Worcester Pearmain apple

Malus domestica

A popular early-season English apple, sometimes with a strawberry flavour. Often used in breeding programmes to develop other early varieties.

Worcester Pearmain photo tape

Worcester Pearmain is an early season English apple, originating from Worcester in the 1870s.

Worcester Pearmain has been a relatively popular apple from the start, and is still grown commercially on a small scale in England.  The apples come into season a few weeks after Discovery, and it is relatively easy to find for a short period in mid-September in supermarkets and farmers markets.

Worcester Pearmain's main claim to fame is the strawberry flavour, although the intensity of this is quite variable.  As with any early variety, the flavour is very dependent on the weather during the short period that the apples ripen.  The parentage of Worcester Pearmain is unknown but a likely candidate is Devonshire Quarrenden - which also has the strawberry flavour.

Although it cannot  be regarded as being in the first rank of apple varieties, Worcester Pearmain has been used as the basis for a surprisingly large number of breeding programmes.  The early ripening period and the strawberry flavour are the main reasons for this, with growers hoping to introduce this dimension into new varieties.  The intense red/crimson flush is another commercially valuable characteristic.  It has to be said that many of these varieties are a considerable improvement over Worcester Pearmain.  Discovery is perhaps the most well-known, but Elton Beauty, Katy, Jester, and Lord Lambourne all inherit the strawberry flavour to some extent.

Worcester Pearmain makes a good apple tree for the garden, and the flavour really benefits if the apples are left on the tree as long as possible.  However, some of its offspring are also good varieties for the garden - Katy for example.

Last updated 10 Jun 2010 by Orange Pippin.

Summary

  • Parentage: Possibly a seedling of Devonshire Quarrenden
  • Origin: England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1870s
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 114300
  • 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

  • Bultitude apple group: 6. Red flushed, smooth, sweet

Using

  • Good for eating fresh
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Flavour style: Sweeter
  • Ripening period: Early-Mid season
  • Use / keeping: Does not keep

Growing

  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Triploid: No
  • Vigour: Slightly small
  • Gardening skill: Easy
  • Fruit bearing: Tip-bearer
  • Attractive blossom
  • General disease resistance: Average

Climate

  • Suitable for temperate climates
  • Suitable for N. England?: Yes

Other qualities

  • RHS Award of Garden Merit 1993

Mature tree heights for this variety (approximate)

Rootstock Soil quality
Poor Below average Average Above average Very good
P22 1.8 ft
0.6 m		 2.3 ft
0.7 m		 2.7 ft
0.8 m		 3.2 ft
1.0 m		 3.6 ft
1.1 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 4.8 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
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 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
M25 9.6 ft
2.9 m		 12.0 ft
3.7 m		 14.4 ft
4.4 m		 16.8 ft
5.2 m		 19.2 ft
5.9 m
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.

Relationships to other varieties

Offspring of this variety:

See also:

