English Apples - Whitwick Pippin
(aka Berkin Beauty)
WHITWICK PIPPIN
Found in a private garden in Whitwick, Leicestershire...the remarkable property of this apple is that it
hangs on the tree almost indefinitely. If netted against birds the fruit will sometimes keep on the tree in reasonable condition until early March. It's a
hard textured, long lasting, very late apple, dual purpose; edible as dessert from about Xmas Day. Similar in
character to "Croft Late Seedling" but stronger flavour, higher vitamin C and redder in colour. The finder of this
variety, Peter Edwards, wants the apple to be known as "Berkin Beauty", after the person who planted the
original pip in the mid-fifties. Unfortunately we don't know the parent apple. It appears to be biennial; heavy crop in the 'on' year, a few apples in the 'off' year.
They are green skinned with red stripes when in low light.
The person who sowed the pip resulting in Whitwick Pippin planted other pips from the same apple.
One produced a cooking apple which is still alive - we will investigate this shortly.
Update- some of these apples lasted until June in reasonable condition in 2009. One other point - they have a faint aroma similar to that of 'Bramley' when cut.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Blossom
Fruit
................
The red apples were photographed on 4 Jan 07. As for the second picture, I assure you it is not faked
- the astonishing sight of a fruit and blossom on the
same tree , simultaneously (on MM106 in a pot; 5 years old). 20 Apr 07.
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
