Ashland

Apple

Ashland

Origin/History

Origin in Clermont County, Ohio (Downing). Elliott identifies it simply as American.

Tree

Upright habit, moderate grower, a good and annual bearer (Downing). Not described in Elliott.

Fruit

Size: Medium (both sources agree).

Form: Downing describes the fruit as approaching conic and truncate. Elliott describes it as roundish flattened and slightly conical. The two sources are in partial conflict: Downing emphasizes a conic tendency with a flattened apex (truncate), while Elliott emphasizes a flattened, roundish form with only a slight conical tendency.

Stem: Short (both sources agree). Downing adds that the stem is small.

Cavity: The two sources conflict directly. Downing describes a large, open cavity surrounded by greenish russet. Elliott describes the cavity as narrow and deep, with no mention of russet.

Calyx: Open (Downing). Small (Elliott).

Basin: Round and abrupt (Downing). Shallow (Elliott).

Skin: Both sources agree on a striped pattern over a yellow-green ground, with prominent dots, but differ in specifics. Downing describes the ground as yellowish, striped and shaded with carmine, and considerably sprinkled with large light dots. Elliott describes the ground as dull greenish yellow, striped and splashed with dull red mingled with bluish gray, with large russet dots.

Flesh and Flavor: Tender (both sources agree). Downing describes the flesh as yellow, juicy, with a very pleasant mild subacid flavor, and rates it Very Good. Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish white, sweet, and dry — and explicitly rates it as hardly "very good," placing the quality below Downing's assessment. The two sources thus conflict on flesh color (yellow vs. yellowish white), moisture (juicy vs. dry), and overall quality rating.

Core and Seeds: Core small; seeds ovate and flattened (Elliott only). Not described in Downing.

Season

Downing gives January to April. Elliott gives November to January. The two seasons overlap only at January; Downing's season extends substantially later into spring, while Elliott's begins earlier in autumn.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Ashland.

Origin, Clermont Co., O. Tree upright, moderate grower, a good and annual bearer.

Fruit medium, approaching conic, truncate, yellowish, striped and shaded with carmine, and considerably sprinkled with large light dots. Stalk small and short, inserted in a large open cavity surrounded by greenish russet. Calyx open, set in a round, abrupt basin. Flesh yellow, tender, juicy, with a very pleasant, mild, subacid flavor. Very good. January to April.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Ashland.

American. Fruit, medium, roundish flattened, slightly conical, dull greenish yellow, striped and splashed with dull red mingled with bluish gray, and large russet dots: flesh, yellowish white, tender, sweet, dry; hardly "very good;" stem, short; cavity, narrow, deep; calyx, small; basin, shallow; core, small; seeds, ovate flattened. November to January.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)