For a small county, Hertfordshire has a lot of local varieties, with 20 apples, 8 pears, 11 plums and 9 cherries having their origins there. Nearly 40 of these varieties were bred by Thomas Rivers. Its most famous variety is the Conference pear, still grown commercially and popular as a garden tree. The county also gave rise to several popular cooking apples, Warner’s King, Crimson Newton Wonder and Lane’s Prince Albert. There are a further 50 varieties considered lost.
Apples – dessert varieties
Brownlees Russet
Hemel Hempstead1848
Pick mid Oct. Use Dec – Mar
Pollination group C
Introduced by William Brownlees of Hemel Hempstead. A medium sized russet with a faint brownish flush. Tree has attractive blossom. A fruity, crisp apple. Has good resistance to scab, canker and mildew. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another apple tree to pollinate it.
Dawn
Ware Park 1940
Pick late Oct. Use Nov – Jan/Mar
Pollination group C
Believed to have been raised by Mr. Staward, Head Gardener at Ware Park Gardens. A medium sized golden coloured apple with a dull dark red flush. Slightly sharp in flavour.
Fairie Queen
Ware Park 1937
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Believed to have been raised by Mr. Staward, Head Gardener at Ware Park Gardens. A very Cox-like medium sized apple with much of the variety’s flavour and appearance.
Gavin
Bayfordbury 1956
Pick early Oct. Use Oct – Dec
Pollination group D
Raised by Gavin Brown at the John Innes Institute at Bayfordbury, by crossing Merton Worcester and a scab-resistant variety (Jonathan x Malus floribunda x Rome Beauty). A medium sized apple, Cox-like in appearance and with a sweet, rich, juicy flesh. Has good resistance to scab, canker and mildew.
Hitchin Pippin
Hitchin 1896
Pick early Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Originated in North Hertfordshire around Hitchin. Of unknown parentage. Tallish with an orange flush and broken red stripes. Flavour like an early-ripening King of the Pippins, which it slightly resembles.
Prince Edward
Sawbridgeworth 1897
Pick late Oct. Use Oct – Dec/Jan
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. Believed to be a Cellini x Cox’s Pomona cross. A medium sized flat-round greenish coloured apple with a few stripes of red and an occasional orange flush. Greasy skinned and slightly sharp in flavour.
Rivers Early Peach
Sawbridgeworth 1893
Pick and use early Aug
Pollination group B
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. A medium sized yellow apple with a slight reddish flush. Coarse, dry, sweet flesh with a flavour reminiscent of peaches. Best eaten within a day or so after picking.
Rivers Nonsuch
Sawbridgeworth mid 1800s
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. Sometimes used as an apple rootstock. A tall, yellow apple with red stripes and a rich fruity flesh.
Rivers St. Martins
Sawbridgeworth pre1896
Pick early Oct. Use Oct – Dec
Pollination group D
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery before 1896. A medium sized maroon coloured apple. Flavour is very juicy and sweet with a hint of lemons.
Voyager
Barnet 1952
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Dec
Pollination group C
Raised by Mr. King of Barnet. Possibly a cross between Laxton’s Superb and Monarch. A medium sized slightly acidic tasting apple.
Young’s Pinello
Letchworth 1935
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Dec/Jan
Pollination group C
Raised by Miss Eva Young at Letchworth. A medium sized pale yellow skinned apple with a scarlet flush and stripes. Firm, aromatic, sweet tasting flesh.
Apples – dual purpose varieties
Aldenham Blenheim
Aldenham pre1929
Pick late Sept. Use Oct – Jan
Pollination group D
A more highly coloured version of Blenheim Orange, discovered at Aldenham House by Head gardener Edwin Beckett. Similar in all other respects to Blenheim Orange. Use as a cooker when first picked then as an eater having been stored. It is a triploid variety so requires another two different apple varieties nearby for successful pollination.
Redcoat Grieve
Letchworth 1916
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
A scarlet coloured sport of James Grieve which is claimed to crop more heavily. Discovered at the orchards of Hal Jones in Letchworth and introduced by him in 1921. Juicy and refreshing flavour.
Staward’s Seedling
Ware Park pre1940
Pick late Sept. Use Oct – Nov
Pollination group C
Believed to have been raised by Richard Staward, Head Gardener at Ware Park Gardens. A large sized greenish yellow apple with scattered broken orange stripes. Mildly sharp in flavour.
