Blue Pearmain
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin & History
An old variety of uncertain origin, supposed to be an American variety. On account of its hardiness it has often been planted in the home orchards of the more elevated regions of New York and New England during the last 75 years prior to 1905. Probably it has been in cultivation for a century or more. Kenrick mentions it as common in the vicinity of Boston in the early part of the 19th century. Occasional trees are found in the oldest home orchards of New York State. It is rarely planted now (Beach).
Tree
Tree becomes moderately large to large, moderately vigorous or on rich soil sometimes vigorous. Form spreading. Hardy (Elliott). In the nursery it is a slow, stiff grower. Twigs below medium, rather stout, nearly straight, rather blunt at tips, with large terminal buds; internodes medium to long. Bark very dark, being of a dull brownish-red; scarf-skin varies from thin to rather heavy; quite pubescent. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, below medium, roundish, raised. Buds above medium, moderately projecting, roundish, slightly pubescent, free. Leaves broad, coarsely serrated (Beach). Elliott notes shoots stout, dark color, and buds large, and adds that the tree is unsuited to exposed situations, as the fruit being large and heavy is easily blown off.
Bearing habit varies by report: Downing says the tree "bears moderate crops." Beach reports that in some localities it bears well, but more often it is not a reliable cropper, and is apt to have a pretty high percentage of unmarketable fruit. Thomas calls it "a thin bearer."
Fruit
Size: Above medium to very large; pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach). Downing and Elliott both describe it as of the largest or very large size.
Form: Roundish or inclined to oblate, sometimes a little inclined to conic, irregular, often obscurely ribbed, sometimes distinctly furrowed from the cavity nearly to the basin (Beach). Downing describes it as roundish, regularly formed, very slightly conical. Thomas describes it as roundish, inclining to oblong, slightly and obtusely conical. Elliott gives roundish, slightly conical.
Stem: Medium length to rather short, rather thick (Beach). Short (Elliott). Three-fourths of an inch long (Thomas).
Cavity: Moderately deep, obscurely furrowed, usually covered with orange-russet or greenish-russet (Beach).
Calyx: Partly open; lobes acute (Beach). Small (Elliott). Deep set (Thomas).
Basin: Medium in depth and width, with concentric gray or russet lines, obscurely furrowed (Beach). Deep (Elliott).
Skin: A little rough; thick (Beach). Yellow, washed and mottled with red, often deepening on one side to nearly solid red, splashed and striped with deep purplish-carmine and overspread with an abundant blue bloom from which the variety takes its name. When well colored it is beautiful, though not brilliant, being overcast with a dull bluish bloom (Beach). Downing describes stripes of dark purplish-red over a dull ground, appearing bluish from the white bloom. Elliott gives striped and blotched with purplish red over a dull ground with white bloom. Thomas describes dark purplish red in large broken stripes on lighter ground with conspicuous bloom.
Dots: Numerous, small, pale, mingled with others which are conspicuous, very large, gray with russet center and often also mingled with irregular lines or flecks of dull green or russet. The large dots are characteristic of this variety as also of other varieties of the Blue Pearmain group (Beach). Thomas notes dots large and indistinct.
Calyx Tube: Elongated conical approaching funnel-form. Stamens basal to median (Beach).
Core & Seeds: Core rather large, nearly axile, closed or somewhat open; core lines clasping or, with modified calyx tube, nearly meeting. Carpels broad, elongated or roundish, slightly tufted. Seeds medium or rather long, acuminate, rather light brown (Beach). Elliott gives core as medium.
Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish, moderately firm, rather coarse, moderately juicy, mild subacid, decidedly and agreeably aromatic (Beach). Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, mild, rather rich, aromatic. Elliott gives yellowish, mild sub-acid. Thomas gives yellowish, mild sub-acid. Quality ratings differ: Downing rates it "very good"; Elliott rates it "very good"; Beach rates it "good" and notes the mild flavor "does not rank high in quality"; Thomas rates it "good."
Season
Comes into season in October. It may keep till March but often begins to shrivel after January; in common storage it does not keep late, and by January it often becomes shriveled (Beach). Downing gives October to February. Elliott and Thomas both say early winter.
Uses
Home and local market. Not a good market fruit and not recommended for commercial planting. It is apt to have a pretty high percentage of unmarketable fruit (Beach).
