The comprehensive resource for apples and orchards

Newton Wonder apple



Unlike other apple-growing nations, the English have always liked to grow apple varieties specifically for culinary purposes - characterised by large, acidic apples with good keeping qualities, and usually known as "cookers".  Newton Wonder is typical of this style of apple - very large, with a sharp acidic flavour, which cooks down to a puree.  The apples also store very well.  It complements that other famous English cooker - Bramley - very well, having a slightly sweeter flavour.

Last updated 19 Oct 2012.

A 19th century English cooking apple, still popular as a UK garden apple variety.

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica
  • Parentage: Possibly Dumelow's Seedling and Blenheim Orange
  • Originates from: Derby, England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1870s
  • Developed by: Found by an innkeeper, Mr Taylor
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 111300
  • Some historical details taken with kind permission from 'The New Book of Apples' by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards , illustrated by Elisabeth Dowle, published by Ebury Press, 2002.

Identification

  • Fruit colour: Red / Green
  • Flesh colour: Cream
  • Fruit size: Very large
  • Bultitude apple group: 3. Flushed / striped, smooth, acidic, culinary

Using

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

Growing

  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Flowering period: Late season
  • Flowering group: 5
  • Fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Triploid: No
  • Vigour: Large
  • Biennial tendency
  • Gardening skill: Very easy
  • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
  • General disease resistance: Good

Climate

  • Suitable for temperate climates Tolerates wet climates
  • Blossom frost-resistance: Good resistance

Other qualities

  • RHS Award of Garden Merit 1993

Disease resistance

  • Bacterial canker  Pseudomonas syringae  - Some resistance
  • Scab  - Some resistance
  • Mildew  - Some susceptibility

Relationships to other varieties

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

Offspring of this variety:

Newton Wonder identification photos from official fruit collections


UK National Fruit Collection

©Crown Copyright more >
UK National Fruit Collection

Newton Wonder identification photos from website visitors


Newton Wonder apple tree M26 rootstock tape


Newton Wonder apple tree M26 rootstock

Copyright: R. Drage

Newton Wonder apple blossom tape


Newton Wonder apple blossom

Copyright: R. Drage


Rate this variety for flavor

Current rating: 5.0 out of 5. Total votes cast: 2
 

Visitor comments

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

22 Mar 2012 Janet CollinsNOTTINGHAMSHIRE, United Kingdom
The Newton Wonder was 'found' as a seedling on the edge of the roof of the Hardings Arms, public house, at Kings Newton in Derbyshire and was grown on to become a tree. The man responsible was Mr Taylor; my great great grandfather. The Taylors went on to become market gardeners in Stanton by bridge, not too far away; where my great grandad had an orchard in a stone masons quarry. and raised his children.
17 Dec 2010 JimWORCS, United Kingdom
My family held a Glos CC small holding from 1945 until 1985,and we had a mixed orchard of apple and pear trees. The apples were about 50/50 Newtons and Bramleys, with ONE Blenheim. Mum stored them all, after their careful picking. She kept them, well strawed, on the floor of our attic. Picking them over regularly to weed out bad ones, of which there were not that many. The Newtons kept until Christmas, by which time they were matured and wonderful to eat. Still pretty crisp, but with that softer texture that comes with keeping them. My brother and I, now 75 and 70, respectively always new we'd have a good Newton in the toes of our Christmas stockings. Incidentally the pears were Williams and Conference. The Williams kept well too, and were also better, I feel, by the time Christmas came round. However, having passed the old orchard of late, the Newtons need a good pruning and a little TLC. Shame!
10 Oct 2010 Samantha CribbenSUFFOLK, United Kingdom
I have a very old Newton Wonder apple tree in my garden and the fruit really is amazing. I have to agree with the fact that it is delicious to eat and wonderful to cook with. The amount of fruit that is produced every year is astounding. . a really worthwhile apple tree
29 Nov 2009 DuncanBERKSHIRE, United Kingdom
Beautiful Apple, I have one planted in the late 1850's. Orchards were here well before the victorians put up our homes (victorian villa's). So I know it is that age. Knocks a bramley into a cocked hat. Mine has different coloured friuts and slightly different bloom and textured. The colour on one bow is a deep blood red ! Very juicy and crisp when picked, good keeper, and sweet when stored - totally unlike a bitter green and boring bramley bought in a supermarket ! The trunk is huge and hollow, with some port holes. A mini twister has recently damaged the tree very badly, the climate has changed here, the tree had been an old girl 40 years ago, but in the last 5 years the weird winds have damaged more than 40% of the tree. The tree use to throw a huge crop every other year, and 5% crop in between. The best bows have been bought down by the wind when bald and not carrying any weight.. Do not cut large branches off near the trunk, this varienty hates having its limbs cut, and dies back to a port hole eventually when it is unable to push sap to subsidiary branches. Wonderfull flavour - you cant buy this kind of quality, apple vary in size and are round, not flat like a bramley. The king apple on a spur can be huge if thinning is done
25 Oct 2009 Ian GreenfieldGLOUCESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom
We have a small orchard, planted with Bramleys newton Wonder, Cox, Blenheim and Worcesters. the newton Wonder are the best for juicing and make delicious juice and lots of it. I agree this is a better apple than a Bramley
11 Oct 2009 Mark SmithDERBY, United Kingdom
Im sorry Sue, but it was found , not produced in King`s Newton, Melbourne, Derbyshire. The orginal seedling is still in the garden where it was found which is now a pub beer garden. This has been well documented in the Derby Evening Telegraph.
03 Sep 2009 Alan SmithNR SWINDON, United Kingdom
Mine is 35 yrs old and has regular heavy crops. They keep well into the new year. Very vigorous grower and not for the smaller garden.
29 Aug 2009 SueLEICESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom
As I understand it my gt gt uncle, Newton Fowkes, (c1853) was responsible for producing the Newton Wonder. He had a smallholding at Swannington and Orchard in Bakewells Lane. He was also a local preacher.
20 Nov 2008 Barbara MarkhamLUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
My friend has a Newton Wonder in her garden dating back to the 1930's. They are a lovely apple and what a crop she has had this year, fantastic.
19 Nov 2008 Mark SmithDERBY, United Kingdom
Just to inform ... The Newton Wonder was discovered in a garden at King`s Newton, Melbourne, Derbyshire
27 Oct 2008 ApplemanSTAMFORD, United States
Hi eddie I think your apple could be a Yarling Mills and that would be a Cider apple.
22 Oct 2008 Catherine SweetLONGPARISH HAMPSHIRE, United Kingdom
I have just discovered that the "unknown" apple tree in our garden is a Newton Wonder, and I have to agree with Edward Buckle- this is a dual purpose apple. We've had it picked straight off the tree as a crisp and sweet eater, as well as a fabulous cooker. We have Bramleys Seedlings too, and in my book the Newton Wonder is better. This year's crop was astoundingly large and heavy individual apples, and lots of them- our best crop in fifteen years.
17 Oct 2008 Edward BuckleHALESWORTH SUFFOLK UK, United Kingdom
Fabulous prolific apple - more a cooker/eater than a straight cooker as I eat them every day from the tree until they're gone - last well in cool store if they survive my appetite. In passing do you know the apple Yarling as i was given one and I can't find the history or any acknowledgement - small conical apple with pale pink blush - taste OK but texture mealy - but my plant young may improve with age or in a better season - thanks Yours Eddie Buckle

