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

Scrumptious® apple

Scrumptious

Scrumptious is an excellent modern English early dessert apple, and popular in tasting tests.  It was raised by English apple enthusiast Hugh Ermen in the 1980s and intended for gardeners who wanted an early-season apple variety with a bit more flavour than other early varieties.  Scrumptious is a great example of how growers are once again looking at flavour as the most important characteristic in a good apple.

Scrumptious has the right pedigree, and more than lives up to the expectations set by its parents. It gets its sweetness from Golden Delicious, but there are also the fresh strawberry flavours from Worcester Pearmain and Discovery. The rosy red colouring and white flesh is also typical of Discovery. Whereas Discovery tends to be fairly small, Scrumptious is a bit more substantial and similar in size to a small Golden Delicious.  The colours are also more robust, although like any early apple variety the amount of sunlight in the short growing season can significantly affect the extent of the red flush.  (Later varieties are more likely to have uniform coloration because the amount of sunshine averages out over the longer ripening period).  The occasional flecks of russet are also similar to Discovery.

The flavour is sweet but not sugary - there is a balancing acidity. Although not a hard apple, the flesh snaps cleanly when you bite into it, again rather like a good Golden Delicious. We have also noticed, occasionally, a very slight aniseed flavour.  Don't let this put you off, as it is more of a background sensation than an actual flavour, but it is part of the reason why Scrumptious has more depth of flavour than other early varieties.  This suggests that there could perhaps be some Ellison's Orange somewhere in the mix.  Ellison's Orange has a pronounced aniseed flavour, and is another early apple variety, but with a lot more complexity and richness than the mainstream early varieties.

This is very much a case of the child exceeding its parents: if you like Golden Delicious or are a fan of the popular English earlies like Worcester and Discovery, then you will love Scrumptious. In terms of flavour and instant snack-appeal, it sets a new standard amongst early apples.  Being relatively new, and not popular as a commercial variety, it can be difficult to buy Scumptious apples, but it is now widely available from fruit tree nurseries, and is an excellent choice if you want an early apple variety for the garden.

Update March 2010. Scrumptious has just been given the 'Award of Garden Merit' by the UK Royal Horticultural Society - the first apple variety to be thus recognised for more than 10 years, and a fitting tribute to Hugh Ermen who passed away in 2009 .  For more details see this blog post by Graham Rice. It is in the top-5 most popular apple varieties in the UK.

Scrumptious apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Scrumptious
  • Scrumptious
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USDA identification images for Scrumptious

