Court Pendu Plat apple
Malus domestica
Ancient French dessert variety, rich intense unique flavour
Court Pendu Plat is old apple variety from France, with a history dating
back to the early 1600s and many
earlier references. It was popular in Victorian times and still has a
small following.
With such an ancient lineage it is perhaps no surprise that Court Pendu Plat is quite different from many other varieties. The most distinctive feature is the strange flattened appearance. The base is highly inverted and you can clearly see the flower stalk from which the apple formed. The colouring is light green flushed with orange and red.
The flesh is very dense, not soft but not crisp either. Cutting into it with a knife feels a bit like cutting into a hard cheddar cheese. There seems to be very little juice, and it is not really apple-flavoured at all. The flavour is fruity and strong when picked, and sweetens by Christmas. It is not actually very appealing when you first bite into it, yet is strangely "more-ish", with a flavour which is hard to define. It can also be used for cooking.
Although we have no proof, we think Court Pendu Plat could be somewhere in the ancestry of Cox's Orange Pippin. The size, flattened shape, colouration, and complex flavours of Cox are all there in Court Pendu Plat, albeit in a more primitive form. Cox's probable parent - Ribston Pippin - was apparently grown from a seedling brought to England from France in the early 1700s, a time when Court Pendu Plat was well-established on the Continent.
With such an ancient lineage it is perhaps no surprise that Court Pendu Plat is quite different from many other varieties. The most distinctive feature is the strange flattened appearance. The base is highly inverted and you can clearly see the flower stalk from which the apple formed. The colouring is light green flushed with orange and red.
The flesh is very dense, not soft but not crisp either. Cutting into it with a knife feels a bit like cutting into a hard cheddar cheese. There seems to be very little juice, and it is not really apple-flavoured at all. The flavour is fruity and strong when picked, and sweetens by Christmas. It is not actually very appealing when you first bite into it, yet is strangely "more-ish", with a flavour which is hard to define. It can also be used for cooking.
Although we have no proof, we think Court Pendu Plat could be somewhere in the ancestry of Cox's Orange Pippin. The size, flattened shape, colouration, and complex flavours of Cox are all there in Court Pendu Plat, albeit in a more primitive form. Cox's probable parent - Ribston Pippin - was apparently grown from a seedling brought to England from France in the early 1700s, a time when Court Pendu Plat was well-established on the Continent.
Summary
- Parentage: Unknown, extremely old
- Origin: France
- Introduced: 1613
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 101300
Identification
- Bultitude apple group: 7. Flushed / striped, some russeting, sweet
Growing
- Vigour: Weak growing
Mature tree heights for this variety (approximate)
| Rootstock | Soil quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | Below average | Average | Above average | Very good | |
| P22 | 1.5 ft 0.5 m |
1.9 ft 0.6 m |
2.3 ft 0.7 m |
2.6 ft 0.8 m |
3.0 ft 0.9 m |
| M27 | 2.0 ft 0.6 m |
2.5 ft 0.8 m |
3.0 ft 0.9 m |
3.5 ft 1.1 m |
4.0 ft 1.2 m |
| M9 | 3.0 ft 0.9 m |
3.8 ft 1.2 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
| Bud.9 | 3.0 ft 0.9 m |
3.8 ft 1.2 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
| Geneva 16 | 3.0 ft 0.9 m |
3.8 ft 1.2 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
| Geneva 11 | 3.5 ft 1.1 m |
4.4 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.1 ft 1.9 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
| M26 | 4.0 ft 1.2 m |
5.0 ft 1.5 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.0 ft 2.5 m |
| Geneva 30 | 4.0 ft 1.2 m |
5.0 ft 1.5 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.0 ft 2.5 m |
| MM102 | 4.0 ft 1.2 m |
5.0 ft 1.5 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.0 ft 2.5 m |
| M7 | 4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.6 ft 1.7 m |
6.8 ft 2.1 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.0 ft 2.8 m |
| M116 | 4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.6 ft 1.7 m |
6.8 ft 2.1 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.0 ft 2.8 m |
| MM106 | 5.0 ft 1.5 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.5 ft 2.3 m |
8.8 ft 2.7 m |
10.0 ft 3.1 m |
| MM111 | 6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.5 ft 2.3 m |
9.0 ft 2.8 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.0 ft 3.7 m |
| Bud.118 | 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 |
| M25 | 8.0 ft 2.5 m |
10.0 ft 3.1 m |
12.0 ft 3.7 m |
14.0 ft 4.3 m |
16.0 ft 4.9 m |
Identification photos
Court Pendu Plat on a 10 year old espalier tree, M26 rootstock
Copyright: Jim Jackson, Wakefield, UK
View larger image
Copyright: Jim Jackson, Wakefield, UK
View larger image