Apples – culinary varieties
Bushey Grove
Bushey 1926
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Nov/Dec
Pollination group C
Raised by Mr. Good of Bushey Grove. Believed to be Essex Queen x Bismarck cross. Yellowish green with dull red stripes and flush. Greasy. Slightly acidic firm flesh.
Crimson Newton Wonder
Holwell 1921
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Mar
Pollination group D
Arose at Bury Fruit Farm, owned by Mr. Dicker. A more highly coloured ‘sport’ of the variety Newton Wonder (Derbyshire c.1870). Almost totally flushed and striped with carmine. Can be large in size. Firm, slightly acidic flesh. Has good resistance to scab and canker. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different apple variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Hormead Pearmain
Hormead 1826
Pick late Oct. Use Nov – Mar
Pollination group C
Probably arose at Hormead. A large dull yellow apple with an occasional slight orange flush and some russeting. The flesh is quite coarse and slightly acidic.
Lane’s Prince Albert
Berkhamsted 1841
Pick mid Oct. Use Nov – Mar
Pollination group D
Raised by Thomas Squire of Berkhamsted. Believed to be a Nonpareil x Dumelow’s Seedling cross. Introduced in about 1850 by John Lane, nurseryman of Berkhamsted to mark a visit by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria to the town. A medium sized shiny light green skinned apple with a warm orange flush and occasional red broken stripes. Not very acidic when cooked. Has good resistance to scab and canker. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different apple variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
New Hawthornden
Sawbridgeworth 1847
Pick late Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. A yellowish green apple with no stripes but is often flushed dull pink. Firm flesh which is quite acidic.
Thomas Rivers
Sawbridgeworth 1892
Pick early Sept. Use Sept – Oct/Nov
Pollination group D
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery as a seedling of the variety American Mother. Originally called Rivers’ Codlin’ when introduced in 1894 but renamed in 1897. Irregular shape and ribbed on body. Yellow in colour with a dull red flush and some faint stripes. Cooks like a codlin, creating a sharp, acidic puree.
Warner’s King
Place of origin unknown 1700s
Pick late Sept. Use Sept – Dec
Pollination group B
Sent to Rivers’ Nursery as King Apple by Mr. Warner, and may be the same variety as Killick’s Apple which was known previously in Kent. Rivers’ introduced the apple in the late 1800s. A medium to large yellowish green apple. Cooks to a pleasant acidic puree. It is a triploid variety so requires another two different apple varieties nearby for successful pollination.
Apples – crab apple varieties
Aldenham Purple
Aldenham 1920
Pick mid/late Oct.
Pollination group C
Arose as a chance seedling in the garden of Aldenham House near Elstree, home of Hon. Vicary Gibbs. Can flower twice a year with a profusion of large, decorative carmine flowers which grow into inch sized purple fruits. A self-fertile variety ideal as a pollinator for other apple trees and for making crab apple jelly. Also known as malus x purpurea aldenhamensis.
Pears – dessert varieties
Beacon
Sawbridgeworth 1881
Pick early/mid Aug. Use Aug
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Calabasse Grosse. Introduced in 1927. A medium sized yellowish green conical shaped dessert pear with a dull red flush and some patchy russet. Flesh tender and juicy.
Conference
Sawbridgeworth 1885
Pick late Sept. Use Oct – Nov
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Leon leClerc de Laval. Introduced in 1885 and named after the Apple and Pear Conference held that year in London. Medium to large in size. Yellowish green in colour with varying amounts of patchy golden russet. A good pear to store. Pale yellow sweet flesh. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another pear tree to pollinate it.
Fertility
Sawbridgeworth 1875
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Beurre Goubault. A medium sized dessert pear covered with a delicate cinnamon russet. Flavour like Williams Bon Chretien but more aromatic.
Magnate
Sawbridgeworth 1882
Pick late Sept. Use Oct – Nov
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Louise Bonne de Jersey. A medium sized yellow skinned dessert pear flushed with pinky orange. The flesh is sweet and gritty.