Visitor comments

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

04 Oct 2009 RobertLONDON, United Kingdom
My grandparents had a Worcester Permain tree in their back garden and I have never tasted better apples. I do remember the worms liked them too, though, so we had to be careful. That said, the tree produced so many apples that discarding those with worms still left us with an abundance to eat. No WPs that I have bought in supermarkets or farmers markets have ever quite matched the flavour intensity of those from my grandparents' back garden. Perhaps this is because they are passed their best once in the shops? I've tried a few of the offspring mentioned here and in each case have found them inferior in flavour and texture. Not to mention aroma! The smell of a fresh Worcester permain is extraordinarily good!
30 Sep 2009 AdrianLONDON, United Kingdom
Wendy, what brought me to this page is I have just eaten 2 poly bags of these most delicious apples. Sold in a generic early season bags from Waitrose, don't know if this is any help to you.
12 Sep 2009 Olivia KaneOXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
I have a prolific cropping Worcester Pearmain tree and the flavour really is second to none! I have found the best way of keeping them is to slice them with the peel intact, add a tablespoon of lemon juice in a bag, shake and freeze. They tend to rot if stored in the usual manner. Will make Apple flans, Apple and almond tarts etc. etc. Also sell them at Farmers Markets.
08 Sep 2009 BrianEDINBURGH, United States
magic apples third year of ma tree apples are in abundance pick as you eat canny beat it
02 Sep 2009 WendyHALIFAX, WEST YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom
I agree that this apple is one of the very nicest, if not the nicest, in flavour as well as texture and appearance. Think I last saw it being sold in the eighties - why is it no longer on sale up north where I live? Bring back the Worcester Pearmain, I say.
16 Aug 2009 Yashmni AngraILFORD, EAST LONDON/ESSEX, United Kingdom
I have a Worcester Pearmain in my garden. We have had it for many years. for the past 15 years fruit is disguarded by the tree as all the fruit has holes in it suggesting a wrom problem. it produces a huge amount of fruit, very little if any is suitable for human comsumption. Please help as i would like to bring health to this tree. this is my favourite apple and it pains me not to be able to eat my own produce. Regards
13 Dec 2008 TengriDESCARTES, France
You do not mention that Worcester Permains have the perfect balance between sweet and acid and keep their crispness for a long time after harvesting. It's curious, but I've eaten literally hundreds of these apples without ever never noticing they tasted of strawberries.
08 Nov 2008 JohanneHALLOWELL, MAINE USA, United States
To Gary in New Jersey who wants a pearmain tree. I just bought some pearmains from Lakeside Orchards in Manchester, Maine (midmaine outside Augusta). I am not sure they're on the web, but they might be, and might be able to tell you where to buy them. It's a wonderful apple, although I thought it tasted more like pear! While it may be in season elsewhere in September - October, it seems to be late October - early November here!
12 Oct 2008 AlinaOXON, United Kingdom
This was THE apple for me until I found other varieties. The strawberry flavour from its Devonshire Quarrenden parent (good early apple but biennial) varies as does the intensity of flavour, needs plenty of sun. Goes soft quite quickly in a poor year. Bit prone to desease so not a good choice if space is limited but reasonably upright, neat tree.
06 Oct 2008 Oliver GrimsdallNJ, United States
This apple is so good that it is probably the apple that Satan tempted Eve with - it is the acme of Appledom. The downside is that I now live on the wrong side of the Pond and I am desperate to find someone to sell me a WP tree over in the States. Does anyone here have any leads?
29 Sep 2008 GaryHERTFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
My grandmother had a WP tree, which, after her death, my father transplanted. The apples have an aroma and flavour second to none. I agree that they are best eaten a little under-ripe. I have just finished eating 2 WPs from the supermarket - these are ripe and, whilst tasty, just a little soft and do not quite capture the real nature of the WP. I think I'm going to go out and buy a tree!
16 Sep 2008 LindseyNORFOLK, United Kingdom
We have a Worcester apple tree in our garden and I think they're the nicest apples I have eaten. They have a crisp, juicy, sweet (but not too sweet) taste. I've never seen them in shops, I believe this is because they don't keep well. On our tree they're available from late August to late September/early October.
21 Jul 2008 Lorna DooneS.W. LONDON, United Kingdom
R.D. Blackmore may have grown this variety in his nursery, as it is grown locally. I've managed to store this apple in the shed (unless it was the ones I bought!) until the Spring. It does soften and wrinkle. I make sure there's space between each and check, say, weekly, especially at the beginning. It seems to produce a crop every other year. Fruits along the stem. RDB also grew Pears - long green type.

07 May 2008 Karol CrabtreeWORCESTER, United Kingdom
I have an orchard in which I have several very old trees bearing Pairmain. Beautiful flavoured fruit. I would appreciate it if anyone knew of a market for my fruit as most years much goes to waste - such a shame.
23 Mar 2008 Catharine DeamBRISTOL, United Kingdom
My trees are supposed to be Worcester Pearmain. They often flower from mid-April onwards and are ripe to eat from late July to early September. They do not keep well and are indeed best eaten when slightly underripe. Mine are finished long before October.
13 Jan 2008 Geoff PowersESSEX, United Kingdom
When I was a lad we had a tree of Worcesters, along with several other varieties, growing in our garden on the outskirts of Birmingham. It is my view that this apple is vastly superior to any other English commercial apple variety in taste, crispness (best eaten slightly underripe when the pips are still white) and texture. Its flavour is quite distinctive and the Discovery, which has a tart flavour in comparison, does not match it. (Only the Cox's Orange Pippin of English varieties can rival it. Unfortunately many so- called Cox's Orange Pippin apples originating from New Zealand lack the Cox flavour and are not true Coxes.) The downside of the Worcester Pearmain is (a) it is available over only a very short season mid-September-mid October of a max 5 weeks. (b) it does not keep. What a shame! I could eat Worcesters all the year round!

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Where to buy apple trees

The following fruit tree nurseries offer Worcester Pearmain apple trees for sale:

Where to buy apples

The following orchards and suppliers offer fresh Worcester Pearmain apples for sale:


Apple tree register

The following Worcester Pearmain apple trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree:

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