Bramley is the classic English cooker. The story says it was grown in England by Miss Mary Anne Brailsford in 1809, but was "officially" introduced in 1865. The parentage is unknown. This is a big apple, mostly green, very sharp with an excellent flavor and a hint of lemon. Probably hardy to zone 5, resistant to scab, it is harvested late and is a good keeper. Tree is very vigourous, triploid, and productive. A very important commercial variety in England.

Picture of Bramley from Claude's orchard:

GROWER COMMENTS:

Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec, Zone 4

I had a Bramley tree on Ottawa 3 rootstock, planted in 1994, it fruited in 2000, 2001 and 2002. After that, it started getting winter damage year after year and did not produce another apple. I finally cut it in 2008. My conclusion is that the variety is not hardy enough for my zone 4 climate. I still have a branch of Bramley on a hardy tree, and I hope that a hardier tree will permit the branch to survive my climate. However, I did enjoy very much the apples I got. They were big, well ripened, clean of scab, and I enjoyed the flavor very much. I would certainly recommend the variety to anyone who has a slightly better climate than mine.

David Maxwell, Nova Scotia, Zone 5b (Wet Atlantic climate)

I am absolutely sold on Bramley's after encountering it in Britain. It has the most intense apple taste of any apple I know, the taste lingering on the palate long after the last slice of pie is eaten. I planted a whole row of Bramley's on O-3 at the top of my orchard. They have mostly just sat there. But a top-worked seedling rootstock growing right on the banks of the LaHave River, which at this point is tidal (salt water) has done extremely well for the past 5 years. As Claude says, it is relatively disease-free.

Todd Parlo, Vermont, Zone 3

We have a couple of young unbearing trees that have not suffered winter damage yet but growers should pay attention to Claude's experience since it really isn't listed as all that cold hardy in literature. That said, it is quite high in vitamin C and accompanied by a tart zing. It is a classic culinary apple, but I like 'em tart so I eat these fresh. We have been buying them 2 hours south of here for years and they last a LONG time in the root cellar, but they get very greasy. With agriculture tending to the pretty and sweet it is nice to rediscover something higher in nutrition and handy in the kitchen.

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