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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: moonbells on September 18, 2005, 22:39:29
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I'm hoping someone here will be able to help identify an apple that a friend has got in her back garden.
It's a deep maroon in colour, the same size as a normal apple and is quite sour to taste.
However inside it's beautiful. Arcs of deep pink and pale pink around the centre; some are almost red inside.
Makes a superb pink apple jelly (as I know first-hand as she gave me a box of the apples!)
RHS Wisley were asked what it was, and they came up with Siberian Crab apple. Except a Siberian crab has cherry-sized fruits... so they're wrong.
Has anyone here got one of these and know what it is? I can only say it's not a new variety as the tree in question is old and huge.
moonbells
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This could be 'Harry Baker' from the description. I used to know someone who had this tree, and it fits the description perfectly
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Hi Jennym
I thought it might be too after reading descriptions I found on Google after you posted; sadly it's way too light a red on the outside and the wrong shape.
http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/details.php?productID=9910#
It's one of those elongated apples, not spherical but heart-shaped, and definitely a very deep purple-red rather than cherry.
I am also now told the bark is like a cherry tree - smooth and not at all craggy like normal apples, and the flowers are dark red not pink!
It cooked to a pulp really easily and to my mind was less sour than a Bramley, so it may be that it's a heritage cooker rather than a crab, despite the amazing colour inside.
Mystery continues!
moonbells
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moonbells, you should try Brogdale - they hold the national collection of fruit trees here in Kent and they have a fruit identification service - if anyone can help you i reckon they can.
http://www.brogdale.org/html/fruit_identification.html
good luck!
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thanks kentishchloe - have sent the URL on, but not sure if she'll do it as it's a bit expensive! :o
I suppose it depends on how curious we all get!
moonbells
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yeah, i know it's a bit dear. I don't know if any of the fruit will last that long, but on Apple Weekend 22/23 oct there are usually Apple-related events all over the country. All the RHS gardens do something and you can quite often find an ident section - where are you? chloe
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Bucks - Chilterns.
I took one of mine to Kew a couple of years ago and they got it hopelessly wrong (would have been acceptable if I hadn't gone on google, discovered what they'd suggested was a triploid apple and at that point I knew it was wrong as it's one of the pollinators for my triploid Bramley!)
I might go anyway just in case they've got it on their display. They usually have a couple of hundred varieties.
Might try mine again as this year I've hundreds of apples on it. Or go to the HDRA apple day.
moonbells
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Try Bernwode Plants - between Aylesbury & Bicester - they grow old fashioned apple, pear plum etc along with interesting & unusual herbaceous perennials. They have a huge photo board of different apples and are superb investigators.
http://www.bernwodeplants.co.uk/
They shut at the end of Oct but are definately worth a visit.