It’s not a very good apple. Simple as that.
Several years ago, we sold “Isaac Newton’s apple tree”, which is already a part-fib.
- There is no variety named after Isaac Newton (1643-1727), it’s just a regular old Flower of Kent apple
- Because Flower of Kent is not a very good apple, some enterprising suppliers who shall remain nameless sold similar looking varieties like Arthur Turner as the Isaac Newton apple tree
- There is no way to be certain that the original tree is in fact the tree of Newton fame: there are several contenders, and they can’t all be The One
- Offically, the tree at Woolsthorpe Manor is the most direct descendant of the original, but The King’s School, Grantham claims that they have it
- Either way, it doesn’t really matter: the original tree blew down in 1820, and all the proposed “originals” are regrowth from its roots
Flower of Kent is a good example of why many grand old heritage varieties are no longer grown. They were the best available in their day, but now they are outclassed in every way by newer varieties.
Despite being a vigorous tree, Flower of Kent is a poor cropper, a tip bearer, and not self fertile.
All of that would be forgivable if it had great fruit, but it doesn’t. Compared to the nation’s most popular cooking apple, the world famous Bramley, Flower of Kent is, completely unlike you and me, dear reader, worthless beyond its historical interest.
If you still want to buy an Isaac Newton apple tree, our friends at Habitat Aid still sell them.
Habitat Aid apppeared in a whole episode of Ashridge Backseat Planting, so they are a household name at this point. We haven’t checked to see if they have the real Flower of Kent apple or an imposter: if you buy one and it makes good crops of delicious fruit, you’ll know you were tricked!