Hangdown (apple) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 'Hangdown'
Species	Malus domestica
Origin	England, ?18th c.

The Hangdown apple is a special kind of cider apple. People also call it Hangydown, Horner, or the Pocket Apple. This traditional apple is mostly grown in Somerset and North Devon in England. It's known for its unique tree shape and how it helps make delicious cider.

What is the Hangdown Apple Like?

The Hangdown apple is small to medium in size. It has a yellow skin and is usually round or a bit like a cylinder. You can easily spot a Hangdown apple tree because of its special way of growing.

How Does the Tree Look?

The tree is quite compact, meaning it doesn't spread out too much. It has many thin, twiggy branches. When the tree is full of apples, these branches hang down very heavily. This is how it got its name, "Hangdown"!

Where Did It Come From?

No one knows exactly where the Hangdown apple first grew. It might have started in the Glastonbury area of Somerset, England. It was also very popular in Devon, where people often called it the "Pocket Apple." This name might mean it was small enough to fit in a pocket, or perhaps it was just a common apple found everywhere.

What is a Cider Apple?

The Hangdown is a type of cider apple. This means it's grown specifically to make cider, which is a drink made from fermented apple juice. Not all apples are good for making cider; some are better for eating or cooking.

Hangdown as a Bittersweet Apple

Cider apples are often sorted into groups based on their taste. The Hangdown apple is called a "mild bittersweet" type. This means it has a mix of sweet and slightly bitter flavors, which is perfect for making cider.

What is a 'Vintage' Variety?

The Hangdown is also known as a 'vintage' variety. This means it's so good at making cider that you can use just this one type of apple to make a full-flavored cider. Many ciders are made from a mix of different apple types, but vintage varieties can stand alone.

Is the Hangdown Apple Still Grown Today?

Today, you won't find many Hangdown apple trees in big, modern apple farms. However, it was once a very important apple.

Past Popularity

The Long Ashton Research Station used to recommend the Hangdown for making cider. This research station was a famous place for studying fruit and cider. Even though it's not as common now, you can still find Hangdown trees in special 'trial' orchards. These are places where people grow different apple types to study them.

Related Apple Varieties

There are other apple types that are very similar to the original Hangdown. One example is the "Improved Hangdown," also known as "Improved Horner" or "Osier." This apple was found around 1900 in the Wedmore area. These related apples likely grew from seeds of the original Hangdown. They share the same kind of fruit and the same droopy branches.