Worcester Pearmain apple

Worcester Pearmain apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

USDA identification images for Worcester Pearmain

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

• 29 Sep 2022 

  I remember as a young kid scrumping these apples from a small orchard just over my back garden wall. I got caught one day by the owner who said I could have all the apples I wanted but only windfalls. I thanked him, (we were polite in those days) and I never did take an apple from the tree again. These apples were call Worcesters he said. I have never tasted an apple so sweet in my life. They taste a bit like a Cox I think. I live on the Romney Marsh, and up until a couple of years ago could buy these lovely tasting apples at a local greengrocer for a short while. Then they were no more, the man who supplied the greengrocer had died. I wish I could buy these apples again somewhere. We tried to store some a few years ago but they did not keep. If any kind person knows where I could buy some of these I would love to know.
• 28 Aug 2015  WORCESTER, United Kingdom

  We have a WP in our garden as we speak (end of August) it has shed about 100 pounds of fruit and has so much remaining on the tree that I fear for many of the branches. The fruit is delicious either as an eater or in pies or sponge cakes, also in preserves. Lots of the fruit have a dark spot on them but this only penetrates about 3-4mm into the flesh so is easily removed in cooking preparation. As an eater they have a light sweetness I haven't found in any other apple. We have so many this year we are considering a brew of cider!
• 27 Oct 2010  PA, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, United States

  I would like to know where to purchase this apple tree for planting, here in Pennsylvania. I believe that this apple variety if cut down the middle has a striata of red going through out; is that correct.. Also, do you have the Red Star Apple [I believe a China import} ?
• 28 Sep 2010  CAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom

  The early and mid-season apples are often attacked by "worms"/"maggots" and the like - especially the larger, sweeter, tastier and highly coloured ones. "Worms" and "maggots" are more problematic in mild, dry and calm areas - conditions which assist their life cycle. In cool, wet and windier areas, the tunneling pests may be less troublesome or completely absent since poorer weather will disrupt or slow down their life cycle. Of course, wet and windy areas can bring other problems, such as scab or canker. Worcester Pearmain is claimed by some people to be quite susceptible to wet-weather diseases, but in my experience, although it is not *highly* disease-resistant, it is also not excessively prone to disease either. Worcester Pearmain seems to prefer slightly cooler and duller climates. In my area (warm, dry, sunny, windy), Worcester Pearmain grows better when it is shielded from the midday sun - such as when planted with a wall or larger tree shading its Southern side.
• 28 Sep 2010  COUNTY (NORTH WEST), Ireland

  Great to read all the comments re the quality of taste etc of 'Worcester Permain' apples and Here I am adding mine . The apple is of outstanding appearance, large and mostly completely crimsion red with very little streaky green and very large. I love apples, home grown Uk types and imported, and none can equal that 'tangy' taste, juicy and sweet...just can't be beaten. I planted our tree about twenty years ago and is now about 15ft tall and it fruits every year. If, I said that the number of apples on the tree this year was in excess of a thousand apples ( in August I counted over 800 wit h lot more Inside the branchs), I would not be exaggerating. I took photos and wish I could add at least one picture here to give proof of both the colour, quanty of apples on the tree and the size. Never had a 'worm' problem...ever DBoyce.
• 04 Oct 2009  LONDON, United Kingdom

  My grandparents had a Worcester Permain tree in their back garden and I have never tasted better apples. I do remember the worms liked them too, though, so we had to be careful. That said, the tree produced so many apples that discarding those with worms still left us with an abundance to eat. No WPs that I have bought in supermarkets or farmers markets have ever quite matched the flavour intensity of those from my grandparents' back garden. Perhaps this is because they are passed their best once in the shops? I've tried a few of the offspring mentioned here and in each case have found them inferior in flavour and texture. Not to mention aroma! The smell of a fresh Worcester permain is extraordinarily good!
• 30 Sep 2009  LONDON, United Kingdom

  Wendy, what brought me to this page is I have just eaten 2 poly bags of these most delicious apples. Sold in a generic early season bags from Waitrose, don't know if this is any help to you.
• 12 Sep 2009  OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom

  I have a prolific cropping Worcester Pearmain tree and the flavour really is second to none! I have found the best way of keeping them is to slice them with the peel intact, add a tablespoon of lemon juice in a bag, shake and freeze. They tend to rot if stored in the usual manner. Will make Apple flans, Apple and almond tarts etc. etc. Also sell them at Farmers Markets.
• 08 Sep 2009  EDINBURGH, United States

  magic apples third year of ma tree apples are in abundance pick as you eat canny beat it
• 02 Sep 2009  HALIFAX, WEST YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom

  I agree that this apple is one of the very nicest, if not the nicest, in flavour as well as texture and appearance. Think I last saw it being sold in the eighties - why is it no longer on sale up north where I live? Bring back the Worcester Pearmain, I say.
• 16 Aug 2009  ILFORD, EAST LONDON/ESSEX, United Kingdom

