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English Golden Russet
type: Culinary, Cider, Dessert, Pie
synonyms: Aromatic Russet (please also see Aromatic Russet ), English Golden, English Golden Russet, Gold Russet, Golden Russet, Horsham Russet, St. Leonard's Nonpareil. The Golden Russet, American is a seedling of this variety.
summary: Once a popular dessert apple because of its sweetness and flavour. Unfortunately, the russet coat is not appreciated in today's market and the variety is being marginalized.
identification: Medium size or smaller and somewhat more flat than the Golden Russet, American . Thick skin covered with a yellowish, rough russet, especially thick and scaled on the shaded side. Sometimes a blush of red on the sun side. Greyish lenticels are evident and sometimes raised. The stem is very short and set in a deep, irregular cavity. The calyx is open and moderately large.
characteristics: The flesh is pale yellowish, crisp and firm. Somewhat dry, but sweet, spicy and richly aromatic with distinct nutty flavour and a hint of tartness. It tends to be drier than the Golden Russet, American .
origins: An old English heritage variety. Listed in Robert Hogg’s "British Pomology" (published, 1851) and likely originated in the area of Horsham, West Sussex (U.K.). Apparently also mentioned in John Ray's "Historia Plantarum" (published in three volumes from 1686 to 1704). It is considered by some as being the original russet apple from which seeds were transported to North America to become the Golden Russet, American .
cultivation: Vigorous, irregularly spreading tree. Partial tip bearer. Annual bearer and crops heavily. Needs warmer climate to fully ripen the fruit.
cold storage: Keeps well in cold storage for up to five months. Though the skin tends to shrivel after some time, the apple matures in storage, becoming sweeter and more flavourful.
harvest: Ready for harvest starting in the middle of the fifth period, but the russets taste best when picked after a frost. They hold well on the tree even after a cold spell and are still edible.
notes: There are any number of Golden Russets and it is difficult if not impossible to disentangle them by traditional means. If and when DNA analysis is done and properly interpreted we may be able to determine if indeed the golden russets have a common ancestor or whether they exist by accidental/intentional cross breeding. The question is whether we really do want to know or whether we prefer to debate the subject through the long history of apples in general.
pollination group: C
pollination peak: 8
ploidism: Diploid. Self sterile.
cold storage weeks: 20
harvest period: 5
hardiness: 5
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