Broadwell
Apple
Broadwell
Origin / History
Broadwell is an American apple from southern Ohio, originating near Cincinnati. Downing names the originator as Jacob Broadwell. Warder calls it "this delicious winter sweet apple." Downing calls it "an extremely valuable sweet apple, either for the table or cooking." Thomas calls it "one of the best winter sweet apples." Lowther's station table (1914) reports it from 4 stations in the Northern Division and 7 in the Central Division, in each case also reported in another division; Southern Division not reported.
Tree
Vigorous and thrifty; spreading to very spreading, irregular. Quite hardy (Downing). Productive, a good bearer. Shoots light yellowish (Elliott); young shoots dull reddish brown, downy (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium to large. The sources divide about evenly between medium and large or rather large, and Elliott gives the full range.
Form: Regular, roundish or globular to oblate, somewhat or slightly conic. Flattened at the base and tapering slightly toward the calyx (Elliott). Lowther gives round-conical.
Stem: Short to rather short; small, deep set (Thomas).
Cavity: Broad, wide, expanded, regular; brown, russeted.
Calyx: Eye small; segments short. Closed (Warder, Downing); open (Elliott).
Basin: Abrupt, regular, rarely folded or plaited (Warder). Narrow (Elliott).
Skin: Thin, smooth. Ground color light or pale yellow, whitish, or clear bright yellow; greenish yellow (Thomas, Lowther). Cloudy flakes (Elliott). Thinly blushed with carmine, often bronzed; a brownish blush in the sun exposure, brownish bronze on the sunny side (Elliott), with carmine spots (Downing).
Dots: Few, scattered; minute and dark (Warder); greenish, suffused beneath (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: White or whitish (Warder: yellowish), fine-grained, juicy. Tender to very tender (Thomas, Warder); firm (Downing). Thomas adds "fine." Flavor sweet to very sweet, "agreeable" (Warder), "rich" (Downing). Quality "very good" (Downing, Lowther); "best winter sweet" (Warder).
Core and seeds: Core small, close, compact; round, regular, closed, clasping the eye (Warder). Seeds small or short, plump, light brown.
Season
The recorded season runs from November late into spring. Most authors give a winter season, November or December through February or March. Thomas says it keeps through winter late into spring. Lowther's station table alone gives early autumn.
Uses
Table and kitchen. Lowther lists it for both kitchen and market.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Figured in Thomas (Fig. 369).
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (6)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BROADWELL.
Broadwell Sweet.
American. Origin, Southern Ohio. Tree, vigorous, spreading, light yellowish shoots, good bearer. Size, medium to large ; form, regular, roundish, flattened at base, and tapering slightly toward the calyx ; skin, thin, smooth ; color, light yellow, cloudy flakes, sunny side brownish bronze ; stem, short ; cavity, expanded ; calyx, open ; segments, short ; basin, narrow ; flesh, white, fine-grained, sweet, juicy ; core, close, compact ; seeds, small, plump, light-brown. November to March.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Broadwell.
This delicious winter sweet apple originated near Cincinnati, Ohio. Tree thrifty, vigorous, spreading, productive.
Fruit large, varies from globular toward oblate, regular; Surface smooth, pale yellow or whitish, thinly blushed with carmine, often bronzed; Dots scattered, minute, dark.
Basin abrupt, rarely folded or plaited; Eye small, closed. Cavity wide, regular brown; Stem short.
Core round, regular, closed, clasping the eye; Seeds short, plump; Flesh yellowish, fine-grained, very tender, juicy; Flavor very sweet, agreeable; Quality best winter sweet; Use, table, kitchen; Season, December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Broadwell.
Broadwell Sweet.
Originated with Jacob Broadwell, near Cincinnati, O. An extremely valuable sweet apple, either for the table or cooking. Tree vigorous, quite hardy, very spreading, irregular, productive. Young shoots dull reddish brown, downy.
Fruit medium, oblate, somewhat conic. Color clear bright yellow, brownish blush in the sun exposure, with carmine spots. Dots few, greenish, suffused beneath. Stalk rather short. Cavity broad, russeted. Calyx closed, with short segments. Basin abrupt, regular. Flesh whitish, firm, juicy, rich, sweet. Core small. Very good. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Broadwell.* Rather large, slightly conical, somewhat oblate; skin thin, smooth, greenish yellow; stalk short, small, deep set; flesh white, tender, sweet, juicy, fine—and one of the best winter sweet apples. Keeps through winter late into spring. Ohio. Fig. 369.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Broadwell.—Originated with Jacob Broadwell near Cincinnati, Ohio; tree vigorous, very spreading, irregular, productive.
Fruit medium, oblate, somewhat conic, regular; surface clear bright yellow, brownish blush on the sunny side, with carmine spots;* dots few, greenish, suffused beneath; cavity broad, regular, russeted; stem rather short; basin abrupt, regular, rarely plaited; calyx closed; segments short. Core small, closed, round, clasping; flesh yellowish white, firm, juicy, rich, very sweet, very good. November to February.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Broadwell. Size: medium. Form: round-conical. Color: greenish yellow. Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: early autumn. Northern Division: 4 stations (also reported in another division); Central Division: 7 stations (also reported in another division); Southern Division: not reported.