Alexander
| Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Species | Apple |
| Trees Found | 5 |
| Orchards | McCoin Lower |
| Preserved | Clarno Arboretum(2025) |
Large and handsome, flesh juicy with a pleasant aromatic flavour, a variety which when grown under glass produces particularly handsome fruit, it forms a large pyramid and is suitable for the orchard. September to December. Read the full entry: Alexander on the Variety Finder for deeper history, every book quote, and all nursery catalog references.
Quick Facts
| Type | Apple |
| Season | Mid (Mid-fall (September to October)) |
| Flavor | sweet, subacid, mild, aromatic |
| Flavor notes | Quite sweet, slightly scented like fresh-baked apple pie; firm, coarse, crisp flesh |
| Uses | cooking, fresh eating, baking, exhibition |
| Keeping quality | Fair |
| Size | Very Large |
| Shape | Oblate Conic |
| Skin color | red, crimson, yellow, green, orange, striped, dark, pink |
| Flesh | Cream coarse |
| Origin | Ukraine, Russia, c. 1200. Ukraine/Russia; possibly as early as the 12th century as 'Aport'; introduced to England 1805, USA around 1817 |
Synonyms
Albertin, Alexander the First, Alexandre, Aporta, Aporta Nalivia, Aubertin, Beauty of Queen, Belle d'Orleans, Comte Woronzoff, Corail, Empereur Alexandre I, Empereur Alexandre de Russie, Empereur de Russie, Emperor Alexander, English King, Fin d'Automne, Grand Alexander, Grand Alexandre, Gros-Alexandre, Jolly Gentleman, Kaiser Alexander, Kief's Koy, Korallen Apfel, Phönix, Phœnix, Pomona Britannica, Président Napoleon, Russian Emperor, Stoke Tulip, Victoria, Wolf River, Wunderapfel
Fruit
Size
Fruit very large to large, uniform in size and shape (Beach, Hedrick, Lowther, Hansen, Budd-Hansen, Downing, Warder, Thomas, Elliott, Fisher). Bunyard gives dimensions of 4 by 3 inches. The Herefordshire Pomona records an exhibition specimen measuring five inches in diameter, four inches in depth, and sixteen inches in circumference, weighing nineteen ounces.
Form
Heart-shaped (Herefordshire Pomona); regularly formed, conical (Downing); conical, truncated, sometimes obscurely angular (Warder); roundish conic to slightly oblate conic, regular or approaching broadly angular, symmetrical (Beach); roundish, slightly conical, symmetrical (Lowther); round-conic to oblate-conic, regular or approaching broadly angular, symmetrical (Hedrick); regular, conical (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); round, conical, flattened on five sides (Bunyard); oblate, inclined to conic, regular (Thomas); conical, flattened at base (Elliott); slightly oblate-conical (Fisher).
Stem
Stalk an inch or more in length, inserted in a deep, round, and even cavity, which is lined with russet (Herefordshire Pomona). Stalk rather slender, three-fourths of an inch long, planted in a deep cavity (Downing). Stem medium to short, stout (Warder); medium to rather short, moderately thick (Beach); short, thick (Hedrick); short, knobbed at base (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); small (Elliott, Thomas); rather long, in a deep and wide russet-lined cavity (Bunyard).
Cavity
Rather deep, narrow, regular, brown (Warder); deep (Elliott, Downing); regular, deep, with trace of russet (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); rather deep (Thomas); deep, round, and even, lined with russet (Herefordshire Pomona); acute to acuminate, deep, broad, symmetrical, occasionally lipped, russeted, often with broad, conspicuous, outspreading russet rays (Beach); acute, deep, broad, symmetrical, occasionally lipped, russeted, often with broad, conspicuous outspreading russet rays (Hedrick); deep and wide, russet-lined (Bunyard).
Calyx / Eye
Eye small, long, closed (Warder). Eye large and half open, with broad, erect, and acuminate segments (Herefordshire Pomona). Calyx large, set in a deep basin (Downing). Calyx medium to large, usually open; lobes medium to short, rather narrow, acute (Beach). Calyx large, open; lobes short, narrow, acute (Hedrick). Calyx large (Elliott, Thomas). Calyx open (Hansen, Budd-Hansen). Eye closed, in a rather deep and plaited basin, which is topped by five angular ribs (Bunyard).
Basin
Medium, regular (Warder); deep, even, and slightly ribbed (Herefordshire Pomona); deep, even (Thomas, Elliott); rather small, deep, narrow to nearly medium in width, abrupt, nearly smooth, symmetrical (Beach); small, deep, narrow, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical (Hedrick); narrow, abrupt, slightly corrugated (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); rather deep and plaited, topped by five angular ribs (Bunyard).
