The comprehensive resource for apples and orchards

Howgate Wonder apple

Very large cooker, not great flavour when cooked but excellent sharp juice

Howgate Wonder photo tape

A very large apple that can be quite sweet and pleasant when eaten fresh but basically it is a cooking apple.  However, we note that many visitors to this website disagree and think it is a good eating variety too!  Partially self-fertile like one of its parents, Newton Wonder.

Last updated 24 Nov 2012.

Summary

  • Species: Malus domestica
  • Parentage: Blenheim Orange x Newton Wonder
  • Origin: England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1915
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 102900

Identification

  • Fruit colour: Red / Orange flush Greasy skin
  • Fruit size: Large
  • Bultitude apple group: 3. Flushed / striped, smooth, acidic, culinary

Using

  • Good for cooking
  • Good for juice
  • Good for hard cider
  • Cooking result: Puree
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Ripening period: Late season
  • Use / keeping: 3 months or more

Growing

  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Flowering period: Mid-Late season
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Triploid: No
  • Vigour: Large
  • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
  • General disease resistance: Good

Climate

  • Suitable for temperate climates
  • Tolerates cold winters

Disease resistance

  • Bitter pit  - Very resistant

Relationships to other varieties

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

Howgate Wonder identification photos from official fruit collections


UK National Fruit Collection

©Crown Copyright more >
UK National Fruit Collection

Howgate Wonder identification photos from website visitors



Rate this variety for flavor

Current rating: 5.0 out of 5. Total votes cast: 1
 

Visitor comments

(Use the form at the bottom to add your own comments about this variety)

15 Nov 2012 Paul HutchinsonYORKSHIRE, United Kingdom
Howgate Wonder is not a cooking apple. A big apple does not a cooker make. It is however a good desert apple and left unthinned won't be too big. A bit like Granny Smiths but less acid and unlike Granny Smiths will grow in the UK. Full of juce an apple for children.
06 Aug 2011 BarbaraHAMPSHIRE, United Kingdom
I have had my tree for about 10 years, it fruits heavily every other year, this year is the quiet one, just has 4 huge apples on it. Very versatile apple, like the way it does not go mushy when cooked.
29 Jul 2011 YubbadebUnited Kingdom
Eric and Vernon, this tree is sold over the net by R V Rogers.(UK). I had some gooseberries from them last year; very sturdy plants.
26 Jan 2011 Eric BirdDORSET, United Kingdom
My grandfather purshased a Howgate Wonder just after the WW2 and it was amazing. I would like to get one but they seem difficult to obtain. any stockists near Bournemouth?
12 Oct 2010 SaraSTAFFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
My Mum has always praised these apples as she grew up with a Howgate Wonder apple tree in her garden. Last year I tried them for the first time and they are fantastic! My Mum was over the moon as she had looked out for this variety before and not been able to get any but on that particular day she was very lucky. She happened to be in our local farm shop and a man came in with a huge sack of these Howgate Wonder asking if the farm shop wanted to buy them, they didn't. My Mum happened to over hear and managed to buy them for herself. She was so happy and cooked them up to make pies with etc and we managed to freeze a load to use throughout the year. In my opinion these apples far exceed the watery mush that Bramley seem to turn into when cooked. Howgate wonder hold their shape and form, there taste is multi dimensional with sweetness and tartness at a perfect balance. I recommend these to all!
01 Oct 2010 PatriciaHAMPSHIRE, United Kingdom
Sadly we had to move from the wonderful Fens some 3 years ago and are now unable to obtain Howgate Wonder easily. We always were able to buy them from the Royal Sandringham orchards where we used to pick various other varieties. I had a super apple rack and stored a lot of fruit. However, one year mice got into the rack and ate many of the Howgates plus the Cox`s and left the Bramleys. Orchard Manager at Sandringham said that even the mice knew a good apple! We ate them both raw and cooked and I never added sugar. They made wonderful flans as they never lost their shape, unlike Bramleys which tend to collapse. I think they probably stock Howgate Wonder at the Windsor farm shop as I recall they sent them down from Sandringham when it first opened at Windsor. Carl at King`s Lynn is a lucky man having Howgates virtually on his doorstep!
30 Sep 2010 RosemaryPEMBROKESHIRE, United Kingdom
This variety is fun to grow as the apples are so huge! In my previous garden in Berkshire I grew one as a rather untidy fan trained tree which worked well. I do agree that it is not the tastiest when cooked.
29 Sep 2010 Heather GardinerUnited Kingdom
My father gave me a Howgate Wonder 15 years ago. I live in an area where we have late frosts and a short growing season. It has consistently given excellent crops of huge apples that last all winter. Wonderful tree.
13 Dec 2009 CorinnePETERBOROUGH, United Kingdom
Howgate apples are huge, delicious and must not be allowed to die out. I went out today to try to get some in the Wisbech area - where I believe they are grown - but was told that the apples are being left on the trees -or to fall - as no one wants them. that is because you can not get them in shops. Just one large apple will make a great family apple crumble with very little sugar.
18 Nov 2009 Andrew ColchesterSUFFOLK, United Kingdom
I have an old tree in my garden. It is a reliable very heavy cropper. Mainly used as cooker, apple pies, apple sauce, etc. and excellent for cider!
18 Oct 2009 GrahamHARLOW, United Kingdom
I have, what I believe to be, a Howgate Wonder in my garden. I would like to have that confirmed. The fruit is very large - the largest I have picked weighed over 3lbs last year. Where can I post some pictures to check if I am right?
16 Oct 2009 CarlKING'S LYNN, United Kingdom
Just bought a bag giant apple today seller said they were Howgate and suggested I removed core, filled with Mincemeat and Microwave for 10mins. I have never seen a larger apple, are these the largest in UK? Carl
25 Jul 2009 geoffYORK, United Kingdom
This apple needs to be reasonably ripe before cooking otherwise it will remain hard. See Jim Prentice 29/7/2008. Pick October will keep to April.
24 Feb 2009 RonhutsonNORWICH NORFOLK, United Kingdom
Feb. I have just bought my first Howgate Wonders and following advice not to add sugar just currants I baked it for 10 mins in a microwave and with a little icecream it was delicious, though skins a bit tough which I ate anyway. If i had space I would certainly buy a tree.
20 Nov 2008 TimGRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE. ENGLAND, United Kingdom
One of my clients gave me some of these apples off his tree today. Although the skins are blotchy and the fruits vary a lot in size the fruit itself is quite good once the skin is removed. Not as sharp as i expected but tasty and still juicy bearing in mind it is mid november.
18 Oct 2008 LesleySTOCKPORT, CHESHIRE,UK, United Kingdom
What I like most about the Howgate Wonder is that it doesn't need any added sugar if you do choose to cook it.
14 Oct 2008 Tony SandersWEST DORSET, United Kingdom
Have just picked a 1lb 12 3/4oz apple - delicious to eat with or without Cheddar cheese!!
12 Oct 2008 AlinaOXON, United Kingdom
I regretted planting this one as the cooked flavour is not up to much unless flavoured with currants or berries, used it mainly in mincemeat. Maybe its better eaten raw...
28 Sep 2008 Christine ChapmanBLETCHLEY MILTON KEYNES, United Kingdom
I discovered this apple about 35 years ago. Every year the manager of the friut shop would ring to tell me they were in.I never found that apple again after the shop closed down, until today when my brother informed me that he has a tree at his farm.I have just eaten one again after about thirty years of being Howgateless.They are the best!There is no apple better in my opinion.
04 Aug 2008 EdLONDON, United Kingdom
I agree - why cook it! It's a great eating apple!
29 Jul 2008 Jim PrenticeLANCASHIRE, United Kingdom
Many years ago I purchased a Howgate Wonder on the advice of a nursery man but soon found that the apples remained hard even when cooked for a considerable period of time. It was replaced with a Bramley Seedling that in my opinion is a much better cooking apple.
19 Feb 2008 RachelOXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
Quite agree with Clarissa - very nice raw!
10 Dec 2007 Vernon KernsWEST VIRGINIA, United States
Is it possible to import apple scion wood from England? Vernon Kerns
14 Oct 2007 ClarissaLINCOLNSHIRE, United Kingdom
Why spoil this delicious apple by cooking it? It is one of the best flavoured eating apples around, and a very good keeper as well. This year the skins are a bit scabby, but still taste lovely.

