Discovery Apple Tree

The 'Discovery' apple is an early-season dessert apple cultivar, first introduced to the market by Suffolk nurseryman Jack Matthews around 1949. It was developed by George Dummer, a fruit farm worker from Blacksmiths Corner, Langham, Essex, who raised several apple seedlings from an open-pollinated 'Worcester Pearmain'. The pollinator for this cultivar was 'Beauty of Bath'. 'Discovery' is one of the most popular English early apples and is grown commercially on a small scale in the UK. It stands out among early apple varieties for having a reasonable shelf-life of about a week or so. The apple itself is characterized by a sweet and acidic flavor that appeals to most people, a hard and crisp texture, and lots of juice. The fruit typically measures about 66 mm (2.6 inches) in width and 48 mm (1.9 inches) in height. 'Discovery' belongs to pollination group 3 and is suitable for growing in all but the coldest areas of the UK.