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

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

    Parents and other ancestors of this variety


    See also


    Visitor reviews

    • 26 Jan 2023 
      Just purchased two 3 year old Cordons Jan 22 after reading good online Reviews, so I look forward to fruiting time😋.
    • 01 Sep 2020  GLOUCESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom
      One of the better early season apples. Flavour is excellent - it has some of the strawberry you'd associate with earlies like Worcester Pearmain but with more sweetness and complexity. A slight aniseed hint adds to the interest. Not as crisp and firm-fleshed as some, similar texture to something like a Royal Gala so slightly floury. I have a personal preference for crisper apples, but that aside for me it's the best early season apple out there and highly recommended
    • 30 Aug 2019  BRACKNELL, United Kingdom
      Just eaten the first one's of this year - good red colour, sweet & juicy, broadly in line with this site's tasting notes, and no aniseed taste (this time). No hornets about this year, so quite a good crop. Good for an early season apple...
    • 09 Oct 2018  CORNWALL, United Kingdom
      Perhaps it is our climate but I don't find this apple variety very easy to grow. Yes it is easily pollinated, but after all the effort you end up with a mediocre apple, that is quite funny in flavour. Also I don't find the tree particularly disease resistant in our climate. Several cases of canker on this tree and last year some kind of rust disease, which caused loss of leaves of almost the whole tree. So not for me, and perhaps not for the damp/mild Cornish climate either.
    • 19 Sep 2018  HIGHLAND, United Kingdom
      I find Scrumptious extremely unpleasant to eat. It is very astringent and although the fruit are small, I have never managed to eat a whole one. Going to try making jelly with them this year. After I had planted the tree in 2010, a local gardener told me that it doesn't seem to to taste nice in Scotland, so it may have something to do with the climate or the softer water??
    • 01 Sep 2017  United Kingdom
      My tree is now 3 years old, has produced excellent tasting apples, crisp and sweet. However this year 2017, with an abundance of fruit on my small/dwarf tree the fruit has gone 'floury'. Possibly I have left them too long on the tree, such a pity, so I thought it worth mentioning for other growers. I wasn't certain when to harvest as the apples don't come off easily, but can recommend early rather than later picking. It is a particularly good apple.
    • 29 Apr 2015  STAFFORD, United Kingdom
      My first year of this apple produced very bright red fruit, but very small. I left them on the tree as long as possible and they tasted terrible. The second year birds had many of the buds but I got a few good apples which I picked early and they were juicy sweet and crisp, totally different to the first year. This year 2015 I netted the tree over winter and have abundant blossom 25th April, so fingers crossed.
    • 06 Nov 2012  SOUTH YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom
      First year fruiting gave 18 fairly large apples. No damage at all from bugs or weather: hope that continues. Flavour - not as sweet as expected even though the apples appeared to be fully ripe. In fact, somewhat tart. Very few pips. The only apple tree of three to bear fruit this year, though they all blossomed. Await next year's crop with interest.
    • 09 Sep 2011  DEVON, United Kingdom
      I bought a bag of these apples for my mother from a supermarket. We tasted them together and were very disappointed, at first taste they were sweet and juicy with a crisp texture but were left with a dry metalic aftertaste in out mouths. Very disappointing but I'm happy to discover at this point as it was one of the apples I had shortlisted to grow on my allotment! Possibly it is better eaten fresh from the tree?
    • 19 Oct 2010  CUMBRIA, United Kingdom
      I planted a maiden Scrumptious on M27 rootstock in the autumn of 2004. I have trained it on wires horizontally 300mm apart and has now filled the allotted space - 4m spread. The heavy crop this year about 80lbs was a sight to behold. The biggest problem is scab which has been bad in previous years but almost eliminated this year with a couple of sprays after petal fall. Agree with other comments about looks, texture and flavour. Good apples are hard to grow here 200m high in Cumbria but I would certainly recommend Scrumptious.
    • 10 Apr 2010  CAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
      A nice apple, with fairly good disease resistance, although gets some scab on the leaves in most years. Like many of the tasty August-September apples, I find them to be very badly attacked by codling maggots and wasps.
    • 01 Oct 2009  OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
      I bought a Scrumptious dwarf (M27) in March 2006. already corresponded with Richard about colour of this apple which is nothing like the pictures. It is quite stripey on a creamish background. A very good crop this September, as other correspondents note, branches very weak for a large crop. The fruit is very sweet and has a decided flavour of aniseed, which we like very much. I can submit another photo if required
    • 18 Sep 2009  DORSET, United Kingdom
      My little tree is loaded with very tasty fruit much loved by grandchildren! I have done nothing to assist my tree after a very busy year and there are absolutely no signs of any pests or diseases, good going for very light sandy soil.
    • 30 Aug 2009  BRISTOL, United Kingdom
      Had my tree now for 4 years, (brought in March 2005) and is loaded with fruit. We also have it supported with string and canes. Some of the apples have rotted due I think to the codling moth getting in them, ( my fault, didn!t change the lure in time after 5 wks.) Can anyone tell me why they start to go brown so quickly once you start eating them? Apart from that they are a lovely apple.
    • 25 Aug 2009  SURREY, United Kingdom
      What a fantastic apple. Being a relative novice at fruit growing and in particular apples, this has been an easy and trouble free tree. I have had to support the branches with canes and string due to the weight bounty that was developing. Great 1st crop, picking some that have been nibbled by wasps today 25th August - absolutely stunning flavour, crisp, sweet but not too sweet. I pick up that hint of aniseed after taste which is in no way unpleasant or over bearing but just adds to the complexity of its flavour. The kids absolutely love this apple, especially as the skin is nice and thin.
    • 24 Aug 2009  CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
      Bought a small Scrumptious tree earlier this year and only allowed it to develop a few fruit, but on first testing, it was certainly a good buy. Nice, crisp, sweet fruit and was thankfully a big hit with my two year old daughter!
    • 13 Oct 2008  HIGHLAND, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
      Cordon bought from Ken Muir now in its second year in my garden. Picking today 13th Sept and what a wonderful apple. Excellent crop of clean(untreated), good size apples, crisp yet juicy and so full of flavour. Red colour runs slightly into the flesh. Needs good support. I only allowed the cordon to develop a few apples last year to let the root system develop unhindered by a large crop. Ideal for the North.
    • 21 Sep 2008  NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, United Kingdom
      My small tree is in its second year and the weighty fruit is being supported by strings and canes! The apples are a beautifol red and the flavour is all that might be desired. An outstanding contribution to the garden.
    • 27 Aug 2008  UNSTONE DERBYSHIRE, United Kingdom
      i have tasted scrumptious at the garden centre where i work and i can recommend it (and often do ) to people .i love sweet red apples and this is certainly that.i am going to treat myself to a minarette tree this autumn to add to my few other varieties of apple i have.
    • 23 Aug 2008  LEEDS, United Kingdom
      I bought a bare rooted Scrumptious minarette from Ken Muir in January 2007. In its first season it produced a number of fantastic, crisp well flavoured bright red fruit. this year it has produced a few more equally colourful and good sized apples in what has been a poor season for my other apples and pears. Excellent, highly recomended.