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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 Howgate Wonder trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.

You can also view these trees on a map.

United Kingdom

France

Ireland



Latest Spring blossom records for this variety

2012 season

  • 29th April  2012  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 25th April  2011  - tree owned by David in KILHAM, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Dr in PETERSFIELD, United Kingdom
  • 21st April  2011  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 11th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • 7th May  2010  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom
  • 6th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • May  2010  - tree owned by Mr in SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom
  • 5th April  2010  - tree owned by Lesley in Marple, United Kingdom

2009 season

  • 1st May  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • May  2009  - tree owned by Mr in SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom
  • 26th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom

Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.

Latest harvest records for this variety

2012 season

    2011 season

    • 3rd week October  2011  - tree owned by David in KILHAM, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week October  2011  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom
    • September  2011  - tree owned by Barry in NORWICH, United Kingdom

    2010 season

    • 3rd week October  2010  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom
    • 3rd week October  2010  - tree owned by David in KILHAM, United Kingdom
    • 3rd week September  2010  - tree owned by Mr in SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week September  2010  - tree owned by Dr in PETERSFIELD, United Kingdom
    • September  2010  - tree owned by Barry in NORWICH, United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • 2nd week October  2009  - tree owned by geoff in YORK, United Kingdom
    • October  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
    • October  2009  - tree owned by Barry in NORWICH, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week September  2009  - tree owned by David in KILHAM, United Kingdom
    • September  2009  - tree owned by Mr in SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom

Where to buy apple trees

The following fruit tree nurseries offer Howgate Wonder apple trees for sale:

  • Keepers Nursery
    United Kingdom  More >>

Where to buy apples

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