Catshead apple
An ancient English apple, cooks to sharp firm puree.
Catshead is one of the oldest apples known in England. The name comes from its alleged resemblance to a cat's head - perhaps not immediately obvious, although the shape is unusually conical and can be ribbed.
Like most old English apples Catshead is primarily a culinary apple. The flesh is juicy with a fair amount of acidity, but does not need much additional sugar when cooking. It cooks down to a puree.
Summary
- Species: Malus domestica
- Parentage: Unknown
- Origin: England, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1600s early
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 115300
Identification
- Fruit colour: Green
- Bultitude apple group: 1. Green, smooth, no russet, acidic, culinary
Using
- Good for cooking
- Cooking result: Puree
- Ripening period: Mid-Late season
- Use / keeping: 1-2 months
Growing
- Flowering period: Mid season
- Flowering group: 3
- Fertility: Self-sterile
- Triploid: No
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Precocity: Slow to start bearing
- General disease resistance: Good
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
Relationships to other varieties
Offspring of this variety:
- Lord Derby (distant descendant)
Catshead identification photos from official fruit collections
Catshead identification photos from website visitors
Fruit tree register
Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.
The following Catshead trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.
You can also view these trees on a map.
United States
- Tenzicut in Canby, Oregon
United Kingdom
- Clifford Cain in BAWTRY, DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKSHIRE
- Colin Cramphorn in Mursley, Buckinghamshire
- Ian Robertson in Ipswich, Suffolk
- Keith Williams in LAMBOURN, Berks
- Kevin in BURSCOUGH, LANCASHIRE
- Louise Perrin in Wellington, Somerset
- Melanie in Nr Leicester, Leicestershire
- Mrs Stephanie Bond in STOURTON CAUNDLE, DORSET
- Victoria Birkett in ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
Latest Spring blossom records for this variety
2011 season
- 21st April 2011 - tree owned by Keith in LAMBOURN, United Kingdom
2010 season
- 31st April 2010 - tree owned by Keith in LAMBOURN, United Kingdom
2009 season
- 4th May 2009 - tree owned by Keith in LAMBOURN, United Kingdom
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Latest harvest records for this variety
2011 season
2010 season
- 3rd week September 2010 - tree owned by Keith in LAMBOURN, United Kingdom
2009 season
- 1st week October 2009 - tree owned by Keith in LAMBOURN, United Kingdom
Mature heights for Catshead trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Catshead tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.
| Rootstock | Soil quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | Below average | Average | Above average | Very good | |
| P22 | 2.5 ft 0.8 m |
3.1 ft 0.9 m |
3.7 ft 1.1 m |
4.3 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
| M27 | 2.8 ft 0.9 m |
3.5 ft 1.1 m |
4.2 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
5.6 ft 1.7 m |
| M9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Bud.9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 16 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 11 | 4.9 ft 1.5 m |
6.1 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.6 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
| M26 | 5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.6 ft 2.0 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.2 ft 2.8 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
| Geneva 30 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| MM102 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| M7 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| M116 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| MM106 | 7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.8 ft 2.7 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.3 ft 3.8 m |
14.0 ft 4.3 m |
| MM111 | 8.4 ft 2.6 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
14.7 ft 4.5 m |
16.8 ft 5.2 m |
| Bud.118 | 9.1 ft 2.8 m |
11.4 ft 3.5 m |
13.7 ft 4.2 m |
15.9 ft 4.9 m |
18.2 ft 5.6 m |
| M25 | 10.5 ft 3.2 m |
13.1 ft 4.0 m |
15.8 ft 4.8 m |
18.4 ft 5.6 m |
21.0 ft 6.4 m |
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.
Where to buy apple trees
The following fruit tree nurseries offer Catshead apple trees for sale:
-
Keepers Nursery
United Kingdom More >>
Where to buy apples
No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.
Rate this variety for flavor