Bledsoe Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Bledsoe Pippin
Origin / History
Originated in Carroll County, Kentucky, raised by John Bledsoe (Downing). Sent to Ohio by Lewis Sanders (Warder). Elliott records it as claimed to be a seedling and new, citing A. H. Ernst's manuscript, and notes it resembles White Pippin. Downing describes it as "a promising winter Apple for the South." Budd & Hansen give the origin simply as Kentucky.
Tree
Growth moderate (Downing) / moderately vigorous (Warder), rather spreading, productive. No further details on bark, twigs, lenticels, buds, or leaves provided in the sources.
Fruit
Size: Very large (Downing, Budd & Hansen); large (Warder, Elliott).
Form: Regular, roundish, somewhat conical, flattened at the base. Downing adds that it tapers to the apex. Elliott describes it as conical, flattened at base.
Stem / Stalk: Short.
Cavity: Deep. Warder describes it as brown; Downing and Budd & Hansen note it is slightly russeted. Elliott describes the cavity simply as deep.
Calyx / Eye: Medium and closed (Warder); partly closed (Downing); half open (Budd & Hansen); small and closed (Elliott).
Basin: Sometimes folded (Warder); somewhat furrowed (Downing); somewhat corrugated (Budd & Hansen); shallow (Elliott).
Skin / Surface: Greenish-yellow, very obscurely striped (Downing); obscurely striped (Budd & Hansen). Warder describes the surface simply as greenish-yellow. Elliott describes the skin as smooth, greenish yellow, light bronze at the base, with brownish specks.
Flesh / Flavor: White, fine-grained (Warder, Budd & Hansen) / fine texture (Downing), crisp (Warder, Downing, Budd & Hansen) / tender (Elliott), juicy. Flavor mild, agreeable subacid (Warder, Budd & Hansen) / mild, pleasant subacid (Downing). Quality good — the Kentucky Horticultural Society says "very good" (Warder); Elliott also reports "very good."
Core / Seeds: Core open; seeds large, light brown (Elliott). Not further described in the other sources.
Season
September to April (Warder); December to April (Downing, Budd & Hansen); March and April (Elliott).
Uses
Not described in source, beyond Downing's note that it is a promising winter apple for the South.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott notes that Bledsoe Pippin resembles White Pippin.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Bledsoe
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Bledsoe
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Bledsoe
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1901) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Bledsoe
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Bledsoe
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Bledsoe.
From Carroll County, Kentucky; Sent to Ohio by Lewis Sanders. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading, productive.
Fruit large, round, somewhat conical, flattened at the base, regular; Surface greenish-yellow.
Basin sometimes folded; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity deep, brown; Stem short.
Flesh white, fine-grained, crisp, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, agreeable; Quality good—Kentucky Horticultural Society say "very good;" Season, September to April.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bledsoe Pippin.
Raised by John Bledsoe, of Carroll Co., Kentucky. Growth moderate, rather spreading, productive, a promising winter Apple for the South.
Fruit very large, regular, roundish, flattened at the base, tapering to the apex, greenish yellow, very obscurely striped. Stalk short. Cavity deep, slightly russeted. Calyx partly closed, in a somewhat furrowed basin. Flesh white, fine texture, crisp, juicy, with a mild, pleasant subacid flavor. Good. December to April. (Ky. Hort. Soc.)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bledsoe. Bledsoe Pippin.
"From Kentucky. Resembles White Pippin. Fruit, large, conical, flattened at base, greenish yellow, light bronze at base, brownish specks; skin, smooth; stem, short; cavity, deep; calyx, small, closed; basin, shallow; core, open; seeds, large, light brown; flesh, white, tender, juicy; 'very good.' March and April. Claimed as a seedling — new." (A. H. Ernst, IMs.)
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Bledsoe. — Origin, Kentucky. Fruit very large, round, somewhat conical, flattened at base, regular; surface greenish yellow, obscurely striped; cavity deep, slightly russeted; stem short; basin somewhat corrugated; calyx half open; flesh white, crisp, fine-grained, juicy, mild, agreeable subacid, good. December to April.