Norfolk Beefing

(red)

Raised in Norfolk and first recorded 1807.  Known earlier, The New Book of Apples says ‘Beefing was cited in a fruit tree list in a notebook of 1698 belonging to the Walpole family, Wolverton and Manningtree estates, Norwich, Norfolk’.

Medium to large i.e. small for a cooker. Flat round to round, irregular and ribby, prominent bosses at apex, usually one larger than the others.  Flattened at base and apex, somewhat like a smaller, brown Bramley.
Dull green almost completely covered by dark browny crimson and darker stripes.  Lenticels show up as pale grey/white dots, especially on flush.

Cavity not deep, russet lined
Stalk short and stout, often embedded in cavity.  Russet extends over shoulder.
Basin wide and fairly shallow, irregular, usually a little speckly russet
Eye large, either open or part open.
Sepals broad based and separated, usually broken, downy.
Flesh green/white, very sharp
Crawford classifies this as Dessert/dual rather than as a cooker.  Bultitude classifies it as a cooker.

Tube cone, Stamens ?, Core abaxile, slit.

Tree vigorous, upward spreading

Flowering same time as Bramley’s Seedling with Charles Ross.

Season : keeps until March