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 apple photo tape

Parentage: Possibly a seedling of Devonshire Quarrenden
Origin: England
Introduced: 1870s
Season: Sept
Apple 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.


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.

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Relationships to other apple varieties

Offspring of this variety:

See also:

Discuss Worcester Pearmain in our Forums

04 Oct 2009 13:12Robert
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 15:35Adrian
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 21:52Olivia Kane
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.

See more forum posts about Worcester Pearmain.

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Where to buy apple trees

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Where to buy apples

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Apple tree register

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