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Fruit: Apple
Use: Dessert/Cooking/Cider
Origin and History: UK; Presumably Gloucs.
Season: Mid
Harvest Time: late Sept
Store: Oct-Jan
Qualities and Taste:
Sweet plain taste of fruit, slightly crumbly texture.
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Map Reference: A 14
Form: Standard
Rootstock: M25
Additional Information: First record 1883. Collected for propagation 1993 from an old tree in Tawnies Farm, Oxenhall, Gloucestershire. It was verified by Ray Williams of Long Ashton Research Station as a true ‘Gloucestershire Underleaf’.
A well known and much loved variety throughout Gloucestershire, where people still speak with affection for this apple which they could eat, cook, and make into cider. There are a number of sub varieties of ‘Underleaf’, which may mean it is older than indicated above.
I had assumed that the name ‘Underleaf’ indicated that the fruit grew under the leaf but Sidney Hewlett of Rodley assured me that the name arose for the reverse reason, that is the leaf grows under the fruit. Inspection of trees in full fruit leaves me undecided as to the true reason. (Source: CM)
Tip bearing.