Norfolk Beauty

Origin/History

Norfolk Beauty was raised by Mr. Allan, gardener at Gunton Park, from a cross of Warner's King and Waltham Abbey. It was introduced to commerce in 1902 and first recorded in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1902, p. 453. Bunyard regards it as "a very excellent fruit worthy of extended cultivation, cropping well when the tree is formed."

Tree

Growth is moderate; fertility medium. The leaf is rather large, grey-green, little upfolded, undulated, with sharply curved serrate margins. Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) describes the tree as productive and regular when trained.

Fruit

Size

Bunyard gives the size as large, measuring 3½ inches by 2¼ inches. Veitch describes the fruit as medium size — a conflict with Bunyard's characterization.

Form

Round flattened, regular (Bunyard).

Stem

Long and thin, woody (Bunyard).

Cavity

Even and narrow, feathered with russet (Bunyard).

Calyx

Eye closed (Bunyard).

Basin

Moderately deep, plaited, with prominent knobs at the top (Bunyard).

Skin

Bunyard describes the colour as pale lemon yellow with a faint red flush. Veitch describes the colour as a rich browned colour — a significant conflict with Bunyard's account.

Flesh / Flavor

Bunyard describes the flesh as loose and yellowish, noting that it cooks frothily — consistent with a culinary apple. Veitch, by contrast, describes the flesh as firm and crisp, richly flavoured, of excellent quality — a characterization more consistent with a dessert apple. These accounts conflict materially on both texture and culinary character.

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

October to December (Bunyard). Veitch describes the variety as a good keeper with excellent keeping quality, consistent with Bunyard's late-season window.

Uses

Culinary (Bunyard). Veitch's description of rich flavour and excellent quality suggests dessert or dual-purpose use, though this conflicts with Bunyard's frothy-cooking characterization.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.