The British apple family tree has always had some noticeable gaps. It is comparable to having a great-grandfather whose name has been lost to time. In every old picture, there he is, looking right at you. However, who is he?
For example, the DNA of some apple cultivars reveals that they are derived from an unidentified, vanished tree, indicating that it must have existed. Scientists dubbed Unknown Founder 8 the “ghost apple,” and cultivars like Royal Jubilee and Hormead’s Pearmain are descended from him.
But researchers are no longer the only ones who study DNA. In an attempt to learn more about vintage varieties and possibly make some unexpected findings, apple enthusiasts in the UK are currently collecting samples from very ancient apple trees.
Since most apples are grafts, or clones, of trees that grew in the past, you might not be able to purchase these old plants because traditional favorites have been supplanted by industrial crops. For those who are curious, you can send a few of the vibrantly green, newly fallen leaves from an old tree in your backyard to a lab in the spring. You will receive a match if someone has already submitted a sample that has been positively identified as a specific variety.
