Sturmer Pippin apple
A popular Victorian dessert apple variety, notable for its exceptional keeping qualities.
Sturmer Pippin was an important English apple in the Victorian period, esteemed because of its excellent keeping qualities. Rated by the Victorian writer Hogg as "of first-rate excellence".
Visually Sturmer Pippin is not a particularly exciting prospect, it is basically an unattractive green apple, often flushed with red and quite prone to russeting. The flavour when picked straight from the tree is robust and sharp, and really not that pleasant ... but with a promise of things to come - because this apple's real talent is that it matures and sweetens in store. Most authors agree that it is not even worth trying to eat until February, and at its best probably around March - clearly a very useful attribute at a time when refrigerated storage was not available and people had to rely on seasonal produce.
Sturmer Pippin is also a historically interesting apple, because it was taken by settlers to Australia in the 19th century as its keeping qualities make it a useful apple for exporting. This puts it at the right time and place to be an ancestor of Granny Smith, Australia's famous long-keeping green apple - although there is no evidence of any link.
Summary
- Species: Malus domestica
- Parentage: Ribston Pippin x Nonpareil
- Origin: Sturmer, near Haverhill, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1800s
- Developed by: Mr Dillistone
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 117600
- 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: Green
- Flesh colour: Cream
- Fruit size: Medium
- Bultitude apple group: 2. Green, smooth, sweet
Using
- Good for eating fresh
- Flavour quality: Very good
- Flavour style: Sweet/Sharp
- Use / keeping: 3 months or more
Growing
- Cropping: Good
- Flowering period: Mid season
- Flowering group: 3
- Fertility: Partially self-fertile
- Triploid: No
- Vigour: Slightly small
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
- General disease resistance: Good
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
- Tolerates cold winters
Relationships to other varieties
Parents and other ancestors of this variety:
- Nonpareil (parent)
- Ribston Pippin (parent)
Sturmer Pippin identification photos from official fruit collections
Sturmer Pippin 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 Sturmer Pippin 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
- John in Allendale, MI
United Kingdom
- Colin Cheal in STOCKPORT, CHESHIRE
- Dr Mairi Rennie in PETERSFIELD, WEST SUSSEX
- Graham Charles Schofield in NEWMARKET, Suffolk
- Keith Freeman in East Devon
- Kevinincornwall in LISKEARD, UNITED KINGDOM
- Stuart Logan in Newbury, Berkshire
New Zealand
- Trevor Courtney in Christchurch, Canterbury
Latest Spring blossom records for this variety
2011 season
- 20th April 2011 - tree owned by Dr in PETERSFIELD, United Kingdom
- 18th April 2011 - tree owned by Keith in , United Kingdom
2010 season
- 3rd May 2010 - tree owned by Stuart in Newbury, United Kingdom
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Latest harvest records for this variety
2011 season
2010 season
- 1st week November 2010 - tree owned by Dr in PETERSFIELD, United Kingdom
Mature heights for Sturmer Pippin trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Sturmer Pippin 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 | 2.1 ft 0.6 m |
2.6 ft 0.8 m |
3.2 ft 1.0 m |
3.7 ft 1.1 m |
4.2 ft 1.3 m |
| M27 | 2.4 ft 0.7 m |
3.0 ft 0.9 m |
3.6 ft 1.1 m |
4.2 ft 1.3 m |
4.8 ft 1.5 m |
| M9 | 3.6 ft 1.1 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.4 ft 1.7 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.2 ft 2.2 m |
| Bud.9 | 3.6 ft 1.1 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.4 ft 1.7 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.2 ft 2.2 m |
| Geneva 16 | 3.6 ft 1.1 m |
4.5 ft 1.4 m |
5.4 ft 1.7 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.2 ft 2.2 m |
| Geneva 11 | 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 |
| M26 | 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 |
| Geneva 30 | 4.8 ft 1.5 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.2 ft 2.2 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.6 ft 2.9 m |
| MM102 | 4.8 ft 1.5 m |
6.0 ft 1.8 m |
7.2 ft 2.2 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.6 ft 2.9 m |
| M7 | 5.4 ft 1.7 m |
6.8 ft 2.1 m |
8.1 ft 2.5 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
10.8 ft 3.3 m |
| M116 | 5.4 ft 1.7 m |
6.8 ft 2.1 m |
8.1 ft 2.5 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
10.8 ft 3.3 m |
| MM106 | 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 |
| MM111 | 7.2 ft 2.2 m |
9.0 ft 2.8 m |
10.8 ft 3.3 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
14.4 ft 4.4 m |
| Bud.118 | 7.8 ft 2.4 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.7 ft 3.6 m |
13.7 ft 4.2 m |
15.6 ft 4.8 m |
| M25 | 9.0 ft 2.8 m |
11.3 ft 3.5 m |
13.5 ft 4.1 m |
15.8 ft 4.8 m |
18.0 ft 5.5 m |
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.
Where to buy apple trees
The following fruit tree nurseries offer Sturmer Pippin apple trees for sale:
-
Cummins Nursery
United States 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.
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