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Apple varieties, United Kingdom

Epicure

The record of the National Fruit Collection, at Brogdale in Kent, describes it¹:

Raised in 1909 by Laxton Bros. at Bedford. Introduced in 1929. It received the Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1931. Fruits have moderately firm and juicy flesh with a refreshing flavour.

Family tree

Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, as the entries in the atlas record them.

Epicure United Kingdom, 1909
- Seed parent Wealthy United States, about 1860
  - Parent Jonathan United States, by 1826
    - Parent Esopus Spitzenburg United States, before 1790
  - Parent Duchess of Oldenburg Russia, 1700s or earlier
- Pollen parent Cox's Orange Pippin United Kingdom, about 1825
  - Parent Margil France, probably by 1608
  - Parent Rosemary Russet United Kingdom, by 1831
    - Parent Nonpareil France, by the mid 1500s

Offspring in the atlas

Epicurean United Kingdom, by 1953
Laxton's Reward United Kingdom, 1925
Merton Knave × Laxton's Early Crimson; United Kingdom, 1948

Where Epicure came from. The lines lead to its parents: Wealthy (United States) and Cox's Orange Pippin (United Kingdom).

Sources

Epicure (accession 2006 - 013), National Fruit Collection, Brogdale, Kent (Defra). Supports: the description quoted; the parentage; the use; the fruit's size, shape and colours and the flesh, from the collection's characterisation; the picking time at Brogdale (late august); the other names.