Foxwhelp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 'Foxwhelp'
Species	Malus domestica
Origin	England, 1600s.

The Foxwhelp is a very old type of apple that's famous for making cider. It first grew in a part of England called the west Midlands. This apple is known for its strong, sharp taste, which is perfect for making traditional cider.

The Story of the Foxwhelp Apple

The Foxwhelp is one of the oldest kinds of cider apples still around today. People first wrote about it in 1664 in a book called Pomona by John Evelyn. Most people believe this apple first came from areas in England like Gloucestershire or Herefordshire.

By the early 1700s, the Foxwhelp apple was super popular for making cider. A letter from 1727 even said that cider made from Foxwhelp apples was so good, people would sometimes trade a whole barrel of French wine for the same amount of Foxwhelp cider! This shows how much people valued its rich and strong flavor.

Why is the Foxwhelp Apple Rare Today?

Like many other old apple types, the original Foxwhelp apple is quite rare now. Some people even think that many apples called "Foxwhelp" today aren't the true original kind. The real one became known as "Old Foxwhelp" to tell it apart from newer versions.

These newer versions were often "sports" or natural changes that happened on the original trees. For example, a company called H. P. Bulmer developed an "Improved Foxwhelp." By the 1960s, scientists could only find a few very old "Old Foxwhelp" trees. Luckily, a group called the Gloucestershire Apple Collection was able to get pieces from an old orchard to grow new trees and keep the original type alive.

What Makes Foxwhelp Apples Special?

The Foxwhelp is called a "bittersharp" cider apple. This means it has lots of two things:

• Tannin: This gives cider a dry, slightly bitter taste, like strong tea.
• Malic acid: This makes the apple taste sharp and tart.

How Do Foxwhelp Apples Look and Taste?

Foxwhelp apples are usually small to medium-sized. They ripen in September. They often have a bumpy, uneven shape and a deep red skin with yellow stripes. Inside, the apple flesh is yellow with a hint of red and tastes very tart.

The juice from these apples makes a strong, tannic cider. An expert named Hogg once found that the juice was "extremely rich." This rich juice was often used in ciders from Herefordshire to make them stronger and more flavorful.

The Foxwhelp Tree and Its Unique Changes

The Foxwhelp apple tree naturally grows upright with large branches. Its leaves are special because they are often curled and wavy.

This tree is also known for something cool called "sports" or mutations. These are natural changes that can happen on just one branch of a tree. These changes led to many "improved" types of Foxwhelp, like Black Foxwhelp and Red Foxwhelp.

In the 1800s, people even tried to make the old Foxwhelp better by grafting parts of "Old Foxwhelp" onto new seedlings of the same apple. This led to a version sometimes called "New" or "Rejuvenated Foxwhelp."

Common Problems for Foxwhelp Trees

Unfortunately, Foxwhelp trees can easily get a plant disease called apple scab. This disease can affect the leaves and fruit, making them look spotty.

See also

In Spanish: Foxwhelp (manzana) para niños