English Apples - Burford Yellow
Very firm very late dessert apple, appearance resembling MM106 very closely, but harder and sweeter; less acidity. Hangs on tree until early Jan; sometimes mid Feb, in good condition. Completely frost-proof. Sweet, white flesh, firm texture, becoming dry into early Spring. These apples keep extremely well; April, May or even later without gas storage. In 2009 I had a dozen left in June, still good; some picked in October and some in January. The January ones were slightly more juicy.
They have a very "gutsy" flavour - dry, firm, crunchy and little juice - the exact opposite of a supermarket apple.
UPDATE, 2010
One disadvantage of this apple is that it prefers a windy situation, where it will fruit happily every year. In my own garden, which is sheltered and south facing, the variety is susceptible to mites and woolly aphis, and constant spraying is necessary.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Blossom
Fruit
Fruit above picked & photgraphed 4 Jan 08
Fruit photgraphed 26 Apr 08; first picture MM106 for comparison, same date. Notice the "netting" pattern on the skin, often found on the best flavoured apples. Burford yellow is conical but often with some irregularity around the eye.
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
