EGREMONT RUSSET

Apple

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

EGREMONT RUSSET

Origin/History

Origin unrecorded. Introduced to notice about 1880. (Bunyard)

Tree

Growth neat, upright, and well spurred; fertile. (Bunyard)

Leaves rather small and very narrow, upfolded and undulated, finely serrate, often curved serrate. (Bunyard)

Fruit

Size

Medium. Measures 2½ inches by 1⅞ inches. (Bunyard; size confirmed by Veitch)

Form

Round, regular. (Bunyard)

Stem

Very short. (Bunyard)

Cavity

Very narrow. (Bunyard)

Calyx

Eye wide open. (Bunyard)

Basin

Shallow, even. (Bunyard)

Skin

Ground color yellow, with a golden-brown flush almost entirely covered with russet. (Bunyard)

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh firm, greenish yellow, of very distinct and good flavor. (Bunyard) Both sources confirm firm flesh and excellent flavor. (Veitch)

Core and Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

Bunyard gives October to December. Veitch's entry reads "Oct. & May," suggesting the fruit comes ready in October and remains in condition through May — a substantially longer storage life than Bunyard indicates.

Uses

Dessert. Especially suited for garden use. (Bunyard) Described as "extremely valuable" by Veitch, who also notes its good keeping qualities.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 6 catalogs (1897–1917) from England

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917

View original book sources (2)

EGREMONT RUSSET. Dessert, October to December, medium, 2½ by 1⅞, round, regular. Colour, yellow, golden-brown flush almost covered with russet. Flesh, firm, greenish yellow, of very distinct and good flavour. Eye, wide open, in a shallow even basin. Stem, very short in a very narrow cavity. Growth, neat, upright, well spurred; fertile. Leaf, rather small very narrow, upfolded, undulated, finely serrate, often curved serrate. Origin, unrecorded. Introduced to notice about 1880. A delicious fruit, especially suited for garden use.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

(Medium size, excellent flavour, firm flesh, good keeping, extremely valuable). Oct. & May

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)