  I have a Worcester Pearmain in my garden. We have had it for many years. for the past 15 years fruit is disguarded by the tree as all the fruit has holes in it suggesting a wrom problem. it produces a huge amount of fruit, very little if any is suitable for human comsumption. Please help as i would like to bring health to this tree. this is my favourite apple and it pains me not to be able to eat my own produce. Regards
• 13 Dec 2008  DESCARTES, France

  You do not mention that Worcester Permains have the perfect balance between sweet and acid and keep their crispness for a long time after harvesting. It's curious, but I've eaten literally hundreds of these apples without ever never noticing they tasted of strawberries.
• 08 Nov 2008  HALLOWELL, MAINE USA, United States

  To Gary in New Jersey who wants a pearmain tree. I just bought some pearmains from Lakeside Orchards in Manchester, Maine (midmaine outside Augusta). I am not sure they're on the web, but they might be, and might be able to tell you where to buy them. It's a wonderful apple, although I thought it tasted more like pear! While it may be in season elsewhere in September - October, it seems to be late October - early November here!
• 12 Oct 2008  OXON, United Kingdom

  This was THE apple for me until I found other varieties. The strawberry flavour from its Devonshire Quarrenden parent (good early apple but biennial) varies as does the intensity of flavour, needs plenty of sun. Goes soft quite quickly in a poor year. Bit prone to desease so not a good choice if space is limited but reasonably upright, neat tree.
• 06 Oct 2008  NJ, United States

  This apple is so good that it is probably the apple that Satan tempted Eve with - it is the acme of Appledom. The downside is that I now live on the wrong side of the Pond and I am desperate to find someone to sell me a WP tree over in the States. Does anyone here have any leads?
• 29 Sep 2008  HERTFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom

  My grandmother had a WP tree, which, after her death, my father transplanted. The apples have an aroma and flavour second to none. I agree that they are best eaten a little under-ripe. I have just finished eating 2 WPs from the supermarket - these are ripe and, whilst tasty, just a little soft and do not quite capture the real nature of the WP. I think I'm going to go out and buy a tree!
• 16 Sep 2008  NORFOLK, United Kingdom

  We have a Worcester apple tree in our garden and I think they're the nicest apples I have eaten. They have a crisp, juicy, sweet (but not too sweet) taste. I've never seen them in shops, I believe this is because they don't keep well. On our tree they're available from late August to late September/early October.
• 21 Jul 2008  S.W. LONDON, United Kingdom

  R.D. Blackmore may have grown this variety in his nursery, as it is grown locally. I've managed to store this apple in the shed (unless it was the ones I bought!) until the Spring. It does soften and wrinkle. I make sure there's space between each and check, say, weekly, especially at the beginning. It seems to produce a crop every other year. Fruits along the stem. RDB also grew Pears - long green type.
• 07 May 2008  WORCESTER, United Kingdom

  I have an orchard in which I have several very old trees bearing Pairmain. Beautiful flavoured fruit. I would appreciate it if anyone knew of a market for my fruit as most years much goes to waste - such a shame.
• 23 Mar 2008  BRISTOL, United Kingdom

  My trees are supposed to be Worcester Pearmain. They often flower from mid-April onwards and are ripe to eat from late July to early September. They do not keep well and are indeed best eaten when slightly underripe. Mine are finished long before October.
• 13 Jan 2008  ESSEX, United Kingdom

  When I was a lad we had a tree of Worcesters, along with several other varieties, growing in our garden on the outskirts of Birmingham. It is my view that this apple is vastly superior to any other English commercial apple variety in taste, crispness (best eaten slightly underripe when the pips are still white) and texture. Its flavour is quite distinctive and the Discovery, which has a tart flavour in comparison, does not match it. (Only the Cox's Orange Pippin of English varieties can rival it. Unfortunately many so- called Cox's Orange Pippin apples originating from New Zealand lack the Cox flavour and are not true Coxes.) The downside of the Worcester Pearmain is (a) it is available over only a very short season mid-September-mid October of a max 5 weeks. (b) it does not keep. What a shame! I could eat Worcesters all the year round!

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Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Worcester Pearmain apple trees for sale:

• Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK) United Kingdom
  Worcester Pearmain apple trees
• Cummins Nursery
  United States  More >>

Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Worcester Pearmain:

United Kingdom

• England - midlands

  • Meynell Langley Trials Gardens, Derby
  • Cotteridge Community Orchard, Birmingham
  • Walsgrove Farm, Worcester

• England - north

  • Pickering Road Community Orchard, Hull
  • Coulton Mill, York

• England - south-east

  • Lavenham Brook Vineyard and Orchard, Sudbury
  • Kimpton Manor Apple Press, Andover
  • Wigmore Orchard, Tadley
  • Holton Orchards, Halesworth
  • Grange Farm Shop and PYO, Chichester

• England - south-west

  • Charlton Orchards, Taunton
  • A'Beckett's, Devizes

Australia

• Victoria

  • Petty's Orchard, Templestowe

References

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