Caraway Russet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Caraway Russet
Origin / History
The Herefordshire Pomona (Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, 1885) says the origin of this apple "is not given by any of the leading Pomological Authorities." Downing's 1900 volume, giving Hogg's description, has it from England. Bunyard (1920) gives French origin, dating from the seventeenth century, and writes "The correct name is Fenouillet Gris." He adds that Leroy considers it the Epice d'Hiver of Olivier de Serres, and calls it "a reliable sort still grown in old orchards." The Pomona calls it "a dessert apple of great excellence."
Tree
Growth moderate; fertility moderate (Bunyard). Leaf small, longish oval, upfolded, sharply and irregularly serrate (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size: Below medium or below middle size (the Pomona, Hogg); small (Bunyard). The Pomona gives 2½ inches wide and 2 inches high; Bunyard gives 2 by 1½ inches.
Form: Oblate (the Pomona, Hogg), flat (Bunyard); even and regular in outline.
Stem: Short, rather slender, thin.
Cavity: Deep (the Pomona); rather small (Bunyard).
Calyx: Eye wide open, with broad reflexed segments (the Pomona); small, generally closed (Bunyard).
Basin: Pretty deep, wide, and saucer-like (the Pomona); even and shallow (Bunyard).
Skin: Covered with a very thin coat of pale brown russet, the color inclining to orange on one side (the Pomona); pale brown russet with an orange tinge in the sun (Hogg). Bunyard gives yellow to orange, with russet, generally warted.
Dots: Darker russet, over the pale brown russet (the Pomona).
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish, firm, crisp, rich, juicy and sweet, with a fine aroma (the Pomona); aromatic (Bunyard).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November to March. The Pomona gives November to February and Bunyard November to March. Downing's volume, giving Hogg, has February.
Uses
Dessert.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Aromatic Russet
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Aromatic Russet
View original book sources (3)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- CARAWAY RUSSET.
The origin of this apple is not given by any of the leading Pomological Authorities.
Description.—Fruit: below middle size, two and a half inches wide, and two inches high; oblate, even and regular in its outline. Skin: covered with a very thin coat of pale brown russet, which is dotted with darker russet, and on the same side the colour is inclining to orange. Eye: wide open, with broad reflexed segments, set in a pretty deep, wide, and saucer-like basin. Stalk: short and rather slender, inserted in a deep cavity. Flesh: yellowish, firm, crisp, rich, juicy and sweet, with a fine aroma.
A dessert apple of great excellence, and in season from November to February.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Caraway Russet. From England. Fruit below medium, oblate, pale brown russet, with an orange tinge in sun. Flesh firm, crisp, juicy, sweet. February. (Hogg.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Aromatic Russet", pp. 104–104]
Aromatic Russet. An English Apple, of vigorous, upright, rather slender growth, hardy and productive. Fruit medium, roundish, truncate conic, greenish, with a thin gray russet, and a tinge of dull red in the sun. Flesh greenish white, firm, brisk, subacid, aromatic. November, February. (Lind.)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)CARAWAY RUSSET. Her. Pom., p. 21. F., Fenouillet Gris ; G., Grauer Feucher Apfel. [Anis, Fenouillet Anise, Aromatic Russet (of some) Spice Apple, etc., etc.] Dessert, November to March, small, 2 by 1½, flat, regular, Colour, yellow to orange, with russet ; generally warted. Flesh, firm, yellow, aromatic. Eye, small, generally closed, in an even and shallow basin. Stem, short and thin in a rather small cavity. Growth, moderate ; fertility moderate. Leaf, small, longish oval, upfolded, sharply and irregularly serrate. Origin, French, dating from the seventeenth century. The correct name is Fenouillet Gris. Leroy considers this the Epice d'Hiver of Olivier de Serres. A reliable sort still grown in old orchards.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Aromatic Russet", pp. 28–28]
AROMATIC RUSSET. Her. Pom., p. 54. F., Rouge aromatisée. Dessert, December to February, medium, 2½ by 2, round, conical, irregular. Colour entirely cinnamon russet, faint red showing through. Flesh, firm, aromatic, greenish white. Eye, very small, closed in a shallow basin. Stem, slender in a rather deep even cavity. Growth, weak; fertile. Leaf, long, slightly upfolded, little undulating, coarsely crenate. Origin unrecorded, came into notice about 1830. A nice winter fruit, of Nonpareil flavour. There is some confusion about this fruit, it is probably the Aromatic Russet of Hogg, but not of Ronalds or Lindley. It is possibly the Petit Barbarie of Normandy.
Aromatic Russet : see Caraway Russet.