Lord Lambourne apple

Lord Lambourne apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

USDA identification images for Lord Lambourne

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.

Visitor reviews

• 12 Sep 2023 

  I noted in my own records, several years ago, that this apple is "reminiscent of watermelon". This year it is even more so - sweet and juicy, but very little flavour.
• 05 Oct 2016  WASHINGTON, United States

  Love this apple - it just can't deal with arid conditions well. Must strip it of fruit in order for the li'l tree to grow, which I finally did this season. I must find a friend or family member on the soggy side of Washington state to give it to, so I can still enjoy it some years. Great apple; prodigious blooming and easy-care tree, but for the cracked fruit.
• 13 Sep 2015  WASHINGTON, United States

  This has been a record hot and dry summer. The LL apple on the sunny side of the tree took a beating, two large cracks. Yesterday (Sept. 11) I picked it and checked for sugar level: 29 Brix! I checked twice more to be sure. Quite dry due to the cracks, in contrast to last year, and with surprising complexity. The other apples are fine despite the weather.
• 13 May 2015  WASHINGTON, United States

  This one generates comments, huh? I had the first taste of LL last fall, just three apples on a midget tree. Decided it will never be big enough standing on Bud9, so dug it up and re-planted it by burying the graft union. It should grow to be a compact standard and yield a crop worth waiting for!
• 01 May 2015  NSW, Australia

  Great tasting apple. Very similar to Cox's Orange Pippin but earlier by about 3 weeks. Highly recommended. I grow it in Katoomba, NSW, Australia.
• 15 Nov 2014  MARKET RASEN, United Kingdom

  My favourite Apple ever,you may remember quarkhill fruit farm back along I was born and brought up there and came to yours on occasion with my dad(les gill) this has always been our family's favourite
• 17 Sep 2014  LONDON, United Kingdom

  Picked mine off a small tree at Wisley and was blown away by the taste - slightly acidic, but a lovely background sweetness too. Crispy and crunchy too. Nice skin. Perfect for kids as not too enormous. When I have a large garden in my next dream home, I'll be planting some Lord Lambournes, I think.
• 27 Mar 2014  VIC, Australia

  I have this in Mt Macedon, Victoria, Australia. Great variety. Good yearly cropper, not too acidic. keeps better once picked than Cox's. Great smaller apple for kids to eat. One of my top varieties. if I only had room for say 3 trees, this would be one of them.
• 10 Nov 2012  WASHINGTON, United States

  About a month after my last note on this apple, flower buds appeared on the one-year-old LL! Definitely a partial tip bearer; so pinched 'em off after the bloom and it has grown to about 3 feet tall. Have since seen two references implicating fungicides exacerbating cracks in apples. Since I keep leaf litter cleaned up, this should be a minor issue.
• 10 Sep 2012  KENT, United Kingdom

  I have a Lord Lambourne apple tree with about a ton of apples - are they any good for cider making?
• 05 Mar 2012  WASHINGTON, United States

  Bought a bench graft from Greenmantle in CA last year - on Bud9. Li'l guy is doing fine. Am a bit concerned about the comment from CA about dryness and cracking. My climate is rather hot and dry in late summer. Still hopeful.
• 12 Oct 2011  BC, Canada

  Never even heard of this apple until my brother introduced me to it. They grow it at his work for testing, and the excess goes to staff and their families. I love both Granny Smith, and Fuji, but I have now found my favorite! Nice acidic bite, but not too tart. Gets sweeter the longer you leave it out, even cut and peeled. Makes amazingly sweet unsweetened applesauce. Dried - they are like candy. They seems to be a very reliable, and heavy producer. I defiantly am going to have to find, or graft one. I love this apple!
• 16 Oct 2010  CHESHIRE, United Kingdom

  Ours is at it's best in October. Sweeter than James G, the flavour develops after picking. Definate Cox taste. Same texture as James G, softer than Kidds Orange, which follows it.
• 31 Aug 2009  CALIFORNIA, United States

