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