Ashmead's Kernel
AppleAshmead's Kernel
Origin/History
Ashmead's Kernel originated in Gloucestershire, England. According to Bunyard, it was raised by Dr. Ashmead of Gloucester around 1720. It is listed in Ronalds at p. 32, and is known in French as Semis d'Ashmead and in German as Saemling von Ashmead.
Tree
Downing describes the tree as hardy and productive. Bunyard characterizes growth as moderate and the tree as fertile, but notes it is a poor cropper — in conflict with Downing's "productive." Bunyard describes the leaf as rather large, oval, up-folded, twisted, and bi-serrate.
Fruit
Size and Form: The two sources conflict on size: Downing calls the fruit small, while Bunyard calls it medium, giving dimensions of 2½ inches by 2½ inches. The form is described by Downing as roundish and oblate; Bunyard describes it as round-square.
Stem and Cavity: Bunyard notes the stem is variable, set in a deep, wide cavity.
Calyx and Basin: Bunyard describes the eye (calyx) as closed, seated in a basin that is fairly deep and wide and slightly ribbed.
Skin: Both sources agree on a ground color of greenish yellow. The surface markings are described differently: Downing notes a tinge of brownish orange in the sun, with no mention of russet; Bunyard describes a faint brown flush with the surface covered in russet.
Flesh and Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, and aromatic. Bunyard describes it as firm, pale yellow, and very aromatic. Both sources emphasize the aromatic quality; the additional descriptors crisp and juicy appear only in Downing.
Season
The sources conflict on season. Downing gives November to May (citing Lind.); Bunyard gives December to March.
Uses
Bunyard classes Ashmead's Kernel as a dessert apple and describes it as a valuable fruit for late use.
Subtypes/Variants
Bunyard notes that a larger form exists, known as Improved Ashmead's Kernel.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ashmead's Kernel.
A variety from Gloucestershire, England. Tree hardy and productive.
Fruit small, roundish, oblate, greenish yellow, with tinge of brownish orange in the sun. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, aromatic. November to May. (Lind.)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ASHMEAD'S KERNEL. Ronalds, p. 32. F., Semis d'Ashmead. G., Saemling von Ashmead. Dessert, December to March, medium, 2½ by 2½, round-square. Colour, greenish-yellow, faint brown flush, covered with russet. Flesh, firm, pale yellow, very aromatic. Eye, closed in a fairly deep and wide basin, which is slightly ribbed. Stem, variable in a deep wide cavity. Growth, moderate, fertile. Leaf, rather large, oval, up-folded, twisted, bi-serrate. Origin, raised by Dr. Ashmead, of Gloucester, about 1720. A valuable fruit for late use but a poor cropper. A larger form exists known as Improved Ashmead's Kernel, q.v.