, from May till June and even at times till the frost hits, you would see these flowers blossoming.
It is frequently used topically to treat skin abrasions or bruises due to its capacity to rapidly speed healing, and this would be a famous trait that they are mostly known for. Moreover, it makes a great companion planting for apple tree guilds. Comfrey is widely regarded as an essential medicinal plant with several therapeutic uses.
6. Peanut Plant
Arachis Hypogaea, also known as the Peanut plant or Groundnut, is a Fabaceae family annual herbaceous plant and a good apple tree companion. It has alternate, pinnate leaves with three to four pairs of leaflets and linear stipules.
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It grows to a height of about two feet and has long yellowish flower flowers that are followed by little fruits with one or two seeds apiece. Peanuts are commonly grown for their edible seeds, which have countless culinary applications and a high nutritional value due to their high protein, fat, vitamin, and mineral content.
These plants may be cultivated in a variety of soils, in addition, you must water it once every week, and remember not to clog water down the roots, or else the plant will be harmed.
7. Chickpea Plant
Cicer Arietinum or Chickpeas is an annual legume in the Fabaceae family. The fruits are tiny, spherical, indehiscent pods with one or two oblong seeds that range in color from greenish-brown to black.
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This plant may grow up to two feet tall and it bears pale yellow-green blooms with a little black spot in the center of each petal. Chickpeas are quite simple to grow, needing well-drained soils and growing at temperatures ranging from seventy to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
They’ve always been popular because of their drought resilience, high nutritional content, and great yield potential when cultivated in ideal conditions. They are used all over the world, and have been popular for ages.
8. Lentils
Lens Culinaris, sometimes known as Lentils, is an annual legume that grows erect, produces clusters of tiny, flat seeds on long, slender stalks, and is a good companion plant for apple fruit trees. This drought-tolerant crop has been grown for about six thousand years in the eastern Mediterranean area and portions of the Middle East.
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It is a popular source of protein plants that is reasonably simple and inexpensive to prepare in current times. The plant develops to a height of one or two feet with broad lanceolate leaflets typical of pea family crops and tiny white or purple flowers, whenever the season of bloomings approaches, these flowers start their shooting.
9. Clover
Clover, white clover, or Trifolium Repens is a perennial herbaceous plant found in temperate climates across the world. It is well-known for its capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, so providing a plentiful supply of sustenance for other plants. Its shallow roots allow it to spread quickly and form dense ground cover or turf in areas that are constantly disturbed.
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It has little trifoliolate leaves and lovely white blooms, followed by spherical brown pods with up to five seeds apiece. When you provide it with the proper care, clover has exceptional drought tolerance and may grow even with minimum irrigation. Although it is a plant that has a short life, however, when it starts to thrive, you will see its flowers bloom and release their fragrance.
10. Nasturtium
Tropaeolum Majus, popularly known as nasturtium, is a gorgeous annual plant with colorful leaves and blooms. This blooming plant grows rapidly and is simple to care for, making it an excellent choice for anybody wishing to add some color to their landscape.
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It may reach a height of thirty inches, has five-petaled blooms in yellow, orange, and red, and the glossy, heart-shaped leaves have a sensitive touch. On the other hand, when you are growing them, note that this plant grows best in full light, although it may also take partial shade. Furthermore, it does not require much fertilizer or moisture, making it an easy-care flower suitable for both novice and professional gardeners.
11. Rosemary
Rosemary, scientifically known as Salvia Rosmarinus, is an evergreen woody herb native to the Mediterranean region. It has a long history of cultivation and uses in medicine, food, and cosmetics. Rosemary is used to adding culinary flavors to savory dishes. In addition to this, note that when you grow it next to fruit trees, it will trigger and repel most of the pests that will be harmful for the tree, as its strong aroma will repel them away.
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This plant produces slender stems with long, needle-like leaves that have a deep forest green color along with chalky white streaks on their undersides. The thin oil-filled hairs that cover the leaves contain their strong flavor whilst providing protection from extreme temperatures and drought. Its flowers are small, light purple blooms clustered in small bundles at the tips of its branches.
12. Lavender
Lavandula Angustifolia aka lavender is a mint family evergreen shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region and another apple tree guild companion. In many gardens across the world, the plant has a relaxing perfume that creates a pleasant ambiance. Lavender buds can also be used as decorations and sachets after drying. Its oil is also useful for aromatherapy and may be extracted for use in lotions and soaps. It is also known to have antimicrobial properties.
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It grows up to two feet tall with slender grey-green leaves, and white flowers, and is widely utilized for its aromatic leaf, therapeutic benefits, and decorative appeal. Due to the strong smell that it releases in the air, pests such as moths, mosquitos, and even spiders out of the environment.
