Definitive List Of Welsh Apples

Definitive List Of Welsh Apples

There has been some press coverage recently following an announcement by the National Trust of the publication of a definitive list of Welsh Apple varieties. There are 29 listed. As we have gone to great lengths to plant many of the Welsh varieties in our orchards, we have been considering the list and its implications. In fact although 29 are listed they are broken down into 3 categories. The first category is the Historic list – apples unique to Wales with evidence of cultivation in the country pre-1950. There are 16 of these and include varieties planted in our orchards such as Cissy, Gabalva and St. Cecilia. We have 11 varieties of these.

The second category is referred to as Modern which are unique to Wales but introduced by a Welsh breeder or nursery post 1950. One of these is Bardsey which is claimed to date back hundreds of years as it was found in an old orchard on Bardsey Island and sold around the world as such. However, as there is no evidence to support the claim and it was discovered in 1998/9, it is officially post-1950 and thus Modern. There are 5 of these of which we have Bardsey and Machen.

The final category is called Associated and these are not unique to Wales but may have been given a Welsh name and widely cultivated in Wales or the Marches. There are 8 of these of which we have only planted Morgan Sweet.

However, we have another 7 which we understood were Welsh but do not fall into any of these categories such as Afal Wern, Pig Aderyn and Cadwallader. The implication is that these are English apples which were just given a Welsh name. So, this list does help to clarify which varieties are truly Welsh and which were adopted and introduced from elsewhere. To check out the full list go to the National Trust website.