Worcester Pearmain

Origin / History

The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says Worcester Pearmain was produced in the St. John's Nurseries, Worcester, in 1873, by Mr. Richard Smith. It notes that the variety "has been supposed to be a seedling from the Devonshire Quarrenden, but this is not known with certainty." E. A. Bunyard (1920) gives a different origin: it originated at Swan Pool, near Worcester, with a Mr. Hale. Bunyard and the 1914 George Bunyard catalog both say it originated near Worcester and was introduced by Messrs. Smith, of Worcester, in 1874.

Worcester Pearmain received a first-class certificate from the London Horticultural Society in 1874, according to the Herefordshire Pomona. The nursery catalogs record the award as "F.C., R.H.S." and "F.C.C." The fruit is a very handsome early apple. The Herefordshire Pomona judged that "the great beauty of the fruit, and its usefulness, both for dessert and culinary purposes, cannot fail to render it a general favourite."

Tree

Hardy. Growth moderate and upright, habit compact; makes a neat, round-headed standard. Leaf rather pale, oval, upfolded, undulating, coarsely serrate (E. A. Bunyard).

Begins to bear at a very early age. A great bearer, very productive and very regularly fertile, bearing annually and seldom failing to crop.

Succeeds well on paradise stock (Veitch), and is "most profitable on Paradise" (George Bunyard catalog, 1901). The Herefordshire Pomona says that the tree, well trained on the paradise stock and laden with its bright red fruit, "forms a very beautiful object." The 1901 Bunyard catalog calls it "very handsome and fine as a garden tree"; Veitch calls it "a valuable kind for the orchard."

Fruit

Size: Medium. The Herefordshire Pomona measures it at two and three-quarters inches wide and the same in height; E. A. Bunyard gives "2½ by 2¼." Rivers alone calls it "a large raised apple."

Form: Conical, even, regular; round conical (E. A. Bunyard). Very slightly angular toward the crown, where it is narrow (Herefordshire Pomona).

Stem: Short; three-quarters of an inch long, deeply inserted (Herefordshire Pomona).

Cavity: Russeted, rather narrow (E. A. Bunyard).

Calyx: Eye small, closed. Segments long, forming a cone (Herefordshire Pomona).

Basin: Shallow, ribbed (E. A. Bunyard). The Herefordshire Pomona sets the eye on the apex of the fruit, with a few plaits round it.

Skin: Very smooth. Completely covered with brilliant red, given as bright crimson (E. A. Bunyard) and as even scarlet (George Bunyard catalog, 1914), with "a peculiar rosy tint" (Herefordshire Pomona). Ground golden yellow, in some specimens showing faintly through the red here and there. Richly colored, of brilliant color, very handsome.

Dots: Minute, fawn-colored (Herefordshire Pomona).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh greenish (E. A. Bunyard), tender to very tender, crisp, juicy to very juicy. Sweet to very sweet, "remarkably sweet" (George Bunyard catalog, 1914), and sprightly, "with a very pleasant flavour" (Herefordshire Pomona). E. A. Bunyard describes "a pleasant strawberry flavour" and holds that the flavor "is greatly underrated by many." Veitch calls it "well flavoured" and "of good quality"; Rivers calls it "very good."

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

An early apple; "very early" (Veitch). Season August to October, centered on September. The two oldest sources give August and September; the later sources give September or September to October. E. A. Bunyard says it "is usually gathered and eaten far before it is ripe."

Uses

Dessert. The Herefordshire Pomona also commends it for culinary purposes. A market apple: "a leading variety for market" (George Bunyard catalog, 1901), "valuable for market use" (George Bunyard catalog, 1914), and "an esteemed market variety" (E. A. Bunyard).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

E. A. Bunyard cites the variety as "Her. Pom., P. 2."