AMASSIA

Origin and History

Hogg (1884) describes Amassia as "a very beautiful and ornamental apple" and notes it as "the apple most generally grown in Asia Minor on the shores of the Mediterranean."

Tree

Growth and Form: Moderately vigorous or slow grower. Form upright spreading.

Twigs: Short to rather long, straight or nearly so; moderately stout; internodes medium to long.

Bark: Dull dark reddish-brown with light streaks of scarf-skin; slightly pubescent.

Lenticels: Scattering, rather inconspicuous, oblong or roundish in shape, medium size.

Buds: Medium in size, broad, obtuse, rather prominent, pubescent, almost free.

Leaves: Moderately long and narrow.

Fruit

Size and Form: Usually medium or below medium, sometimes nearly large. Form ovate or roundish conic, slightly ribbed; sides sometimes compressed; fairly uniform in shape and size.

Stem: Medium to long, rather slender.

Cavity: Acute to acuminate, narrow, medium to rather deep, often compressed, smooth or partly russeted.

Calyx: Small to very small, usually closed.

Basin: Small, varying from obtuse and very shallow to moderately deep and abrupt; often furrowed and corrugated.

Skin and Surface: Smooth, somewhat waxy. Clear pale yellow or greenish. In well-colored specimens, largely covered with a bright deep blush and somewhat striped with carmine. Dots whitish, small but rather conspicuous. When well colored, the general effect is that of a solid deep blush, which in contrast with the pale green or yellow gives a decidedly attractive appearance.

Calyx Tube: Funnel-form, moderately wide and deep, with pistil point projecting into its base. Stamens median or nearly marginal.

Core and Seeds: Core medium to small, abaxile, closed or sometimes slightly open; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish ovate to oblong ovate, emarginate. Seeds few, medium to small, plump, obtuse, light brown.

Flesh and Flavor: Nearly white, firm, moderately fine-grained, rather crisp, tender, juicy, with pleasing aroma. Mild subacid, becoming sweet or nearly so. Quality good to very good. Under favorable conditions, attractive in form and color with bright red blush and pleasant, sweet or nearly sweet flavor. Under less favorable conditions, not uniformly well colored and apt to fall below medium size.

Season

December to March or April.

Uses

Dessert use. The variety is classed among sweet apples and may not be grown extensively in commercial orchards due to color inconsistency under variable conditions and classification as a sweet apple rather than a culinary type.

Other

When fruited here under favorable conditions, Amassia is attractive in form and color. Under less favorable conditions, it is not uniformly well colored and is apt to fall below medium size.