Famous apples and where they came from
A workman on an Essex farm, a Nottinghamshire girl with a pip, and a granny in New South Wales. Most famous apples started as one lucky seedling.
The watercolours on this page were painted for the US Department of Agriculture’s Pomological Watercolor Collection; the dated ones between 1904 and 1934. The stories come from the UK’s National Fruit Collection. The UK’s National Fruit Collection, at Brogdale Farm near Faversham in Kent, is one of the largest fruit collections in the world, with around 3,500 named cultivars of apple, pear, plum, cherry, vine and cob nut. National Fruit Collection · checked 31 Oct 2026
‘Bramley’s Seedling’
‘Bramley’s Seedling’ was raised by Mary Ann Brailsford in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, between 1809 and 1813, and sold by nurseryman H. Merryweather from 1865. National Fruit Collection: Bramley's Seedling The National Fruit Collection calls ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ the most popular cooking apple grown in the UK. National Fruit Collection: Bramley's Seedling
‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’
‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ was raised in about 1825 by Richard Cox at Colnbrook Lawn, Slough, and sold by Charles Turner from about 1850. National Fruit Collection: Cox's Orange Pippin ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ grew from a ‘Ribston Pippin’ seed. It is in turn a parent of ‘Sunset’, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ and many more. National Fruit Collection: Cox's Orange Pippin
‘Ribston Pippin’
‘Ribston Pippin’ was grown at Ribston Hall in Yorkshire from a seed brought from Rouen, and planted in about 1707. National Fruit Collection: Ribston Pippin
‘Blenheim Orange’
‘Blenheim Orange’ was found by Mr Kempster at Woodstock, near Blenheim in Oxfordshire, in about 1740. National Fruit Collection: Blenheim Orange
‘Egremont Russet’
‘Egremont Russet’ was first recorded in 1872 and is probably the most important commercial russet apple in the UK. National Fruit Collection: Egremont Russet The RHS describes ‘Egremont Russet’ as golden-brown with a distinct nutty flavour. RHS: How to grow apples
‘Worcester Pearmain’
‘Worcester Pearmain’ was raised by Mr Hale of Swan Pool, near Worcester, and sold from 1874. National Fruit Collection: Worcester Pearmain The RHS says ‘Worcester Pearmain’ has a slight strawberry flavour. RHS: How to grow apples
‘Discovery’
‘Discovery’ was raised in about 1949 by Mr Drummer, a workman on an Essex fruit farm. It was first called ‘Thurston August’, and renamed in 1962. National Fruit Collection: Discovery ‘Discovery’ is a cross between ‘Worcester Pearmain’ and ‘Beauty of Bath’. National Fruit Collection: Discovery
‘Discovery’ is an early apple for August and September, and it can’t be stored. RHS: Choosing apple cultivars
‘James Grieve’
‘James Grieve’ was raised by James Grieve in Edinburgh and first recorded in 1893. National Fruit Collection: James Grieve
‘Granny Smith’
‘Granny Smith’ was raised by Mrs Thomas Smith in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia, where her trees were fruiting by 1868. She was born in Peasmarsh, Sussex, in 1800. National Fruit Collection: Granny Smith
‘Golden Delicious’
‘Golden Delicious’ was a chance seedling found in 1890 by A.H. Mullins in Clay County, West Virginia, and sold by Stark Brothers from 1914. National Fruit Collection: Golden Delicious
And a few more
- ‘Sunset’ was raised in about 1918 by G.C. Addy at Ightham in Kent, and named in 1933. It has a Cox-like flavour. National Fruit Collection: Sunset
- ‘Fiesta’ was raised in 1972 at East Malling Research Station in Kent, from ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ crossed with ‘Idared’. National Fruit Collection: Fiesta
- ‘Lord Lambourne’ was raised in 1907 by Laxton Bros. at Bedford, from ‘James Grieve’ crossed with ‘Worcester Pearmain’. National Fruit Collection: Lord Lambourne
- ‘Spartan’ was raised in 1926 at Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, from ‘McIntosh’ crossed with ‘Yellow Newtown Pippin’. National Fruit Collection: Spartan
- ‘Katja’ (also sold as ‘Katy’) was raised in 1947 at the Balsgård fruit breeding institute in Sweden. National Fruit Collection: Katja
- ‘Ellison’s Orange’, from Lincolnshire, has soft, juicy flesh with a strong aniseed flavour. National Fruit Collection: Ellison's Orange
- The RHS describes ‘Howgate Wonder’ as a late cooking apple with huge fruits, great for baking. RHS: How to grow apples
Popular in the USA
Popular eating apples in the USA include Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. Britannica: Apple