Scarlet Nonpareil

Apple

Origin/History

Foreign (English), probably raised at Esher, Surrey, about 1773, from a seed of the Old Nonpareil (Bunyard). Illustrated in Ronalds, P. 34. A good old sort worthy of retention.

Tree

Growth slender, a little upright, compact; fertile (Bunyard). Leaf very narrow, sharp pointed, held out flat, light green, boldly crenate, nearly smooth below (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size: Small to medium (Bunyard); medium (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Bunyard gives dimensions of 2½ by 2 inches.

Form: Roundish oblate conical (Downing); roundish (Elliott); roundish-conic (Thomas); round conical, regular (Bunyard).

Stem: Rather long, in an even russet cavity (Bunyard).

Cavity: Even, russet (Bunyard).

Calyx/Eye: Open, in a shallow regular basin (Bunyard).

Basin: Shallow, regular (Bunyard).

Skin: Sources describe the coloring differently. Downing: whitish, striped and shaded with red. Elliott: deep red on yellowish green. Thomas: striped. Bunyard: yellow covered with dull red and russet.

Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish white (Downing); pale yellow (Bunyard); firm (Downing, Elliott, Bunyard); juicy (Downing). Flavor: subacid (Downing, Thomas); acid (Elliott); sweet, rather good flavour (Bunyard). Very good (Downing).

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

November, December (Downing); November to February (Elliott); November (Thomas); dessert, till March (Bunyard).

Uses

Dessert (Bunyard).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 7 catalogs (1897–1917) from England

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917

View original book sources (4)

Scarlet Nonpareil.

New Scarlet Nonpareil.

Foreign; medium size, roundish oblate conical, whitish, striped and shaded with red. Flesh yellowish white, firm, juicy, subacid. Very good. November, December.

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

SCARLET NONPAREIL. New Scarlet Nonpareil. Foreign. Medium, roundish, deep red on yellowish green; flesh, firm, acid. November to February.

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

Scarlet Nonpareil. Medium, roundish-conic, striped; sub-acid. November. English.

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

SCARLET NONPAREIL. Ronalds, P. 34. F., Nonpareil Ecarlate; G., Scharlachroter Nonpareil. Dessert, till March, small to medium, 2½ by 2, round conical, regular. Colour, yellow covered with dull red and russet. Flesh, firm, pale, yellow, sweet, rather good flavour. Eye, open in a shallow regular basin. Stem, rather long, in an even russet cavity. Growth, slender, a little upright, compact; fertile. Leaf, very narrow, sharp pointed, held out flat, light green, boldly crenate, nearly smooth below. Origin, probably raised at Esher, Surrey, about 1773, from a seed of the Old Nonpareil. A good old sort worthy of retention.

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

New Scarlet Nonpareil Nonpareil Ecarlate Scharlachroter Nonpareil