Herefordshire Pearmain

Herefordshire Pearmain

Origin & History

A very old and well-known English apple, about which, as connected with other Pearmains, there is much confusion (Downing). Rea is the first who notices it, under the name of Royal Pearmain, and he says, "it is a much bigger and better tasted apple than the common kind." In the Horticultural Society's catalogue this is called the Old Pearmain, and thus it is confused with the Winter Pearmain, as in some of the nursery gardens it is confused with the Summer Pearmain. It is figured in Ronalds' Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis, plate xxii, fig. 4 (Herefordshire Pomona). Warder notes that it reached certain portions of the Western States from the East, though by 1867 it was rarely seen there, as its place had been taken by other Pearmains of American origin and more vigor, such as the Long Island Pearmain.

Tree

Sources disagree on vigor. Warder describes the tree as slender and a slow grower, medium size, very productive. The Herefordshire Pomona states the tree attains the middle size, is a free and vigorous grower, very hardy, and bears well. Downing describes a strong, vigorous, spreading growth, with young shoots dull grayish brown, slightly downy, moderately strong. Elliott describes the tree as hardy, with shoots diverging, partially drooping. Thomas notes it is distinguished from Winter Pearmain by its stronger shoots.

Sources also disagree on soil preference: Elliott states the tree requires rich, strong soil, when the fruit is of the highest excellence; Thomas states it is best on light soils. Elliott adds that some regard the fruit as first-rate, others as only second, and that cultivation, soil, and location make the difference, with the variety performing best in Northern sections.

Fruit

Size: Generally medium. Warder describes the fruit as small to medium. Downing, Elliott, and Thomas all say medium. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the fruit as large, three inches wide and the same in height.

Form: Roundish conical (Warder, Downing, Elliott). Warder adds "truncated sharply." Thomas describes it as round-oblong, approaching obtuse-conical, and distinguishes it from Winter Pearmain by its less oblong form. The Herefordshire Pomona describes it as Pearmain-shaped and slightly angular, having generally a prominent rib on one side of it.

Stem: Short (Warder, Downing). Warder describes it as mostly short, stout, sometimes quite thick. Elliott, in contrast, describes the stem as slender. The Herefordshire Pomona gives the stalk as from half an inch to three quarters long, inserted in a deep cavity lined with russet. Thomas gives the stalk as half an inch long.

Cavity: Medium (Warder, Downing). Warder describes it as regular or wavy, green. Downing notes slight russet. Elliott describes the cavity as acuminate and russeted. Thomas describes it as small. The Herefordshire Pomona describes a deep cavity lined with russet.

Calyx/Eye: Open (all sources agree). Warder describes the eye as medium, open, reflexed. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the eye as small and open, with broad segments which are reflexed at the tips. Downing says partially open. Elliott says open. Thomas describes the calyx as large and open.

Basin: Warder describes it as wide, regular, abrupt. The Herefordshire Pomona describes a wide, pretty deep, and plaited basin. Downing says rather abrupt, deep, corrugated. Thomas, in contrast, describes the basin as narrow and plaited. Elliott says medium.

Skin: Surface smooth (Warder, Herefordshire Pomona). The ground color is yellow to greenish yellow, heavily overlaid with red. Warder describes the surface as deep red, with splashes dark or maroon on rich yellow, which only shows where the fruit has been shaded by a leaf, with dots numerous, small, and yellow. The Herefordshire Pomona provides the most detailed color description: skin smooth, dark dull green at first on the shaded side, but changing during winter to clear greenish yellow, and marked with traces of russet; on the side next the sun it is covered with brownish red, and streaks of deeper red, all of which change during winter to clear crimson, strewed with many russety specks. Downing describes the color as yellow, shaded, splashed and marbled with dark red, and thickly sprinkled with conspicuous light areole dots. Elliott describes brownish red, mottled and slightly striped, on a dull, rusty green, or, when fully matured, yellow ground, with stripes and marblings of russet from the stem, dotted with greyish specks. Thomas describes the surface as mostly covered with indistinct stripes and soft clouds of light red on greenish yellow, which on ripening becomes a pale clear yellow, and notes that the soft shades and clouds of fine red covering the surface distinguish it from Winter Pearmain.

Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish (all sources agree on the general color). Warder describes the flesh as deep yellow, firm, breaking, very fine-grained, juicy, with flavor rich, sub-acid, aromatic, vinous, spicy, very agreeable, and rates the quality as "best." The Herefordshire Pomona describes the flesh as yellowish, tinged with green, tender, crisp, juicy, sugary, and perfumed, with a brisk and pleasant flavour. Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, crisp, juicy, rich, slightly aromatic, subacid, and rates it "very good." Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish, tender, mild sub-acid, aromatic. Thomas describes the flesh as yellowish white, fine grained, with a pleasant, mild sub-acid, aromatic, fine flavor.

Core & Seeds: Warder describes the core as wide, turbinate, closed, regular, clasping the eye, with seeds numerous, small, pointed, dark, some imperfect. Elliott describes the core as medium, laying nearest the stem end, with seeds large, ovate, light brown. Other sources do not describe the core or seeds.

Season

November to March, and will even keep to May (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing gives November to February. Warder and Elliott give December to February. Thomas says early winter.

Uses

Sources disagree on the primary use. Warder classifies it as a dessert apple and notes it is especially adapted to amateur collections. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it a culinary fruit of high merit.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.