Find a local pick your own farm here!

Looking for English Apple Varieties Master List - Descriptions, Ripening Dates, Best Uses and more in 2024?  Scroll down this page and  follow the links. And if you bring home some fruit or vegetables and want to preserve, freeze, make jam, salsa or pickles, see this page for simple, reliable, illustrated preserving, freezing or bottling directions. There are plenty of other related resources, click on the resources dropdown above.

If you have questions or feedback, please let me know! There are affiliate links on this page. Read our disclosure policy to learn more.

English Apple Varieties Master List - Descriptions, Ripening Dates, Best Uses and more

English Apple Varieties

Below is an master list of English apple varieties, apples grown in the UK, presented in alphabetical order, with descriptions, characteristics, typical ripening dates, best uses, stoage and other notes. And photos, where we could find one! 

Please send in any photos, notes and corrections!

Name

Typical Ripening Date
Dates are approximate

Eating fresh

Cooking

Apple Sauce

Apple Pie

Apple Juice

Apple
Butter

Notes and Storage Tips

Adams Pearmain mid-September - October

X

X

very good

X

X

X

An old Victorian variety  with an aromatic nutty flavour.
Ashmead Kernel appleAshmead’s Kernel October

X

X

good

X

X

X

 A very popular, flavourful apple from Gloucestershire in 1720Stores well..

Blenheim Orange appleBlenheim Orange

October

X

X

good

X

X

X

Very large apple discovered in Oxfordshire in about 1740. Should Refrigerate. Does not brown when sliced (see this page for more info) .

Braeburn appleBraeburn    September - October

X

X

Excellent

X

X

X

 A very popular, multi-purpose flavourful apple
Bramley appleBramley September

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

The English gush over this apple with a fever (fevour?:) that borders on mania. It's basically a granny smith type, a higher acid content and lower sugar apple, with a stronger, more tangy taste. Bramley's are considered to be an ideal cooking apple.
Charles Ross September

X

X

good

X

X

X

A  large dual purpose apple
Cheerful Gold October

X

X

good

      New variety from Kent
Chivers Delight

October

X

X

good

X

X

X

From Cambridgeshire.
CoxCox September - October

X

X

Excellent

X

X

X

 A very popular, multi-purpose flavourful apple
Cox Orange PippinCox's Orange Pippin September - October

X

X

Excellent

X

X

X

 A very popular, multi-purpose flavourful apple
CrispinCrispin October

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

Large greenish-yellow sweet apple derived from “Mutsu”
Christmas Pippin September

X

X

good

X

X

X

An English apple with good flavour
Cornish Aromatic October

X

 

        Crisp, nut-like flavour, said to have hints of pineapple, pairs well with cheese
Discovery August

X

X

good

X

X

X

One of the earliest apples; has a pinkish flesh
 Ellison’s Orange September

X

 

        A large dessert apple which does not store well. Has an aniseed flavour
Egremon RussetEgremont Russet September

X

X

good

      Sweet, firm Cream-coloured flesh, tinged with yellow
golden_delicious_appleGolden Delicious September - October

X

X

Excellent

X

X

X

Sweet, juicy apple; does not store well
James Grieve September

X

X

good

      Cruises easily, hardy good pollinator
Jonagold_appleJonagold October

X

X

Excellent

X

X

X

A juicy large, sweet, flavourful apple, yellow skin with red blushes, very popular
Jupiter mid-September - October

X

 

        dessert apple from East Malling.
Kent October

X

X

good

X

X

X

Stores well, . A cross between Cox and Jonathan from East Malling
Kidds Orange Red September - October

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

A red apple with excellent flavour dross of  Cox and Red Delicious from New Zealand
King of the Pippins mid-September - October

X

 

     

X

Mainly a dessert apple, it stores well. It is yellowish with a red flush and is usually russetted. Introduced in 1899.
Laxton’s Fortune September

 

X

good

      Stores well, longer than Worcester Pearmain. From Bedford, 1904
Limelight September

X

X

 

      Pale light green tart apple
Lord Lambourne mid-September - October

X

X

good

X

X

X

Ripens slightly before Cox, bright red stripes over yellow-green. Flesh is creamy white, slightly  firm and juicy, and aromatic.
Mairac September - October

X

X

        Newer Swiss apple
Meridian September - October

X

X

good

X

X

X

Like Pink Lady, it is a very juicy apple. A cross between Cox and Falstaff
Norfolk Royal Russet September - October

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

Crisp, firm flesh and very sweet
Oaken Pin September - October

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

Flattened-shape, crisp, sweet  dessert apple from Devon
Orleans Reinette

October

X

X

good

X

X

X

first described in England in 1776, one of the finest late dessert apples
Pitmaston Pine Apple September

X

X

good

X

X

X

 A small yellow apple, but with very good flavour. Wallace and Gromit like it with cheese.
Red PippinRed Pippin September - October

X

X

good

X

X

X

Medium-large apple. A cross between Cox and Idared which was originally called Fiesta
Ribston Pippin September

X

 

good

X

    It is the parent of Cox’s Orange Pippin, coming from Yorkshire
ScrumptiousScrumptious August - September

X

X

Very Good

X

X

X

An early sweet read apple with a flavor like a Gala.  New English variety.
SpartanSpartan September

X

 

Very Good

X

    An unusual purplish-skinned apple with bright white flesh
Sunset September

X

X

good

X

X

X

Very similar to Cox . From Sevenoaks, Kent in 1918.
Tickled Pink September  

X

good

X

X

X

 A tart, red fleshed apple
Winter Gem September - October

 

X

good

      Disease-resistant, produces big crops
Worcester PearmainWorcester Pearmain August - September

X

X

good

X

X

X

An early, short-seasoned traditional apple

Other English apple varieties not yet categorized and added to the table above

 

More about apple varieties can be found:

University of Illinois Apple page

More Apple Varieties

Apple Photos
Over 100 photos of apple varieties

Apple photos and brief descriptions

Credits:

photos:
Jonamac, Macoun, PaulaRed: Courtesy of New York Apple Association, © New York Apple Association

And if you are looking for shipping containers for apples and other fruit, see this page.