D'Arcy Spice

A famous old variety from Essex with a distinctive spicy flavour.

Origin: Essex UK, 1785

Pollination: D'Arcy Spice 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 ...

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Egremont Russet

History and description of D'Arcy Spice

D'Arcy Spice was found in the garden of The Hall, Tolleshunt d’Arcy, Essex, in about 1785 but possibly older. Introduced in 1848 by John Harris, nurseryman of Broomfield, near Chelmsford, Essex as Baddow Pippin. A late dessert apple needing plenty of autumn sunshine to bring out its full flavour. The fruit hangs well on the tree and keeps well in storage. It is traditionally not picked until Guy Fawkes Day (5th November) and then stored before use.

Medium sized fruit, oblong, rather irregular, distinctly ribbed and five crowned. Tough dry, greenish yellow skin sometimes with a trace of reddish-brown flush. Many dark ochre russet patches. The flesh is white tinged green, firm and juicy. It has a distinct spicy, nutmeg-like flavour.

A very slow growing tree. Produces spurs fairly freely. Erratic cropper.

Characteristics of D'Arcy Spice apple trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Russet
Flavour	Spicy
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Late Oct
Season of use	Dec-May
Tree vigour	Moderate
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Erratic
Disease resistance	Scab - Resistant Mildew - Resistant Canker - Resistant
Suitable for	Late Frost Wet Regions
Pollination date	14
Pollination group	D
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners