''The Cambrian Journal'' (Vol. 111, 1858) contains a list of names for about 200 Welsh

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

s, the majority of which were from the Monmouth area. In 1999 a single apple tree was identified by

Ian Sturrock Ian Sturrock is a rescuer and restorer of orchards and apple trees, saving apple varieties from extinction. He discovered the last remaining Bardsey Island#Bardsey Island apple, Bardsey apple, and rescued the Diamond apple, as well as many other W ...

Bardsey Island Bardsey Island ( cy, Ynys Enlli), known as the legendary "Island of 20,000 Saints", is located off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", while its English name refers to the "Islan ...

(located at the end of the

Llŷn Peninsula The Llŷn Peninsula ( cy, Penrhyn Llŷn or , ) extends into the Irish Sea from North West Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the historic county of Caernarfonshire, and historic region and local authority area of Gwynedd. Mu ...

North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...

). Its uniqueness and the rugged location was seized upon by the media and it was described as "The rarest tree in the world". This media coverage seems to have sparked a resurgence in Welsh apple varieties. The gnarled and twisted tree, growing by the side of ''Plas Bach'', is believed to be the only survivor of an orchard that was tended by the monks who lived there a thousand years ago. In 1998, experts on the varieties of British apples at the ''

National Fruit Collection The United Kingdom's National Fruit Collection is one of the largest collections of fruit trees and plants in the world. Over 2,040 varieties of apple, 502 of pear, 350 of plum, 322 of cherry and smaller collections of bush fruits, nuts and grap ...

'' in

Brogdale Brogdale is a hamlet in Kent, England, immediately south of the M2 motorway, south of Faversham. It is one of several hamlets making up the civil parish of Ospringe and is in the Borough of Swale. Its western half is in the Kent Downs Area of O ...

stated that they believed this tree was the only example of a previously unrecorded cultivar, the ''Bardsey Apple ( cy, Afal Enlli)''. The cultivar has since been propagated by grafting and is available commercially. The

National Botanic Garden of Wales The National Botanic Garden of Wales ( cy, Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru) is a botanical garden located in Llanarthney in the River Tywi valley, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The garden is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical rese ...

Llanarthney Llanarthney ( cy, Llanarthne; ) is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales. Situated on the B4300 road 12 km (7.5 miles) east of Carmarthen and 10 km (6 miles) west of Llandeilo, the community had a population at the ...

, Carmarthenshire is planting a Welsh Apple variety collection and hopes to publish a Welsh Pomona in the coming years, with over 50 varieties with Welsh or possible Welsh connections, but not including Foreman's Crew (1826 from Merthyr Tydfil) which remains lost. Several dozen cultivars are available commercially. There is a Welsh Perry and Cider Society and several commercial orchards growing Welsh varieties, as well as school and community groups with small orchards.

Lost varieties

The list given in the 1858 ''Cambrian Journal'' includes the following varieties: * Afal Basst * Afal Gwdyr * Afal Illtud * Afal Madog * Blas Y Cwrw * Cydodyn * Pippin Bach Llydan * Pippin Dulas * Rhobin There is no further record of any of these cultivars in later documents. In a two-year study, which involved finding, cataloguing and preserving new apple and pear varieties in Wales, researchers uncovered 73 previously unrecorded varieties of Welsh cider apples and perry pears: These are bringing the total number varieties native to the country to 101. The study has been jointly run by University of South Wales and the Welsh Perry & Cider Society.Researchers uncover 73 ‘new’ Welsh apple and pear varieties
retrieved 19 January 2019

List of current varieties

References

{{reflist Welsh Agriculture in Wales