American Summer Pearmain

Origin/History

The American Summer Pearmain is supposed to be of American origin. It appears to be quite different from the Summer Pearmain of the English, and is probably a seedling raised from it (Downing). Thomas likewise notes it is distinct from the English Summer or Autumn Pearmain, in its larger size, higher red, more oblong form, and superior quality. It is essentially a fruit for the amateur; being of slender and slow growth in the nursery, it is not a favorite with the propagators, and though making a large and productive tree in the orchard, it is not profitable as a market variety (Warder). Elliott concurs that as an orchard fruit it will not "pay," but that it cannot be dispensed with for supplying home wants.

Tree

Moderately vigorous, with slender branches, round-headed (Downing). Young shoots dull reddish-brown (Downing). Growth in the nursery is slow, but it makes a large and productive tree in the orchard (Warder). The tree requires thinning out of small branches, but as it fruits mostly on the ends of branches, should never be shortened back (Elliott). It requires a deep, warm soil, well supplied with lime and potash, when it succeeds admirably in all sections (Elliott). Thomas likewise notes it needs good and rich cultivation.

Fruit

Size: Medium. Warder notes the size varies as grown on top or bottom limbs, and in good or poor soil (Elliott concurs on variability with position and soil).

Form: Variable. Warder describes it as oblong, round, conic, and even oblate, regular or unequal. Downing describes it as oblong, widest at the crown, and tapering slightly to the eye. Elliott gives it as roundish oblong, sometimes angular, noting the form varies with position on the tree and soil quality. Thomas describes it as oblong, slightly inclining to truncate-conical.

Stem: Warder gives medium to long. Downing gives three-fourths of an inch long, pretty deeply inserted. Elliott gives medium, projecting about even with the surface. Thomas gives nearly one inch long.

Cavity: Rather deep, acute, regular (Warder). Elliott describes it as narrow. Downing does not describe the cavity separately but notes the stalk is pretty deeply inserted.

Calyx/Eye: Warder describes the eye as rather large, nearly closed, with segments recurved. Downing describes the eye as deeply sunk, calyx closed, segments short and erect. Elliott describes the calyx as open, erect, slightly recurved — conflicting with both Warder and Downing on whether the calyx is closed or open.

Basin: Descriptions vary. Warder gives medium, regular. Downing gives abrupt, slightly corrugated. Elliott gives deep, round, smooth. Thomas gives round, even, distinct.

Skin: Smooth, greenish yellow, more or less covered with dull purplish red, marbled, and made up of very short splashes, with distinct stripes and splashes of brighter red; dots minute (Warder). Downing describes it as red, spotted with yellow in the shade, but streaked with livelier red and yellow on the sunny side. Elliott gives red, streaked and dotted with grayish yellow. Thomas describes it as nearly covered with fine broken streaks and dots of red. The overall pattern across sources is a predominantly red apple with yellow showing through as spots, streaks, and dots, the coloring varying with sun exposure.

Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellow, exceedingly tender, almost melting, crisp, fine-grained, juicy; flavor very mild sub-acid, aromatic, deliciously refreshing (Warder). Downing describes the flesh as yellow, remarkably tender, with a rich and pleasant flavor, and notes the fruit often bursts in falling from the tree. Thomas likewise notes it is very tender, often bursts in falling, with fine sub-acid flavor. Elliott gives tender, sub-acid. Quality best (Warder, Downing, Elliott all concur).

Core/Seeds: Core small, roundish, closed; seeds small, pointed (Warder). Downing gives core medium — conflicting with Warder's small. Elliott gives core small, seeds ovate pyriform — agreeing with Warder on core size but differing on seed shape (Warder: small, pointed; Elliott: ovate pyriform).

Season

Ripens gradually from the tenth of August to the last of September (Downing). Warder gives August and September. Elliott notes it rarely ripens earlier than September except at the South, ripening gradually during the whole of September. Thomas describes it as continuing to ripen for several weeks in late summer and early autumn. The gradual ripening over an extended period is emphasized by all sources.

Uses

A dessert apple (Warder). Essentially a fruit for the amateur and home use, not profitable as a market variety (Warder, Elliott). Elliott stresses it cannot be dispensed with for supplying home wants, as it ripens gradually over an extended period.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.