Nonsuch

Apple

Nonsuch

Origin/History

An old English sort (Elliott, Downing). Bunyard (1920) notes the origin is doubtful, possibly French, and cautions that this variety is not to be confused with the Nonsuch Paradise apple, which is a reputed seedling from Nonsuch. Bunyard further remarks that the variety is now superseded. Referenced in Ronalds, p. 37 (per Bunyard).

Tree

Productive (Downing); fertile, with moderate growth (Bunyard 1920). Leaf medium, oblong, finely serrate (Bunyard 1920).

Fruit

Size

Medium (Elliott, Downing, Bunyard 1920). The George Bunyard & Co. catalog (1914) describes it as "rather large."

Form

Flat (Elliott); regular form, flat (Downing); round flattened, regular (Bunyard 1920).

Stem

Short, set in a deepish cavity (Bunyard 1920).

Cavity

Deepish (Bunyard 1920).

Calyx / Eye

Eye closed (Bunyard 1920).

Basin

Rather deep and regular (Bunyard 1920).

Skin

Greenish yellow with dull brick red (Elliott); greenish yellow, striped and spotted with dull brick red (Downing); yellowish-green with red flush and broad stripes (Bunyard 1920). The George Bunyard catalog (1914) describes the fruit as "entirely clothed, dull red with darker striping."

Flesh / Flavor

Flesh white (Elliott, Downing); white, tender, and sweet (Bunyard 1920). Downing describes the flesh as soft, with a plentiful subacid juice, rating the quality "Good." The George Bunyard catalog (1914) calls the flavor good and the flesh sub-acid, good for kitchen use. Bunyard (1920) classes it as a culinary apple.

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

October, November (Elliott); September, November (Downing); September, autumn (Bunyard 1920 and George Bunyard catalog 1914).

Uses

Valuable as a sauce apple (Downing); culinary (Bunyard 1920); good for kitchen use and valuable as a market apple (George Bunyard catalog 1914).

Subtypes/Variants

The Nonsuch Paradise apple is a reputed seedling from Nonsuch and is a distinct variety not to be confused with Nonsuch itself (Bunyard 1920).

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (5)

NONSUCH. English Nonsuch. Foreign. Medium, flat, greenish yellow, with dull brick red; flesh, white. October, November.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

NONSUCH. Nonsuch. An old English sort, valuable as a sauce Apple ; productive. Fruit of medium size, regular form, flat, greenish yellow, striped and spotted with dull brick red. Flesh white, soft, with a plentiful subacid juice. Good. September, November.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

English Nonsuch. See Nonsuch.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

NONSUCH. Ronalds, p. 37. Culinary, September, round flattened, medium, regular. Colour, yellowish-green with red flush and broad stripes. Flesh, tender, white, sweet. Eye, closed in a rather deep and regular basin. Stem, short, in a deepish cavity. Growth, moderate; fertile. Leaf, medium, oblong, finely serrate. Origin, doubtful; possibly French. Not to be confused with the Nonsuch Paradise apple, which is a reputed seedling from this variety. It is now superseded.

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

Autumn; Syn. Medium, entirely clothed, dull red with darker striping. Rather large. Flavour good. Flesh sub-acid; good for kitchen use. Valuable as a market apple.

— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)

English Nonsuch Red Canada