  In our hot, dry climate Lord Lamborne is very productive, but has terrible problems with cracking the last two years. It is on timed drip irrigation and we have no rain through the summer, so I don't think its from uneven watering. Perhaps this is just a reaction to our climate, and if so, I'm sad to have to pull it out.
• 04 May 2009  ESSEX, United Kingdom

  Try Morrisons Supermarket, £4.99 at the moment.
• 19 Oct 2008  GREAT DUNMOW, ENGLAND, United Kingdom

  I have a bizarre situation at work in White Roding. 4 years ago, I discovered that my employer has a Lord Lambourne apple growing on her grounds. This was because I found its fruit, which I had formally identified. Since that time, we have had no fruit from this tree whatsoever. This may have coincided with the death of a new fruit tree which was planted around the time we discovered the Lord Lambourne tree, but which subsequently perished. Please can you help. Which apple varieties are good pollinators of 'Lord Lambourne'? Which pollination group do they belong to?
• 13 Oct 2008  SURREY, United Kingdom

  Having a Lord Lambourne apple tree, I agree with tasting notes, excellent eater and they also make very good dessert cooking apples.
• 30 Sep 2008  BRIGHTON, SUSSEX, United Kingdom

  I just bought some from a green grocer in Shoreham-by-sea. Lovely, acidic, juicy number with a crispy flesh.
• 28 Sep 2008  TEME VALLEY, United Kingdom

  I have recently been supplied with this variety of apple by my local organic fruit and vegetable box company, Flights Orchard Organics. They are absolutely delicious. For me, it's just as important to have the right texture as well as taste. Lord Lambourne's are crisp with a sweet/tart flavour. They remind me of Cox's apples and are the perfect eating apple.
• 21 Jul 2008  GRESHAM, OR , United States

  I first tasted this apple back in 1956 from a very old tree in my mother-in-law's back yard in Stevenson, WA. I was blown away by it's juicy spirit. Sadly, the tree has disappeared with the decades, but it's strong memory lingers.
• 10 Oct 2007  SOUTH BUCKS, United Kingdom

  lord lambourne (1 tree) is loaded this year. delightful eater - but how does one store the huge surplus ?
• 08 Oct 2007  BINGLEY, United Kingdom

  My father who lives in York has grown a Lord Lambourne apple tree trained along a wall in his garden and the fruit is absolutely delicious! Lots of juice, satisfyingly crisp to bit into and a superb flavour - not at all tart. I'd thoroughly recommend it! (I've never seen it for sale in any supermarket.)
• 28 Sep 2007  LEICESTERSHIRE UK, United Kingdom

  If Nancy Brown lives near Thurmaston could I be really cheeky and pick one of her apples? I am trying to decide on a variety to invest in and would love to try a Lord Lambourne before committing!
• 21 Sep 2007  LEICESTERSHIRE UK, United Kingdom

  I have a tree in my garden, planted about 18 years ago. I think it is the best tasting apple around.
• 03 Aug 2007  United Kingdom

  I just had 2 trees identified as Lord Lambourne. I agree with your tasting notes. They keep nicely but best time to eat is straight from tree Sept (if you can leave them that long).
• 03 Aug 2007  United Kingdom

  I thought there might be some Cox in there, and i think your description is right on the nail. A Cox-like flavour plus bite and size of the Granny Smith, is what I`d thought.

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• United States1
• United Kingdom72
• France 3
• Germany 1
• Ireland2
• Canada3
• Australia9
• New Zealand1
• Norway1

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Lord Lambourne apple trees for sale:

• Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK) United Kingdom
  Lord Lambourne apple trees

Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Lord Lambourne:

United Kingdom

• England - midlands

  • Meynell Langley Trials Gardens, Derby
  • The Vyne, Basingstoke
  • Walsgrove Farm, Worcester

• England - south-east

  • Home Cottage Farm, Iver
  • Kimpton Manor Apple Press, Andover
  • Grange Farm Shop and PYO, Chichester

• England - south-west

  • Trevalon Organic Cooperative, Liskeard
  • Charlton Orchards, Taunton
  • A'Beckett's, Devizes

Canada

• British Columbia

  • Salt Spring Apple Company, Salt Spring Island

References

• Apples of England (1948)
  Author: Taylor
• Fruit Expert
  Author: Hessayon