Catshead

Origin / History

An old English variety, known since at least the seventeenth century — Ray described it as long ago as 1688 (per Beach, citing Floy-Lindley). Bunyard likewise notes it as an "Old English sort, known from seventeenth century." Beach records that it was formerly grown in some of the home orchards of New York State but had become practically obsolete by the early 20th century. Thomas describes it simply as "Foreign."

Tree

Coxe notes the fruit is "apt to drop from the tree from its great weight." Bunyard describes growth as "strong; fertile when aged," with leaves "large, round, pale, flat, curved serrate." Other sources do not describe the tree.

Fruit

Size

Very large — the largest size (Downing). Bunyard gives specific dimensions of 3¼ by 3½ inches.

Form

Sources broadly agree the fruit is round/roundish (Coxe: "very large round apple"; Elliott: "Large, roundish"; Downing: "round, quite smooth"; Thomas: "Very large, round"; Beach: "very large"). Coxe specifies it is "flattened at the ends, and deeply hollowed." Bunyard, however, describes the form as "long oblong, conical, irregular" — a notable divergence from the round form given by the American sources.

Stem / Stalk

Per Coxe: "the stalk is short and thick, so deeply sunk as to be almost imperceptible." Other sources do not describe the stem.

Cavity

Coxe describes the stalk as "so deeply sunk as to be almost imperceptible," indicating a deep cavity. Not otherwise described.

Calyx

Not described in source.

Basin

Coxe notes the fruit is "deeply hollowed" at the ends (implying a deep basin as well as a deep cavity). Not otherwise described.

Skin

Coxe: "the colour a greenish yellow"; surface implied smooth. Elliott: "yellowish green." Downing: "quite smooth, pale green." Thomas: "pale green." Beach: "pale green." Bunyard: "pale yellowish-green, faint brown flush." Elliott additionally notes: "There is another one of this name, equally worthless, same shape, but striped yellow and red" — see Subtypes/Variants below.

Flesh / Flavor

Flesh white (Coxe, Elliott). Downing: "tender, with a subacid juice. Good." Elliott: "white, coarse, sharp acid." Thomas: "sub-acid." Beach: "subacid." Bunyard: "tender, white, sub-acid." Coxe judges it "deficient in point of richness and flavour." Downing rates the quality as "Good," while Elliott and Thomas regard it as "worthless"/"Valueless except for cooking," and Bunyard pronounces it "Not worthy of cultivation. Superseded by others such as Lord Derby."

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

October and November (Elliott, Downing). Thomas: "Autumn." Bunyard gives a longer span: "October to January."

Uses

A cooking apple, valued especially for drying/evaporating. Coxe: "a good apple for cooking and drying." Downing: "cultivated for drying in some parts of the country, but of little other value except as a cooking apple." Thomas: "Valueless except for cooking." Beach: "Used for cooking and evaporating." Bunyard classifies it as "Culinary."

Subtypes / Variants

Elliott notes a second variety circulating under the same name: "There is another one of this name, equally worthless, same shape, but striped yellow and red." Bunyard mentions that Catshead has been superseded in cultivation by varieties such as Lord Derby.

Other

Coxe illustrated the variety with a figure (1817:133), as did Leroy (1873:842). Beach's reference list documents an extensive period bibliography spanning Forsyth (1803), Coxe (1817), Thacher (1822), Floy-Lindley (1833), Downing (1845), Thomas (1849), Emmons (1851), Elliott (1854), Warder (1867), Leroy (1873), and Hogg (1884), attesting to the variety's wide historical circulation under names including Cathead Greening, Round Catshead, Costard, Tête de Chat, De Seigneur d'Automne, Grosse-Schafnase, Schafnase, and Tête d'Ange.