Subtypes & Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach lists the synonym "Prolific Beauty" as applied incorrectly.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 22 catalogs (1845–1920) from England, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- OSU Bulletin 81 (early Oregon plantings) — 1904
- Henderson Luelling / Traveling Nursery (historical recall) , Oregon — 1904
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Blue Pearmain. Fruit of the largest size, roundish, regularly formed, very slightly conical. Color stripes of dark purplish-red, over a dull ground, and appearing bluish from the white bloom. Flesh yellowish, mild, rather rich, aromatic, and very good. The tree grows strongly, and bears moderate crops. October to February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BLUE PEARMAIN.
REFERENCES.
- Kenrick, 1833:42. 2. Manning, 1838:55. 3. Manning, Mag. Hort., 6:172. 1840. 4. Downing, 1845:122. 5. Phoenix, Horticulturist. 1:361. 1846. 6. Cole, 1849:120. 7. Thomas, 1849:164. 8. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:69. 1851. col. pl. No. 54. 9. Hooper, 1857:19. 10. Elliott, 1858:122. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 12. Barry, 1883:343. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 14. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 15. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:289. 1901. 16. Can. Hort., 25:49. 1902. 17. Budd-Hansen, 1903:52. fig. 18. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:113. 1904.
SYNONYM. Prolific Beauty (18) incorrectly.
- Occasional trees are found in the oldest home orchards of the state. It is rarely planted now. In some localities it bears well, but more often it is not a reliable cropper. It is apt to have a pretty high percentage of unmarketable fruit. The fruit is of mild flavor and does not rank high in quality. The skin is thick. When well colored it is beautiful, though not brilliant, being overcast with a dull bluish bloom. In common storage it does not keep late, and by January it often becomes shriveled (18). It is not a good market fruit and is not recommended for commercial planting.
Historical. This is an old variety of uncertain origin but it is supposed to be an American variety (13). On account of its hardiness it has often been planted in the home orchards of the more elevated regions of New York and New England during the last 75 years. Probably it has been in cultivation for a century or more. Kenrick (1) mentions it as common in the vicinity of Boston in the early part of the 19th century.
TREE.
Tree becomes moderately large to large, moderately vigorous or on rich soil sometimes vigorous. Form spreading. In the nursery it is a slow, stiff grower (5). Twigs below medium, rather stout, nearly straight, rather blunt at tips, with large terminal buds; internodes medium to long. Bark very dark, being of a dull brownish-red; scarf-skin varies from thin to rather heavy; quite pubescent. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, below medium, roundish, raised. Buds above medium, moderately projecting, roundish, slightly pubescent, free. Leaves broad, coarsely serrated.
FRUIT.
Fruit above medium to very large; pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish or inclined to oblate, sometimes a little inclined to conic, irregular, often obscurely ribbed, sometimes distinctly furrowed from the cavity nearly to the basin. Stem medium length to rather short, rather thick. Cavity moderately deep, obscurely furrowed, usually covered with orange-russet or greenish-russet. Calyx partly open; lobes acute. Basin medium in depth and width, with concentric gray or russet lines, obscurely furrowed. Skin a little rough; yellow, washed and mottled with red, often deepening on one side to nearly solid red, splashed and striped with deep purplish-carmine and overspread with an abundant blue bloom from which the variety takes its name. Dots numerous, small, pale, mingled with others which are conspicuous, very large, gray with russet center and often also mingled with irregular lines or flecks of dull green or russet. The large dots are characteristic of this variety as also of other varieties of the Blue Pearmain group. Calyx tube elongated conical approaching funnel-form. Stamens basal to median. Core rather large, nearly axile, closed or somewhat open; core lines clasping or, with modified calyx tube, nearly meeting. Carpels broad, elongated or roundish, slightly tufted. Seeds medium or rather long, acuminate, rather light brown. Flesh yellowish, moderately firm, rather coarse, moderately juicy, mild subacid, decidedly and agreeably aromatic, good.
Season. Comes into season in October. It may keep till March but often begins to shrivel after January.
Use. Home and local market.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Blue Pearmain.
Tree, hardy: shoots stout, dark color; buds, large, unsuited to exposed situations, the fruit being large and heavy is easily blown off. Fruit, very large, roundish, slightly conical, striped and blotched with purplish red over a dull ground— white bloom ; stem, short; calyx, small ; basin, deep ; core, medium; flesh, yellowish, mild sub-acid; "very good." Early Winter.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Blue Pearmain.* Very large, roundish, inclining to oblong, slightly and obtusely conical; dark purplish red in large broken stripes on lighter ground; bloom conspicuous; dots large; indistinct; stalk three-fourths of an inch long; calyx deep set; flesh yellowish, mild sub-acid, good. Early winter. A thin bearer.