We are not aware of any Suffolk pear varieties at present.

Each list is in picking-date order. After the fruit name, the earliest known recorded date for the variety is shown.

 Dessert apples

Red Miller's Seedling

pre 1948

Late Aug

Aug - Sept

A red 'sport' of the Berkshire apple Miller's Seedling, which arose in the garden of Mr. Wheldon, of Sudbury, sometime before 1948. A small conical fruit that is easily bruised, with crisp, very juicy sweet flesh.

Suffolk Pink

c.1990

Early/mid Sept

Sept - Oct

A more highly coloured 'sport' of the New Zealand apple Gala, which found growing in orchards at Earl Stonham in about 1990. Pale yellow skinned with a delicate pinkish blush. Now enjoying some commercial success locally.

St Edmund's Russet

pre 1875

Mid Sept

Sept -Oct

Raised by Mr Richard Harvey of Bury St Edmunds. A sweet, juicy and rich russet, which when really ripe has an almost pear like quality. It’s synonym is St. Edmund's Pippin and it has good resistance to scab, canker and mildew.

Honey Pippin

c.  1955

Mid Sept

Sept - Nov

A Cox-like variety submitted to the National Fruit Collection in 1981.  Developed by Justin Brooke of Wickhambrook Nurseries in the 1950s.  Better disease resistance than true Cox.  Quite pearmain shaped.  Honeyed, sweet, juicy, crisp almost yellow flesh.

Clopton Red

1946

Late Sept

Oct - Nov

A seedling grown from a Cox's Orange Pippin raised by Justin Brooke of Wickhambrook Nurseries in 1946. Introduced commercially in 1961. A medium sized heavy cropper. Bright red flush. A sweet juicy apple with a delicate aromatic flavour.

Maxton

1939

Early-mid Oct

Nov - Jan

A more highly coloured 'sport' of the Bedfordshire apple Laxton's Superb with the added advantage of non- biennial cropping. Discovered in an orchard at Assington in 1939. Sent for trial in the National Fruit collection in 1961 and later in the 1960s to Holland, where it was known as Suffolk Superb. Sweet, finely textured, quite juicy flesh and more highly coloured than Laxton's Superb. Has good canker and mildew resistance.

Maclean's Favourite

c.1820

Mid Oct

Nov -Jan

Raised by Dr. Allan Maclean of Sudbury around 1820. Parentage unknown. Yellow flesh, sweet and rich in flavour. A late keeping dessert variety.

 Dual purpose apples

Lady Henniker

c.1845

Early Oct

Nov -Jan

Raised from a seedling, between 1840-50, having been found in discarded cider must at the Henniker family home at Thornham Hall, near Eye.  Introduced by head gardener Mr Perkins in 1873. RHS First Class Certificate 1875. Became a popular garden variety. Distinctively oblong and 'slab-sided' in shape, and can be large. Cooks to pale yellow quite strongly flavoured puree, hardly needing extra sugar.

 Culinary apples

Lord Stradbroke

c.1900

Early Oct

Oct – Dec/Feb

Found, or raised, by Lord Stradbroke's head gardener, Mr Fenn, at Henham Hall, near Wangford, in about 1900. RHS Award of Merit in 1905. Synonyms include Fenn's Wonder and Fenn's Seedling. Large and maroon in colour, prominently ribbed and crowned. Bruises easily. A sweet light cooker in October.

Catherine

pre 1900

Mid Oct

Use Dec - Feb

A late-flowering, long- keeping cooking apple from the garden of the former public house the ‘Live And Let Live’ in Combs, near Stowmarket. Keeps shape well when cooked and more sweet than acidic in taste. Received at the National Fruit Collection in 1977 when the tree was already believed to be a century old.

Old Blake

pre 1900

Mid Oct

Oct – Feb/Mar

A late-keeping yellowish green skinned cooking apple still grown in and around Blundeston near Lowestoft. It is believed to have arisen at the Old Forge in the 1800s. Pinkish flesh when cooked with low acidity.