Celestia

Origin and History

A seedling from the Stillwater Sweet, originated by L. S. Mote of Miami County, Ohio. Warder (1867) described it as "a fine amateur fruit, which appears destined to take the place of the Dyer, being more handsome," and characterized it as essentially an amateur's fruit, its texture and color disqualifying it for market while its delicious flavor rendered it very attractive. Downing described it as "a new variety of good promise as an amateur sort." Beach (1905) found the fruit not particularly attractive in color and, as tested at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, not superior to ordinary varieties in quality. He noted that the tree is a moderate grower and not very productive, and did not recommend it for cultivation in New York.

Tree

Tree moderately vigorous with short, stout, curved branches. Form upright spreading, roundish, rather dense. Twigs short to moderately long, slightly curved, moderately slender; internodes medium to long. Bark clear brownish-red with some olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels numerous, small to medium, elongated or roundish, slightly raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse to somewhat acute, free, slightly pubescent. (Beach)

Fruit

Size: Large according to Warder and Downing. Beach describes it as medium to large, usually above medium, uniform in size and shape.

Form: Roundish inclined to conic, somewhat angular, ribbed. Warder describes it as conical, truncated, angular, with a somewhat uneven surface. Downing says roundish, conical, slightly ribbed. Beach says roundish inclined to conic, somewhat flattened at the base, markedly ribbed, irregular, somewhat angular.

Stem: Sources disagree: Warder says long or medium, sometimes knobby. Downing says rather short and slender. Beach says medium to long, thick.

Cavity: Sources disagree on depth: Warder describes it as wide, shallow, angular. Downing says deep, uneven. Beach says obtuse to somewhat acute, moderately deep to deep, rather broad, somewhat furrowed, usually russeted.

Calyx: Usually closed. Downing describes segments as long, slender, partially recurved. Beach describes lobes as medium in length, rather narrow, acute. Warder describes the eye as small, long, closed.

Basin: Warder says narrow, folded. Downing says rather small, furrowed. Beach says shallow, narrow, rather abrupt, much furrowed and wrinkled.

Skin: Smooth, yellow. Warder describes it as waxen-yellow. Downing says pale yellow, moderately sprinkled with gray or brown dots, and sometimes large dots of red. Beach describes the skin as thick, smooth, rather tender, yellow marbled with pale green, and occasionally having a thin brownish blush.

Dots: Warder says scattered, distinct, gray, with green bases. Downing says moderately sprinkled with gray or brown dots, and sometimes large dots of red. Beach says numerous, small, inconspicuous, submerged, light or russet.

Calyx Tube: Very long to medium, deep, funnel-shape. Stamens median to somewhat marginal. (Beach)

Core and Seeds: Sources disagree on core size: Warder says the core is small, oval, open, clasping. Downing says the core is rather large. Beach says the core is large, very abaxile to sometimes axile; cells open or closed; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Carpels elliptic to broadly obcordate, much concave, emarginate, much tufted. Seeds large, wide, long, obtuse, dark dull brown (Beach). Warder describes seeds as numerous, long, angular.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellow, tender, juicy, subacid. Sources disagree significantly on texture and flavor intensity. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, very fine grained, very tender, juicy, with flavor "sub-acid, very sprightly, and spicy, aromatic," rating quality as "very best." Downing says yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, "very pleasant, rich, mild, subacid," rating it "Very good." Beach describes the flesh as very strongly tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, "pleasant, rather mild, subacid," rating it only "good."

Season

Warder gives September. Downing gives October. Beach gives October to January.

Uses

Table and kitchen (Warder). Regarded by all three primary sources as an amateur or home-garden variety rather than a commercial apple, its color and texture considered inadequate for market despite its flavor.

Subtypes and Variants

Not described in source.

Other

The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) lists Celestia in a variety-characteristic table only:

Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.

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