English Apples - Laxton's Fortune
One of the best flavoured English apples, so long as it's eaten straight from the tree. It will keep for a day
or two, but much longer and it starts to taste medicinal and loses its wonderful texture and juiciness. Trees slightly biennial, but have a reasonable crop even in the "off" year. Fruits from early to late Sept.
For apple identifiers: Very similar to Ellison's Orange (both have a hint of aniseed in their flavour and taste all but identical); Laxton is usually slightly shinier, a more delicate shape, eye more closed and set shallow. Ellison has an more matt finish, a "squarer" or more pointed shape; eye is set deeper with more of a 'crown' surrounding it.
Hold the apple so you are looking at it from the side, exactly 90 degrees. The sepals protruding from the eye are visible on a Laxton; but usually not visible on an Ellison's.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Blossom
Fruit
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