Parrot
Sawbridgeworth 1895
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. A small, conical, yellowish coloured dessert pear that sometimes has a brownish pink flush and some patchy golden russet. Skin covered in numerous russet dots. Juicy white flesh. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different pear variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Princess
Sawbridgeworth 1875
Pick late Oct. Use Nov – Dec
Pollination group B
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Louise Bonne de Jersey. A large, conical, yellow dessert pear covered with brown russet dots and some patchy russet. Sometimes has an orange flush to skin. Flesh is buttery and sweet.
St. Luke
Sawbridgeworth 1897
Pick mid Sept. Use Sept – Oct
Pollination group D
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage not known. A short, conical, yellow dessert pear almost totally covered with a brownish grey russet with a rough skin covered in russet dots. Flesh is juicy but a little gritty.
Summer Beurre
Sawbridgeworth 1863
Pick late Aug/early Sept. Use Sept
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety Beurre d’Arenburg. A medium sized conical dessert pear. Greenish yellow in colour with varying amounts of patchy golden russet. Flesh is fine and very sweet
Plums – dessert varieties
Early Transparent Gage
Sawbridgeworth 1869
Pick and use early/mid Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Transparent Gage. Introduced 1873. Received RHS award 1898. Very similar to the Green Gage. Medium to large in size, greenish yellow and occasionally mottled crimson on the sun side. Very juicy and sweet. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another plum tree to pollinate it.
Golden Transparent
Sawbridgeworth 1890
Pick and use early/mid Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Transparent Gage. Introduced 1890. Received RHS award in 1893. A medium to large roundish yellow skinned dessert plum with a thin chalky bloom. Has a gage-like flavour. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another plum tree to pollinate it.
Late Transparent Gage
Sawbridgeworth 1882
Pick and use late Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage unknown. Introduced 1885. Received RHS award in 1892. A medium-sized smooth skinned yellow sweet gage. Flesh is golden yellow and juicy.
Mallard
Sawbridgeworth 1885
Pick and use mid/late Aug
Pollination group B
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. Introduced 1895. A medium sized, oval-oblong red skinned plum with a chalky bloom.
Plums – dual purpose varieties
Blue Rock
Sawbridgeworth 1880s
Pick and use mid/late Aug
Pollination group A
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. A medium sized dual use roundish blue-black plum with a bloom. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Early Favourite
Sawbridgeworth 1834
Pick and use late July
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. A medium sized almost black plum with russet dots and a thin chalky bloom. Greenish yellow, sweet juicy flesh. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
President
Sawbridgeworth 1895
Pick and use mid/late Sept
Pollination group B
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. Received RHS awards in 1895 and 1900. Introduced in 1901. A large, oval, blue-black variety. A useful plum for drying.
Primate
Sawbridgeworth 1889
Pick and use mid/late Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage unknown. Received RHS award in 1895. Introduced in 1897. A large, round red plum. A shy cropper.
Plums – culinary varieties
Archduke
Sawbridgeworth 1881
Pick and use mid Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. One parent is the variety De Montfort. Introduced 1883. A large blue-black coloured culinary plum with a thin bloom. A useful garden variety.
Automne Compote
Sawbridgeworth 1840
Pick and use early/mid Sept
Pollination group C
Raised by Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Cooper’s Black. Introduced 1840. Large, oval and bright red in colour with tender juicy well-flavoured flesh. A useful culinary variety.
Bittern
Sawbridgeworth 1872
Pick and use early/mid Aug
Pollination group A
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage not known. Introduced in 1885/86. A medium sized long, oval blue-black culinary plum with a chalky bloom. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another plum tree to pollinate it.
Blue Prolific
Sawbridgeworth c.1865
Pick and use late Aug/early Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Introduced 1875. Parentage not known. A small blue-black skinned variety with coarse, juicy flesh.
Curlew
Sawbridgeworth 1875
Pick and use mid Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. Introduced 1885/86. A medium to large, blue-black oval culinary plum. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Czar
Sawbridgeworth 1871
Pick and use early/mid Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery by crossing the varieties Prince Englebert and Early Rivers and named after the Emperor of Russia, who visited England in 1874. Introduced in 1875. Medium to large, purplish red with a thin chalky bloom. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another plum tree to pollinate it.
Damson Early Rivers
Sawbridgeworth 1871
Pick and use mid Aug
Pollination group C
Raised from a seed of the variety St. Etienne plum by Rivers’ Nursery. Introduced 1871. Received RHS award in 1900. Small, round and blue–black with a thin chalky bloom. Resembles a bullace and can be very heavy cropping.
