Nonsuch

Apple

Nonsuch

Origin/History

An old English sort (Downing); listed as foreign by Elliott. Bunyard notes the origin is doubtful, possibly French, and references Ronalds, p. 37. Not to be confused with the Nonsuch Paradise apple, which is a reputed seedling from this variety. Bunyard remarks that it is now superseded.

Tree

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

Fruit

Size

Medium.

Form

Regular, flat (Downing); round flattened, regular (Bunyard).

Stem

Short, set in a deepish cavity (Bunyard).

Cavity

Deepish (Bunyard).

Calyx / Eye

Eye closed, set in a rather deep and regular basin (Bunyard).

Basin

Rather deep and regular (Bunyard).

Skin

Greenish yellow, striped and spotted with dull brick red (Downing); greenish yellow with dull brick red (Elliott); yellowish-green with red flush and broad stripes (Bunyard).

Flesh / Flavor

Flesh white, soft, with a plentiful subacid juice (Downing); white (Elliott); tender, white, sweet (Bunyard). Quality rated "Good" by Downing.

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

September–November (Downing); October–November (Elliott); September (Bunyard).

Uses

Valuable as a sauce apple (Downing); culinary (Bunyard).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source. (The Nonsuch Paradise apple is noted by Bunyard as a reputed seedling from this variety, but is a distinct variety, not a subtype.)

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

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)

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

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

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