13. Alliums
Alliums, which include Onions and Garlic, are cultivated plants of the lily family and make great companion plants for Apple Fruit Trees. They also provide several health advantages, making them an essential component of balanced diets. Onions have thin papery layers that conceal an interior white onion flesh that is rich in nutritious elements known as flavonoids. Garlic, on the other hand, is made up of many cloves covered by white or pink skin that peels away to reveal off-white or yellowish interior cloves.
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These alliums have powerful scents and distinct tastes that make them popular components in international cuisines. When you plant these as bulbs you will see them shoot in light green sprouts, that will then grow and be rich in their flavor, often they will even protect the companion plants from pests too, and this is a famous trait that they have. In addition to this, make sure that you provide them with proper sunlight to keep them thriving.
14. Dandelions
The dandelion plant or Taraxacum Officinale is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant native to Europe and North America. It is a very wonderful companion for apple fruit trees and has short stalks that bear huge yellow blooms that dry out fast after blooming.
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This plant has feathery fruits made up of individual seeds known as achenes, the leaves are tall and toothed, and they often form a basal rosette near the ground. Dandelion is high in vitamins A and C as well as minerals and antioxidants. On another note, its extensive roots provide a crucial food supply for many animal species, including bees and butterflies.
15. Chamomile
Matricaria Chamomilla is the scientific name of chamomile which is an excellent companion for apple fruit trees. The blossoms have a strong aroma of apple or straw, which helps to explain its popular name, which is derived from the Greek Kamai which means ground and melon which translates to apple.
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It is an herbaceous flowering plant with a flower that grows more than a foot tall and has white petals with golden centers. The blooming heads are used in traditional medicine to alleviate anxiety, sleeplessness, and headaches, but they are also widely made into tea. As a result of the latter, it is famously known for its dietary supplement extract, it promotes relaxation and digestion.
16. Alfalfa
Medicago Sativa, commonly known as Alfalfa, is a highly nutritious perennial legume crop native to temperate areas of the Middle East. It can be planted as a companion tree for Apple and it is prized for its high protein content and excellent yield potential. It is also considered one of the most important fodder crops worldwide.
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Its deep root system allows it to access more soil moisture than all other major legumes and can improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. On the other hand, you should also know that it has antiviral properties and has been used in traditional medicines since ancient times. This plant is highly tolerant of both drought and salinity.
17. Garden Pea
Pisum Sativum sometimes known as the garden pea is a herbaceous annual plant in the legume family. Garden peas grow incredibly healthy in pods containing up to ten round and delicious peas.
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It has strong stems, and a wide spread of delicate leaves, and may reach a height of around three feet under perfect conditions. Furthermore, Pisum Sativum is regarded as a highly adaptable cultivable species due to its ability to be grown in a variety of soil types and places with adequate solar exposure. For this reason, this plant can be an excellent option to grow with apple trees, and even other trees as well.
18. Opium Poppy
Papaver Somniferum or Opium Poppy is a flowering plant species in the poppy family. It features purple or white petals as well as a huge seed capsule containing at least fifty seeds. This species is grown in numerous places across the world, although it is most commonly seen in southwest Asia and Eastern and Southern Europe.
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While all portions of this plant contain alkaloids with diverse therapeutic benefits, it is the best famous for its usage in the production of opium. People have used this plant for generations for pain treatment and anesthetic, as well as for recreational, spiritual, and mystical purposes.
19. Queen Anne’s Lace
The blooming plant Daucus Carota aka Queen Anne’s Lace is native to Europe, North Africa, and portions of Asia. This biennial blooms from early summer to late autumn, and its flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects.
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This tough plant grows to be approximately three feet tall, with complex umbels of white flowers that give the entire flower head a lacy look. Queen Anne’s lace enjoys an open, sunny location with well-drained soil, but it will grow in light shade as well. It self-seeds readily and is frequently used in gardens to naturalize areas or create a ground cover.
20. Meadow Cranesbill
Meadow Cranesbill or scientifically called Geranium Pratense is a perennial herbaceous blooming plant native to Europe and Asia. It has grayish-green deeply cut leaves and petite, radially symmetric magenta petals that form vivid clusters surrounding panicles of varying sizes.
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It is a popular garden plant due to its delightfully fragrant blossoms, and it is prized for its capacity to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Meadow Cranesbill has upright stems that may grow up to two feet tall and loves wet but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. This attractive beauty substantially improves the aesthetics of any garden.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned all the details about different companion plants for apple trees, here are some key points that you can keep in mind:
- The seeds of peanuts are edible, and they are quite healthy for your health which is why this can be a great apple plant companion.
- Alliums like onions and garlic are not only great apple plant companion plants but also great flavoring agents for foods worldwide.
- Daisies or purple coneflowers are great companions for apple plants if you wish to have some flowering ornamental plants in your garden.
- Very few plants are as good as bee balm or queen Anne’s lace when it comes to attracting pollinators and also being an apple plant companion.
Now, you have a clear image of wat can be planted next to this tree, and the clear reasons why they can be planted. The questiohn not is that which plant are you willing to choose for your apple trees?
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