Carter's Blue
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Carter's Blue
Origin/History
Carter's Blue originated at Mount Meigs, near Montgomery, Alabama (Downing; Budd & Hansen note simply "Origin, Alabama"). Thomas (1903) notes the variety was popular and identifies its provenance as Alabama.
Tree
The tree is a fine upright grower and an early bearer (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Young shoots are reddish brown and very close grained (Downing).
Fruit
Size
Large.
Form
Roundish oblate (Downing, Budd & Hansen, Lowther); round-oblate (Thomas).
Stem
Stalk slender (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Cavity
Not described in source.
Calyx
Closed (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Surface greenish, washed and striped with dull red and covered with a blue bloom (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as striped dull red on a greenish skin, with a blue bloom. Lowther characterizes the skin as green-red.
Flesh/Flavor
Flesh yellowish white, crisp, sugary, rich, aromatic; very good (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Thomas: crisp, rich, aromatic, good. Lowther rates quality as very good.
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
September to November (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Autumn (Thomas); early autumn (Lowther).
Uses
Both kitchen and market (Lowther). Thomas notes the variety as popular.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther reports distribution from 2 reporting stations in the Northern Division and 11 reporting stations in the Central Division, with no reports recorded in the Southern Division; the variety was reported in more than one division.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1886–1904) from Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Oregon
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Carter's Blue. Lady Fitzpatrick. This variety originated at Mount Meigs, near Montgomery, Ala. Tree a fine upright grower, an early bearer. Young shoots reddish brown, very close grained. Fruit large, roundish oblate, greenish, washed and striped with dull red and covered with a blue bloom. Stalk slender. Calyx closed. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, sugary, rich, aromatic. Very good. September to November.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Carter's Blue is a large, roundish-oblate apple with green-red skin. Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: early autumn. Northern Division: 2 reporting stations (variety reported in more than one division); Central Division: 11 reporting stations (variety reported in more than one division); Southern Division: no reports recorded.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Carter's Blue. Large, round-oblate, striped dull red on a greenish skin, with a blue bloom; crisp, rich, aromatic, good. Autumn. Ala. Popular.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Carter Blue.—Origin, Alabama; tree of fine upright growth, and an early bearer.
Fruit large, roundish oblate; surface greenish, washed and striped with dull red and covered with a blue bloom; stalk slender; calyx closed. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, sugary, rich, aromatic, very good. September to November.