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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Claygate Pearmain apple

Claygate Pearmain

Claygate Pearmain was discovered in the early 19th century growing near the village of Claygate in Surrey, by apple enthusiast John Braddick.  It soon became a popular apple variety, widely-grown in English gardens.

The flesh is fairly soft, quite juicy, with a rich aromatic flavour.  Claygate Pearmain keeps fairly well, the colour changing to yellow in storage.

Claygate Pearmain apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Claygate Pearmain
  • Claygate Pearmain
  • Claygate Pearmain

USDA identification images for Claygate Pearmain

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Claygate Pearmain

Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

See also

  • Braddick's Nonpareil - Braddick's Nonpareil and Claygate Pearmain were both discovered by John Braddick.

Visitor reviews

  • 13 Sep 2017  MI, United States
    Delicious apple. Quite tart right off the tree, somewhat like a Granny Smith, but more complex. Sweetens and intensifies in storage. Tree is resistant to scab and easy to grow. Wide crotch angles give it a nice shape without a lot of pruning. Susceptible to bitter pit. Apples tend to start dropping as they ripen. Here in Michigan it ripens about a week after MacIntosh.
  • 28 May 2016  NEW MEXICO, United States
    My Claygate Permain, purchased 7 years ago from Tooley's Trees in Truchas, New Mexico, has finally had a nice fruit set this year. I've thinned and bagged the apples and they look very healthy. We'll see how our turbulent summer weather treats them.
  • 02 Nov 2015  MASSACHUSETTS, United States
    After a month in cold storage, the tropical fruit flavour develops into one of the most deliciously complex apples I've ever tasted. I would rank this in my top five desert varieties. A shame it is not widely grown in USA.
  • 22 Jul 2014  SURREY, United Kingdom
    A very superior apple. Flavour is incredibly complex if picked when ripe and stored for a week or two. There are definite pineapple notes on offer. So far, this is the best apple I have ever tasted.
  • 11 Oct 2013  United States
    One of my favourite late season apples
  • 28 Dec 2010  CALIFORNIA / SONOMA, United States
    The Claygate Pearmain is suitable to Pot, or Wine Barrel, application, according to The Martin Crawford "Directory of Apple Cultivars".

Tree register

United States

United Kingdom

Netherlands

New Zealand

  • Giles in HAMILTON, WAIKATO

Spring blossom records for this variety

2020 season

  • 19th April  2020  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

2019 season

  • 23rd April  2019  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

2018 season

  • 1st May  2018  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

2014 season

  • 15th April  2014  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2013 season

  • 22nd May  2013  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom
  • 17th May  2013  - tree owned by Jean in Martock, United Kingdom

2012 season

  • 13th April  2012  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 21st March  2011  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

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


Harvest records for this variety

2020 season

  • 4th week August  2020  - tree owned by deadbird in Epsom, United Kingdom

2018 season

  • 2nd week October  2018  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

2016 season

  • 2nd week October  2016  - tree owned by deadbird in Epsom, United Kingdom

2014 season

  • September  2014  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2013 season

  • October  2013  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2012 season

  • October  2012  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • October  2011  - tree owned by Pip in Rye, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • November  2010  - tree owned by Nish in Chulmleigh, United Kingdom

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
  • Originates from: Surrey, England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1820s
  • Developed by: John Braddick
  • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1941-023
  • We are grateful to Brogdale Farm - home of the UK National Fruit Collection - for providing samples of this variety.

Identification

  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Period of origin: 1800 - 1849
  • Fruit colour: Orange flush
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Popularity: Rarely grown
  • Annual cycle: Deciduous
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former)

Using

  • Picking season: Very late
  • Keeping (of fruit): 1-2 months
  • Flavour quality: Very good
  • Flavour style (apples): Aromatic
  • Discoloration of fruit: Oxidising
  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
  • Food uses: Eating fresh
  • Food uses: Juice
  • Picking period: mid-October
  • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing

  • Gardening skill: Average
  • Flowering group: 4
  • Pollinating others: Poor
  • Ploidy: Triploid
  • Vigour: Average vigour
  • Bearing regularity: Regular
  • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile

Climate

  • Cold hardiness (USDA): Zone 4 (-34C)
  • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)

Other qualities

  • Disease resistance: Good
  • Scab (Apple and Pear): Very resistant

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Claygate Pearmain apple trees for sale:


Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Claygate Pearmain:

United States


United Kingdom


Canada


Australia




References

  • Apples of England (1948)
    Author: Taylor

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