Add your comments about this variety

Have you tasted this variety ? Do you agree or disagree with our tasting notes ? Enter your comments below. Please tell us your name (just first name if you wish) and email address, and if possible the nearest city. Your name and location, but not your email address, may be published on this website. All comments are reviewed before publishing.

Your email   required
Name   required
City   optional
State / County   optional
Country    required
Comments
Password   Create a password for your account
Organisation   optional
Security question: What is the 1st or 2nd word of the name of this website (in big letters in the banner of this page)?
Answer
We send 2-3 newsletters per year, please let us know if you would like to receive them. Rest assured that we do not buy or sell email addresses - for more details see our privacy policy.
Newsletters

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 Newton 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



Latest Spring blossom records for this variety

2012 season

  • 27th May  2012  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
  • May  2012  - tree owned by Victor in Huddersfield, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 26th April  2011  - tree owned by James in MELBOURNE, United Kingdom
  • 23rd April  2011  - tree owned by Roger in BURTON LATIMER, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Roger in BURTON LATIMER, United Kingdom
  • April  2011  - tree owned by Roy in NORTH SHIELDS, United Kingdom
  • March  2011  - tree owned by Warren in LONDON, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 18th May  2010  - tree owned by Roger in BURTON LATIMER, United Kingdom
  • 14th May  2010  - tree owned by Roger in BURTON LATIMER, United Kingdom
  • 20th April  2010  - tree owned by Jordan in NOTTS, United Kingdom

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

Latest harvest records for this variety

2012 season

  • 3rd week October  2012  - tree owned by Victor in Huddersfield, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 3rd week October  2011  - tree owned by Huw in STAMFORD, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week October  2011  - tree owned by Victor in Huddersfield, United Kingdom
  • October  2011  - tree owned by Warren in LONDON, United Kingdom
  • August  2011  - tree owned by Roy in NORTH SHIELDS, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 1st week October  2010  - tree owned by Freyja in KINGS MEABURN/ PENRITH, United Kingdom
  • September  2010  - tree owned by Babs in STONEHOUSE, United Kingdom

Where to buy apple trees

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

  • Keepers Nursery
    United Kingdom  More >>

Where to buy apples

United Kingdommap >





©2013 Orange Pippin Ltd. All rights reserved. About us | Copyright statement | Contact us | Privacy policy | Disclaimer
You may not reproduce any of the content of this website withour our express permission.
We do not accept any liability for loss or damage incurred as a result of any errors in the content of this website.