Cellini

Origin / History

An English apple. It originated with Mr. Leonard Phillips of Vauxhall; Bunyard calls Phillips a nurseryman and says the apple was introduced about 1828. The Herefordshire Pomona says it resembles the Nonsuch, "from which it was probably raised." The same work calls it "this very useful apple" and "one of the most useful and profitable apples." Bunyard writes: "Regular cropping is its chief recommendation, but the curious flavour appeals to some."

Tree

Tree grows freely (Herefordshire Pomona); growth stocky and a little spreading (Bunyard). Comes very early into bearing and is usually loaded with fruit (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard calls it extremely fertile and a regular cropper. Hansen, writing of Northwestern apples, finds the tree subject to blight and lacking in hardiness. Leaf rather pale green, upfolded and twisted, boldly curved serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size: Medium to large. Most authors give medium or rather above medium; Hansen alone calls it large. Bunyard measures it 3 by 2½.

Form: Round to roundish oblate, slightly flattened to flattened at both ends, regular. Hansen describes it as very regular, roundish conical, somewhat truncated.

Stem: Short to very short. Hansen alone calls it medium.

Cavity: Funnel-shaped (Herefordshire Pomona), wide, regular (Hansen), slightly russeted (Downing). Hansen finds the russet extending out in a large patch.

Calyx: Eye large, open to wide open; segments short. The Herefordshire Pomona calls the segments acute and reflexed. Hansen finds the calyx open to the core, its segments with a distinct interval between each, flat, converging but not meeting; tube conical or funnel-shaped; stamens median or basal.

Basin: Shallow, slightly plaited or corrugated. Hansen calls it wide and regular.

Skin: Ground rich deep yellow to dull greenish yellow or pale yellowish-green. Streaked, striped, and mottled with dark crimson and flushed brown red. Spots and patches of lively red on the shaded side; bright red streaked and mottled with dark crimson next the sun, with here and there a tinge of yellow breaking through. The greenish grounds are Hansen's ("dull greenish yellow") and Bunyard's ("pale yellowish-green"), who calls it "strongly striped." Hansen finds the surface mostly covered with mixed and marbled red, with broken splashes of darker red and some whitish net-veining. A fine, showy, and handsome apple (Herefordshire Pomona).

Dots: Obscure, white, minute (Hansen).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, fine grained (Hansen), tender, juicy to very juicy. Flavor brisk and pleasant, sprightly subacid, with a somewhat balsamic aroma; Bunyard calls it a "curious balsamic flavour." Downing rates it "Very good," and Hansen calls it "very good for culinary use." The Herefordshire Pomona says it "eats well from the tree."

Core and seeds: Core open; cells very small, roundish or oblate; seeds very few, plump (Hansen).

Season

The recorded season runs from September through November and centers on October. The English authors give October and November; Downing alone begins it in September.

Uses

Chiefly culinary. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "a culinary apple of the first quality" that also eats well from the tree, and names it among the most profitable apples.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Bunyard cites Her. Pom., 12.