Duchess of Oldenburg

Duchess of Oldenburg
Species	Apple
Trees Found	1
Orchards	Cyrus
Preserved	Clarno Arboretum(2025)

Duchess of Oldenburg is a apple variety found in 2 tree(s) across Central Oregon heritage orchards.

Description

Duchess of Oldenburg is a heritage apple variety with a rich history in American orchards.

Characteristics

Attribute	Details
Origin	Tula region south of Moscow, Russia; originated late 1700s
Harvest Season	Early (mid-August)
Flavor Profile	Distinctly tart/sharp; lemony and herbaceous; yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy flesh
Storage	Poor - about 1 week; softens quickly

Uses

• Cooking (excellent)
• Pies
• Applesauce
• Baking

History

Named after Catherine Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, sister of Tsar Alexander. Also known as Borovinka in Russia. Imported to USA in 1835 by Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Foundation of University of Minnesota's cold-hardy apple breeding program.

Trees

Tree	Orchard	Tag	Condition
Cyrus Tree 22	Cyrus	22	fair

USDA Pomological Watercolors

• 
  POM00000795 by Shull, James Marion, Vincennes
• 
  POM00000965 by Shull, James Marion, Saint Joseph

U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705