Nonsuch

Apple

Nonsuch

Origin / History

Origin doubtful (Bunyard, citing Ronalds, p. 37). Downing calls it an old English sort, and Elliott classes it as foreign. Bunyard calls it possibly French. Bunyard writes in 1920 that "it is now superseded."

Tree

Productive; fertile. Growth moderate (Bunyard). Leaf medium, oblong, finely serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Flat, or round flattened; regular.

Stem: Short (Bunyard).

Cavity: Deepish (Bunyard).

Calyx: Eye closed (Bunyard).

Basin: Rather deep and regular (Bunyard).

Skin: Greenish yellow to yellowish green, with dull brick red. The dull brick red is laid on in stripes and spots (Downing). Bunyard gives a red flush and broad stripes.

Dots: Not described in source.

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, soft, tender, with a plentiful juice, subacid (Downing) or sweet (Bunyard). Quality "good" (Downing).

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

September to November. Bunyard gives September alone, and Elliott begins the season in October.

Uses

Culinary. Downing calls it "valuable as a sauce Apple."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Bunyard says Nonsuch is not to be confused with the Nonsuch Paradise apple, which is a reputed seedling of Nonsuch.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

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 It is now superseded.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)

English Nonsuch Red Canada