    Tree register

    United States

    United Kingdom

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2022 season

    • 12th April  2022  - tree owned by Gareth in Pwllheli, United Kingdom

    2018 season

    • 7th May  2018  - tree owned by Paul in Preston, United Kingdom
    • May  2018  - tree owned by Nora in BRADFORD, United Kingdom
    • 26th April  2018  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2017 season

    • 15th April  2017  - tree owned by Ken in Romford, United Kingdom

    2016 season

    • 15th May  2016  - tree owned by Sarah.E.Scarlett@Gmail.Com in Auchtermuchty, United Kingdom
    • 11th May  2016  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 4th May  2016  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom
    • April  2016  - tree owned by Tony in York, United Kingdom

    2015 season

    • 3rd May  2015  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • May  2015  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2014 season

    • 12th May  2014  - tree owned by stanwatt2008@hotmail.co.uk in Gardenstown, United Kingdom
    • 3rd May  2014  - tree owned by Phil in Stoke On Trent, United Kingdom
    • May  2014  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom
    • 27th April  2014  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 20th April  2014  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 17th April  2014  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom

    2013 season

    • 2nd June  2013  - tree owned by stanwatt2008@hotmail.co.uk in Gardenstown, United Kingdom
    • 17th May  2013  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 10th May  2013  - tree owned by Richard in York, United Kingdom
    • 6th May  2013  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • 6th May  2013  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • May  2013  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2012 season

    • May  2012  - tree owned by margaret in Stonehaven, United Kingdom
    • 28th April  2012  - tree owned by Norman in Desborough, United Kingdom
    • 27th April  2012  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 22nd April  2012  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 17th April  2012  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • 15th April  2012  - tree owned by Robert in South Norwood, United Kingdom

    2011 season

    • 29th April  2011  - tree owned by stanwatt2008@hotmail.co.uk in Gardenstown, United Kingdom
    • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Barbara in Gt. Yarmouth, United Kingdom
    • 20th April  2011  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 15th April  2011  - tree owned by Sean in Leeds, United Kingdom
    • 14th April  2011  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • 8th April  2011  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2010 season

    • 31st April  2010  - tree owned by Stuart in Newbury, United Kingdom
    • 25th April  2010  - tree owned by Darlene in Trefin, United Kingdom
    • 25th April  2010  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
    • 24th April  2010  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • April  2010  - tree owned by Caroline in Dundee, United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • 18th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
    • 18th March  2009  - tree owned by Tom in Winchester, United Kingdom

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


    Harvest records for this variety

    2018 season

    • October  2018  - tree owned by Nora in BRADFORD, United Kingdom

    2017 season

    • 1st week September  2017  - tree owned by Sylvia in Folkestone, United Kingdom
    • 4th week August  2017  - tree owned by Ken in Romford, United Kingdom

    2016 season

    • 4th week September  2016  - tree owned by Pete in Glasgow, United Kingdom

    2015 season

    • 3rd week October  2015  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 1st week October  2015  - tree owned by Stephen in Tysoe, United Kingdom
    • 4th week September  2015  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom
    • 4th week August  2015  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2014 season

    • September  2014  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom
    • 3rd week August  2014  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 3rd week August  2014  - tree owned by Claire in Marlborough, United Kingdom

    2013 season

    • 1st week October  2013  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • September  2013  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2012 season

    • 2nd week September  2012  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • 3rd week August  2012  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2011 season

    • 1st week October  2011  - tree owned by David in Sunderland, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week August  2011  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom

    2010 season

    • October  2010  - tree owned by Caroline in Dundee, United Kingdom
    • 1st week August  2010  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • 3rd week September  2009  - tree owned by David in Oldmeldrum, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week September  2009  - tree owned by Ruth in Bristol., United Kingdom
    • 1st week September  2009  - tree owned by Sean in Leeds, United Kingdom
    • 3rd week August  2009  - tree owned by Tom in Winchester, United Kingdom
    • August  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Parentage: Starkspur Golden Delicious x Discovery
    • Originates from: England, United Kingdom
    • Introduced: Hugh Ermen, 1980

    Identification

    • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
    • Country of origin: United Kingdom
    • Period of origin: 1950 - 1999
    • Fruit colour: Red
    • Flower colour: White
    • Leaf colour: Green
    • Popularity: Best sellers
    • Annual cycle: Deciduous

    Using

    • Picking season: Early
    • Keeping (of fruit): 1 week
    • Flavour quality: Very good
    • Flavour style (apples): Aromatic
    • Discoloration of fruit: Oxidising
    • Cropping: Good
    • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Picking period: late August
    • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

    Growing

    • Gardening skill: Beginner
    • Flowering group: 3
    • Pollinating others: Average
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Vigour: Average vigour
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Growth habit: Weeping
    • Fruit bearing: Partial tip-bearer
    • Self-fertility: Self-fertile

    Climate

    • Frost resistance of blossom: Good resistance
    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cold (< 20C / 67F)

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Average
    • Scab (Apple and Pear): Very resistant
    • Canker: Some susceptibility
    • Bitter pit: Some susceptibility

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Scrumptious apple trees for sale:


    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Scrumptious:

    United States


    United Kingdom




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