Tru-Cape will open its Heritage Orchard at Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw to the public on Saturday, 28 February, offering a guided walk through a living collection of historic apple and pear cultivars that played a formative role in the development of South Africa’s deciduous fruit industry.
The event provides growers, industry stakeholders and the broader public with an opportunity to engage with varieties that are no longer part of mainstream commercial production, but remain critically important from a genetic, historical and breeding perspective.
Located at Oak Valley Estate, the orchard forms part of Tru-Cape’s long-term commitment to conserving heritage cultivars that have largely disappeared as production systems have shifted towards fewer, more uniform varieties.
Conserving Cultivars and Genetic Diversity
The Heritage Orchard serves as a curated collection of rare and nearly forgotten apple and pear varieties, including Newton Apple, Northern Spy, Pomme de Neige, Cox Orange Pippin, Witte Wijnappel, Badappel, Kroonappel and old Koo cultivars. Many of these varieties were widely planted in the early days of fruit farming at the Cape, before being replaced by cultivars better suited to modern yield, storage and export requirements.
By maintaining these trees, Tru-Cape aims to safeguard genetic material that may hold value for future breeding programmes, particularly in the context of climate change, evolving pest and disease pressures, and shifting consumer preferences.
Industry Insight from Experienced Specialists
The guided walk will be hosted by Tru-Cape’s Quality Assurance Manager, Henk Griessel, together with varietal specialists Buks Nel and Jeanne Fourie.
Drawing on years of research and practical experience, the hosts will discuss the origins, introduction routes and historical performance of these cultivars, as well as their relevance to contemporary fruit production. Griessel and Nel are co-authors of several publications documenting the early history of apples and pears at the Cape, and will share insights that link archival research with hands-on orchard management.
Nel, who is also known for his involvement in the development of modern cultivars such as BigBucks Gala (Flash Gala), emphasises that understanding historical varieties is essential for informed innovation. Preserving older cultivars allows breeders and producers to access a wider genetic base when developing future varieties.
Beyond the Orchard
Tru-Cape’s heritage work extends beyond Grabouw. In partnership with Hortgro, the company replanted the historic Witte Wijnappel — regarded as the first apple recorded at the Cape — at its original site in Company’s Garden in 2019. The cultivar was also re-established at Oak Valley Estate and Babylonstoren.
Event Details
The free guided walk will take place from 10h00 to 12h00. While the event is open to the public, booking via Quicket is required for access. Visitors will be able to view and taste selected varieties, and copies of the featured books will be available for purchase.
For producers and industry professionals, the Heritage Orchard offers a reminder that the future resilience of the fruit sector is closely tied to its past — and that conserving diversity today may prove invaluable for tomorrow’s orchards.