Identification
There are up to three thousand varieties of eating, cooking and cider varieties grown in Britain so its not always going to be easy to identify the one in your hand!
But with a bit of patience and some expert advice, you can usually find what it is you’ve got. Experts look at the fruit for colour, shape, size. Cross sections from pole to pole and across the equator of an apple tell much; the tree, it’s leaves, it’s moment of fruiting …. also helps. In addition some varieties were planted together at certain times as part of fruit fashion, and so sometimes nearby gardens, or gardens of the same age may show a repeat pattern.
Remember that to propagate a particular variety of apple (cultivar) you must graft a scion from a growing tree onto a new rootstock. If the apple has been grown from a pip it is a completely new variety and expert will not have seen it before. Instead, take delight in giving it a name yourself.
On this site we have provided some useful reference sources, information about postal identification and tips on seeking out local experts.
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