DYMOCK RED #2

Dymock Red is a rare, ancient, English cider apple that originated in the village of Dymock, Gloucestershire  before 1700. It is capable of making a single variety, vintage cider comparable to Kingston Black. The small-medium sized, roundish-oblate, red-striped, red-blushed fruit is partly covered with russet patches and dots. The yellowish flesh is described by Robert Hogg (UK 1886) as “soft and tender, slightly sweet, and with a pleasant acidity.” We imported Dymock Red in collaboration with UK apple historian John Teiser and the USDA APHIS program. The scionwood was collected in north Herefordshire (UK) in 2013 by John Teiser from trees planted in 1918. It received final release from APHIS in 2024.

Recent work with DNA profiling has revealed that there are two “Dymock Red” cultivars being grown in the UK. They are half-siblings, meaning that they share one parent in common (just like human half-sibs.) They are currently being called “Dymock Red (1)” and “Dymock Red (2)”. We have “Dymock Red (2).” One of the two may be the true Dymock Red, neither may be the true Dymock Red, or both may have been historically grown as Dymock Red. Both apples are closely related to a number of other historic UK cider apples including, Cherry Pearmain, Cowarne Red, Eggleton Styre, Frederick, Longvilles Kernel, Merchant Apple, Red Styre, Redstreak, and Skyrmes Kernel. 

John Teiser wrote, “Dymock Red was a surprise, the 12 marker SSR [the DNA process used in the UK] matched them [Dymock #1 and #2] as identical, but Nick [Howard] was able to distinguish between the two [using the DNA process called SNP].  The parent in common of that list of varieties I suspect must be the famous Herefordshire Redstreak, aka Scudamore's Crab.  I have obtained a scion of DR (1), and grafted it onto one of my DR(2) trees, so that I will be able to compare them side by side in the future. Skyrme's Kernel and Cherry Pearmain, both on that list of half sibs, were also initially thought to have identical fingerprints too.”  Currently on trial at SCF.