Abram
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Abram
Origin/History
Origin believed to be Virginia, from which Warder received specimens and trees. Downing states the origin as unknown, but notes the variety was grown extensively in Eastern Virginia and North Carolina. Warder distinguishes this variety from the "Father Abraham" of Coxe, noting it is sometimes called Father Abraham of Illinois. Found in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kentucky, where it was introduced by southern settlers and is not extensively cultivated farther north except in those communities.
Tree
Hardy, drooping habit, holding the fruit well on the branches. Annually productive. (Warder.)
Fruit
Size: Warder describes the fruit as medium; Downing describes it as below medium.
Form: Globular-oblate, uneven (Warder). Downing gives the form as roundish.
Stem: Long, inclined (Warder).
Cavity: Acute, regular (Warder).
Calyx: Eye small, closed (Warder).
Basin: Shallow, wide, wavy (Warder).
Skin: Surface not smooth. Ground color yellowish green, mixed and splashed with red stripes and splashes, the whole presenting a gray appearance overall (Warder). Downing describes it as yellow, shaded and splashed with red. Dots minute and scattered (Warder); Downing describes many light dots.
Flesh/Flavor: Warder describes the flesh as greenish-yellow, fine-grained, and juicy, with a mild sub-acid, rich flavor, rating it almost first quality. Downing describes the flesh as white and tender, subacid, rating the variety "Good." The two sources conflict on flesh color: greenish-yellow (Warder) vs. white (Downing).
Core/Seeds: Core medium, regular, closed. Seeds numerous, short, plump, pale (Warder).
Season
Downing gives the season as December to March. Warder states the fruit keeps until May or later, and in Kentucky was noted to keep until July of the following year. The two sources thus disagree substantially on keeping duration, with Warder indicating a significantly longer storage life than Downing.
Uses
Valued for cider. Also a good keeping apple for table use through the winter and well into the following year (Warder).
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Abram.
FATHER ABRAHAM, of Illinois, not that of Coxe.
This little southern favorite is not extensively cultivated in the North, except where southern settlers have introduced it. It is found in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. Origin believed to have been in Virginia, whence I have received specimens and trees. In Kentucky it is found to be a hardy drooping tree, holding the fruit well; annually productive, valued for cider, and keeping till July of next year.
Fruit medium, globular-oblate, uneven; Surface not smooth, yellowish green, mixed, red, with stripes and splashes; the whole presenting a gray appearance; Dots minute, scattered.
Basin shallow, wide, wavy; Eye small, closed.
Cavity acute, regular; Stem long, inclined.
Core medium, regular, closed; Seeds numerous, short, plump, pale; Flesh greenish-yellow, fine grained, juicy; flavor mild sub-acid, rich; almost first quality; keeping until May or later.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Abram.
Origin unknown. Grown extensively in Eastern Virginia and North Carolina
Fruit below medium, roundish, yellow shaded, and splashed with red. Many light dots. Flesh white, tender, subacid. "Good." December to March.