Early Rivers
Sawbridgeworth c.1820
Pick and use late July/early Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Precoce de Tours. Also known by its synonym ‘Early Rivers Prolific’. Introduced 1834. Received RHS award in 1895. A medium sized, round, blue-black plum with a thin chalky bloom. Heavy cropping and very hardy with yellow, sweet juicy flesh. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Grand Duke
Sawbridgeworth 1876
Pick and use mid/late Sept
Pollination group A
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Autumn Compote. Introduced 1876. Received RHS award 1880. A large, blue-black oval culinary plum with a bloom. Flesh is golden yellow and juicy. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Heron
Sawbridgeworth 1875
Pick and use early/mid Aug
Pollination group B
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. Introduced 1885/86. A large, oval shaped
culinary plum. Purple in colour. A reliable heavy cropper.
Late Orange
Sawbridgeworth 1888
Pick and use early/mid Sept
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage not known. Received RHS award in 1892. Introduced c.1897. A large yellow round culinary plum with coarse flesh. Not a heavy cropper.
Monarch
Sawbridgeworth 1883
Pick and use early/mid Sept
Pollination group B
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery from the variety Autumn Compote. Introduced 1885. Received RHS award in 1894. A large, roundish, blue black culinary plum with a chalky bloom. It is self-fertile so will set fruit without the need of another plum tree to pollinate it.
Stint
Sawbridgeworth 1875
Pick and use late July/early Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage unknown. Introduced c.1885. A medium to small, round, red, early culinary plum with a thin chalky bloom. It is partially self-fertile so will set some fruit by itself. Having another same or different plum variety with the same or adjacent pollination group nearby will help cropping.
Swan
Sawbridgeworth 1885
Pick and use mid Aug
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery of unknown parentage. Introduced 1897. A medium to large sized oval, red-purple coloured culinary plum with a thick chalky bloom.
Cherries – dessert varieties
Alba Heart
Place of origin unknown pre1900
Pick and use mid/late July
Pollination group D
Also grown in neighbouring Buckinghamshire. A small, round, shiny black cherry with a good flavour.
Archduke
Sawbridgeworth pre1750
Pick and use mid/late July
Pollination group D
Rivers’ Nursery had grown it for at least 100 years by 1847 and the variety was known to John Parkinson in the 1600s. A large almost black purple plum with a long stalk and deep red tender, juicy sweet flesh.
Bailey’s Early Black
Leaverstock Green pre1930
Pick and use early July
Pollination group B
First recorded in the 1930s at Bailey’s Farm, Leaverstock Green. Considered an established local variety at the time. A medium sized black skinned and dark red fleshed sweet cherry.
Caroon
Geddeston 1725
Pick and use mid/late July
Pollination group F
Recorded at Geddeston in 1725. Also known by its synonym ‘Hertfordshire Black’. A medium sized, roundish, deep shiny black plum with a slender stalk and dark purple sweet, firm flesh.
Early Rivers
Sawbridgeworth pre1869
Pick and use June-July
Pollination group A
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery sometime before 1869. Introduced in 1872. A large to very large red skinned and red fleshed sweet dessert cherry. Will crop in June given warm weather.
Peggy Rivers
Sawbridgeworth 1922
Pick and use late July
Pollination group C
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery sometime before 1922. Introduced in 1925. A seedling from the variety Gros Coeuret. A medium sized pale red skinned sweet dessert cherry.
Strawberry Heart
King’s Langley pre1900
Pick and use mid/late July
Pollination group C
Grown in the King’s Langley district. Almost completely coloured bright red with some darker red streaks. Size can be large. Flesh is yellowish and juicy.
Turkish Black
Place of origin unknown pre1900
Pick and use mid/late July
Pollination group E
A medium sized fruit with fairly shiny and quite black skin. Flesh is very dark red and quite juicy.
Ursula Rivers
Sawbridgeworth 1921
Pick and use early July
Pollination group B
Raised at Rivers’ Nursery sometime before 1921. Introduced in 1925. A seedling from the variety Emperor Francis. A large juicy, black skinned and heavy cropping sweet dessert cherry.