Skin
Surface smooth, pale yellow, striped and splashed distinctly bright red, sometimes shaded mixed red; dots minute (Warder). Skin smooth, greenish yellow, with a few streaks of red on the shaded side, and orange, streaked with bright red next the sun; the whole strewed with numerous russety dots (Herefordshire Pomona). Skin greenish-yellow, faintly streaked with red on the shaded side, but orange, brilliantly streaked, and marked with bright red in the sun (Downing). Skin moderately thick, tough, smooth, glossy, somewhat waxy, greenish or pale yellow deepening to orange-yellow in the sun, often entirely overspread with lively red or handsomely striped and splashed with bright carmine; dots inconspicuous, small, scattering; prevailing effect red or striped (Beach). Hedrick: skin thick, tough, smooth, glossy, waxen, pale yellow deepening to orange-yellow in the sun, overspread with lively red or striped and splashed with carmine; dots inconspicuous, scattering; prevailing effect red or striped. Lowther: skin moderately thick, tough, smooth, glossy, somewhat waxy, greenish or pale yellow deepening to orange in the sun; in the arid regions of bright sunshine, it is often of a deep red color. Hansen and Budd-Hansen: surface greenish yellow, faintly streaked with red on shaded side, but orange on the sunny side, almost wholly covered with bright crimson stripes and splashes, a showy fruit; dots obscure, few, minute, gray. Bunyard: colour golden-yellow, with broad red stripes and flush. Elliott: red streaked on greenish yellow. Thomas: streaked with bright red on greenish-yellow. Fisher: red or striped; "red or little striped." The fruit is apt to crack and decay about the stem and calyx and often becomes discolored where it is chafed by constantly rubbing against some twig or branch (Beach, Lowther, Hedrick).
Flesh / Flavor
Flesh whitish, breaking, not fine grained, juicy; flavor acid, not rich; quality scarcely good, except for cooking (Warder). Flesh yellowish white, tender, crisp, juicy, and sugary, with a pleasant and slightly aromatic flavour (Herefordshire Pomona). Flesh yellowish-white, crisp, tender, and juicy, with a rather pleasant flavor; good (Downing). Flesh nearly white with faint yellow tinge, firm, coarse, moderately crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid, fair to good (Beach). Flesh faint yellow, firm, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; fair to good (Hedrick). Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender and juicy with a rather pleasant flavor, good (Hansen, Budd-Hansen). Flesh, pale yellow, tender, sweet (Bunyard). Flesh rather crisp, sub-acid, good; a coarse sort, only for cooking (Thomas). Flesh coarse, crisp (Elliott). Coarse in texture, medium to good in quality, suitable for culinary rather than for dessert use (Beach). The apples fail in being coarse in texture and so poor in quality as to be suitable only for culinary purposes (Hedrick). Better for culinary purposes than for dessert (Lowther).
Core / Seeds
Core wide, regular, nearly closed, clasping; axis short; seeds large (Warder). Core small, usually axile; cells often not uniformly developed, closed or very slightly open; core lines slightly clasping; carpels elliptical to slightly ovate, emarginate; seeds medium in size, wide, short, rather plump, obtuse to acute (Beach). Calyx tube variable, long to short, wide to medium, conical to funnel-shape; stamens median to basal (Beach). Hedrick: core small, usually axile; cells closed or slightly open; core-lines clasping; carpels elliptical, emarginate; seeds wide, short, plump, obtuse; calyx-tube variable, long, wide, conical; stamens median. Hansen and Budd-Hansen: core open; cells ovate, slit; tube conical; stamens basal; seeds short, plump. Bunyard notes that Alexander may be distinguished from Bismarck by the short round seeds.
Season
Warder: August and September. Downing, Hansen, Budd-Hansen: October to December. Herefordshire Pomona: September to December. Beach: September and October or early November; season begins in September and extends through October or into November; may be held in cold storage till November. Hedrick: September to November. Bunyard: September to November. Lowther: in good demand from September to the first of November. Thomas: late autumn. Elliott: October. Fisher: September and October; in storage until November. Fruit ripens continuously during a period of from four to six weeks, so it should have more than one picking (Beach, Hedrick, Fisher). It does not stand heat well before going into storage and should be shipped the day it is picked and under ice (Beach). Fruit falls badly from the tree (Warder); considerable loss from premature dropping (Beach, Hedrick, Lowther). It does not keep well in either common or cold storage (Hedrick).
Uses
More adapted for culinary than dessert use, but when well coloured it presents a very noble appearance on the table (Herefordshire Pomona). Suitable for culinary rather than for dessert use; coarse in texture, medium to good in quality (Beach, Hedrick, Lowther). Quality scarcely good, except for cooking (Warder). A coarse sort, only for cooking (Thomas). Culinary or dessert (Bunyard); valued chiefly on the exhibition table (Bunyard). Used to some extent for export trade; can be recommended for planting in commercial orchards to a limited extent (Beach). Showy; very showy, its chief recommendation (Elliott, Thomas, Hansen, Budd-Hansen). Much used as a filler in some apple regions, and as a permanent tree where hardiness is a determinant (Hedrick). Fisher (1963): culinary.
Illustrations
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S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
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Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
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Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705
Sources
- S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905). Public domain.
- J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914). Public domain.
- John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867). Public domain.
- E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920). Public domain.
- A.J. Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869). Public domain.
- F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865). Public domain.
- Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914). Public domain.
- H.H. Fisher, A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (USDA ARS, 1963). Public domain.
- N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (South Dakota Ag. Exp. Station Bulletin 76, 1902). Public domain.
- U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922). Public domain.
- Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885). Public domain.
- John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903). Public domain.
- 70 historical nursery catalog references (see Variety Finder for the full list).
- Full entry with all citations: Alexander on the Variety Finder
