Apple Blossom: Dates of unusual varieties
The table below shows the blossom sequence of some uncommon apple varieties when grown in the English Midlands: redfleshed apples not generally available in the UK, plus a large number of local cultivars, including some Leicestershire and Norfolk varieties. I have tabulated the data for approximately sixty trees grown on the same plot which all flowered during the 2012 season, and then lined it up against the Brogdale data for the 'ordinary' varietes which I grow, making sure that (as far as possible) trees which occur in both lists coincide. D signifies the Deacon catalogue pollination group (1-3) and O refers to the Orangepippin pollination group (1-6).
This means that the varieties NOT in the national fruit collection can be allocated blossom groups and Brogdale dates.
Sometimes an individual tree flowers up to 10 days out of sequence, but this is relatively uncommon; perhaps one event in twenty. 95% of the time the sequence is accurate to within about ±3 days. The oddities can usually be explained: different rootstock, in the shade, in a pot rather than the ground, etc....
Note the amazingly early blossom of many of the redfleshed apples; off the scale as far as the Brogdale dates are concerned. For the ones which are particularly early I have designated a seventh 'Orangepippin' group, zero (0).
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Nigel's 90%-blossom dates 2012 Season, Leicestershire Last 3 columns, blossom according to: D = Deacon's Nursery ( lists apples in three blossom groups, 1-3) O =Orangepippin (lists apples in six blossom groups, 1 - 6) B =Brogdale blossom day (lists apple blossom as a 30-day season, 0-30)
Red highlight: redfleshed Italics: Leicestershire variety, including some Leicestershire unique seedlings
|
Apr |
|
Brogdale's Sequence, 90%-blossom days. Faversham, Kent, lined up to match (as closely as possible) the unusual varieties in the left of the table |
D |
O |
B |
|
Webster Pinkmeat |
15 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
George's Red |
17 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Scarlet Surprise, Sam Bell |
18 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Pink Pearl |
19 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Giant Radish |
21 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Hall's Pink, Burford's Redflesh |
22 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Wyggeston Pippin |
23 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Almata |
24 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
|
|
Witney Deerpark apple |
25 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bastian, Pink Pearmain, Burford Yellow |
26 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Mott's Pink |
27 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Devonshire Quarrenden, Hidden Rose, Durrant's apple, Wickson |
28 |
|
Maypole |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Tom Putt |
29 |
|
|
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
Croft Late, Eden Crab, Blackjack, Pink Pearmain, Huonville Crab |
30 |
|
|
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
Weirouge, Bieinrode, Burford Sour |
1 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
6 |
|
D'Arcy Spice, Maypole,Mere Pippin, Bumble Bee Lane, Croft Cider, Sutton Pippin, Burford Yellow, Aldenham Purple, Langton Nonesuch |
2 |
|
Devonshire Quarrenden |
2 |
2 |
7 |
|
May Queen, Soulardii, West Virginia Beauty, Martin's Custard |
3 |
|
Ribston |
2 |
2 |
8 |
|
Laxton's Fortune, Merton Knave, Ribston |
4 |
|
Laxton's Fortune |
2 |
2 |
9 |
|
Belvoir Seedling, Breunsdorfer |
5 |
|
Tom Putt, Margil |
2 |
2 |
10 |
|
Allens Everlasting, Claygate Pearmain |
6 |
|
Allens Everlasting |
2 |
3 |
11 |
|
Margil, Golden Noble, MM106, Wyken Pippin, Sops-in-Wine,Grenadine, |
7 |
|
Bramley, Claygate Pearmain, May Queen |
2 |
3 |
12 |
|
|
8 |
|
Merton Knave |
2 |
3 |
13 |
|
Bramley, Whitwick Pippin |
9 |
|
D'Arcy Spice, Wyken Pippin, Belvoir Seedling |
3 |
3 |
14 |
|
Crimson Gold |
10 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
15 |
|
West Virginia Sweet |
11 |
|
Golden Noble, Annie Elizabeth |
3 |
4 |
16 |
|
Chapman's Colossus, Rubaiyat |
12 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
17 |
|
|
13 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
18 |
|
|
14 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
19 |
|
|
15 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
20 |
|
|
16 |
|
King Edward VII, Spenser Seedless |
3 |
5 |
21 |
|
King Edward VII |
17 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
22 |
|
|
18 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
23 |
|
|
19 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
24 |
|
Christmas Pink |
20 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
25 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
3 |
6 |
26 |
|
Metton Roy, Baya Marisa |
22 |
|
|
3 |
6 |
27 |
|
Red Sauce |
23 |
|
|
3 |
6 |
28 |
|
|
24 |
|
|
3 |
6 |
29 |
|
|
May |
|
|
3 |
6 |
30 |
If you have fruit-bearing trees, apple or otherwise, it is a very good idea to set up a table like the one above for yourself. Over the years, it will allow you to track and predict your trees' cycle, which not only helps with knowing when to expect flowering and harvesting but will also give you an early warning system to detect when a tree is slowing down or may otherwise have an unusual issue. Spreadsheet software can be a big help and Excel, part of Microsoft Office, is one of the biggest, best and easiest to use spreadsheet programs. You can also find Excel training classes at a wide variety of places which can help give you a jump start on setting up your chart.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
