Ashmead’s Kernel apple

Description

This apple dates back to 18th century England. A Dr. Ashmead, its namesake appears to have discovered or grew it in Glouchester in the early 1700s.

This is a full flavored apple. Tart, sweet and nutty it maintains a distinctive texture and flavor like many of the russet. It is often green and yellow with russeting with an overall appearance of golden and brown. An attractive dessert apple. It can be used for all purposes. Its brix comes in at 16.9 and makes for excellent cider, hard or fresh with its sugary juice. Flesh is crisp, but more densely textured than most commercial varieties of the modern age. Sliced fruit oxidizes readily.. It improves nicely in storage, and keeps very well (3-4 months). Fruit is conical to round. Weighs in at 200 – 250 gm on average. Size is 83mm wide by 64mm tall. Rated by the Royal Horticultural Society number one in a blind taste contest years ago.

Tree will grow large, and bears crops when young. Good scab and powdery mildew resistance. Ripens in late October here.

Comments : This apple has become popular in our area recently. It is often hard to gauge why an apple gains sudden popularity, but this one may simply be a case of a forgotten fruit rising again solely by its merits. It deserves to be more widely planted in North America.