Chelmsford Wonder

Once a widely grown and popular cooking apple.

Origin: Essex UK, 1870

Pollination: Chelmsford Wonder is self-sterile and would require a pollinator to produce a crop.Find pollination partners >

British-grown All our bare-root trees are personally hand-grafted by our Nursery Manager and grown on at our nursery in Kent. We have Defra and Plant Healthy certification. More ...

We are now closed for the season. Ordering for winter 2026/27 will be enabled from Friday 1st May 2026.

History and description of Chelmsford Wonder

Raised by a mechanic living near Chelmsford, Essex c 1870. Introduced by the nurseryman William Saltmarsh in 1890. Received RHS First Class Certificate and Award of Merit in 1891. Formerly grown in the UK. Large, slightly flattened, round fruit. Colourful with a pinky orange flush over a yellow skin. Pale cream flesh cooking to a sharp, well flavoured, cream coloured puree. Soft and juicy when baked. Keeps well.

Characteristics of Chelmsford Wonder apple trees

Use	Culinary
Colour	Flushed
Flavour	Acid
Fruit size	Large
Picking time	Early Oct
Season of use	Nov-Mar
Tree vigour	Moderate
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Good
Pollination date	12
Pollination group	D
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners