Suntan apple - any opinions?

[seneca196]

One of the best apples I tasted last year was called Suntan and I wondered what others on this forum thought about it. It's not a new variety, but I had only ever seen in it books and never come across one to taste, let alone heard of anyone growing it.
It was at an apple weekend and when I asked about it, I was told it was very vigorous and prone to canker, hence not so popular as a garden variety. Has anyone ever grown it? If so, which rootstock and form? It's not widely available from most nurseries and then only in limited choices of rootstock.
I'd be interested in peoples experiences and what they thought of it's taste. Incidentally, it's a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Court Pendu Plat and I found it tasted like a sharper, more acidic version of a Cox. Being a big Cox fan I loved it and have been thinking about maybe trying to grow one. Even though it's as problematic as a cox, it might just be worth the hassle.

[fishpond]

Raised in 1956 in Kent.
Apparently also prone to Bitter Pit.
Vigorous.
Pineapple-like acidity.
But other than that above out of one of my books, I have never heard of it or tasted it--sorry.
Note:-Everything you say about it tallies up with what this book says.

[yummersetter]

I grow it, my tree took a long time to come into bearing. Its OK but not the finest or most special apple I grow. It is one of the latest apples in the orchard to ripen.

[seneca196]

Its OK but not the finest or most special apple I grow.

Oh well... each to his own I suppose. Might be that the orchard's was having a "good" year or something, but I thought it was a bit special.

Go on then, tell us a few of your favorites. In particular the "special ones"

[yummersetter]

Of course, the one you loved might be in a better place than mine, which is surrounded by taller, older apple trees. And I'm finding more and more that apples can be different each year . . sometimes the weather ( or the time of picking / storage) just suit a normally unexceptional apple and make it really special. I was so lucky to get over 100 apple trees by auction in a crazy way, by alphabetical sets ( in my case from N to R ) so I've been able to try fruit that I would never have selected out of a catalogue.

I still like a lot of my 30 replacement plantings that went in in 1990 when I inherited an ancient orchard - Sunset, Pitmaston Pineapple, Orleans Reinette, Kidd's Orange Red, Blenheim and Jupiter have never disappointed. Ashmeads, Lord Lamborne, Ellisons, Laxton's Superb, Ribston have had good and bad years, James Grieve, Cox, Bramley, Golden Russet from the original old trees are always reliable.

From the 'Lucky Dip' set, Red Melba is a glorious and special, early apple, along with Oaken Pin and Owen Thomas. I've got a lot of good Reds - Alkamene, Fortune, Windsor and Redsleeves are delicious, as was Red Delicious last year, once we'd learned to leave it on the tree for as long as possible to ripen.
Cox has gone out of fashion now as its often so mundane when bought from supermarkets, but a home grown, correctly picked and stored Cox or Queen Cox apple is as special as English fruits can be, really full of a unique and wonderful flavour.

[FB.]

I was told it was very vigorous and prone to canker, hence not so popular as a garden variety. Has anyone ever grown it? If so, which rootstock and form?

I had one, as a bush, on MM106.
It was vigorous and from memory its branches were quite thick like a Bramley.

Unfortunately mine was prone to mildew (contrary to claims that it is resistant) which damaged or killed most of the new shoots so it didn't really manage to put on much healthy new growth, especially as the mildew got worse each year.

It didn't suffer canker but was only with me for a few years before its MM106 rootstock showed signs of Phytopthora crown rot and the roots died which cut off water and nutrient supply to the whole tree.
Even if the roots hadn't died I would probably have removed it due to it struggling against the mildew attacks.
And maybe canker would have attacked it eventually.

[boundtothesoil]

According to 'The book of Apples' by Joan Morgan and Allison Richards, Suntan was bred by H M Tydeman, a prominent researcher and breeder at East Malling Research Station (also responsible for Tydeman's early Worcester, which is also prone to canker). From what I can gather, the scientists at East Malling spent many decades almost obsessively trying to breed an improved Cox, without really succeeding. The number of really good varieties emerging from East Malling during this period is very small. This was probably a factor in the eventual winding up of the main apple breeding program and the ending of government support for the program.

Interestingly, the latest incarnation of East Malling (no longer a research council governed institute) has recently announced it is to restart breeding in conjunction with a private company.

[ioan]

One of the best apples I tasted last year was called Suntan and I wondered what others on this forum thought about it. It's not a new variety, but I had only ever seen in it books and never come across one to taste, let alone heard of anyone growing it.
It was at an apple weekend and when I asked about it, I was told it was very vigorous and prone to canker, hence not so popular as a garden variety. Has anyone ever grown it? If so, which rootstock and form? It's not widely available from most nurseries and then only in limited choices of rootstock.
I'd be interested in peoples experiences and what they thought of it's taste. Incidentally, it's a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Court Pendu Plat and I found it tasted like a sharper, more acidic version of a Cox. Being a big Cox fan I loved it and have been thinking about maybe trying to grow one. Even though it's as problematic as a cox, it might just be worth the hassle.

Hi
keepers nurseries have suntan on m9 rootstock . In their sale......
its my first attempt at apples this year so looking forward to home grown taste.
I have very little space so have tried to clothe the shed with .
stepover sunset. Espalier red falstaff. Cordon scrumptious. And red windser.
I purchased these this year on the strength of what I have read. Assuming I will eventually
have a crop I hope they don't dissapoint.
kind regards
ioan