Cranberry Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Cranberry Pippin
Origin/History
Cranberry Pippin originated on a farm near Hudson, Columbia County, New York (Beach; Warder; Downing; Hedrick). It originated sometime previous to 1845, when Downing first set forth its merits (Hedrick). Elliott classifies it as American. Its culture has been confined to New York, New England, and the adjoining parts of Canada (Hedrick). It is well known in some localities in the Hudson valley, in Northern and Western New York and in Ontario, where it is favorably regarded as a fall or early winter apple because of its good size, bright and attractive color and its uniform size and shape (Beach). In some sections it has proved a desirable apple, but in others it has not been successful (Beach).
Tree
Tree large, very vigorous, upright-spreading; branches stout, spreading (Beach; Hedrick). Warder describes the tree as vigorous and very productive. Form upright becoming somewhat spreading (Beach). Twigs long, moderately stout, light grayish-brown, quite pubescent; internodes short (Beach). Bark dull reddish-brown with some olive-green and thickly mottled with scarf-skin (Beach). Lenticels scattering medium to small, usually roundish (Beach). Buds medium or sometimes small, rather broad, deeply set, obtuse or sometimes acute, pubescent, appressed (Beach). Leaves dark green, broad, medium to large; foliage rather dense (Beach; Hedrick).
The trees are hardy and often very productive, but in some cases it is reported as undesirable because unproductive (Beach). It is said to be a shy bearer when young, but becomes productive with age (Beach). The trees do not bear young in some situations, and are capricious in bearing at all times, so that its local adaptabilities should always be determined before planting (Hedrick). It appears to be quite resistant to the attacks of scab (Beach; Hedrick). Thomas notes it as productive.
Fruit
Size. Sources agree the fruit is large (Warder; Beach; Hedrick), though Elliott describes it as above medium, and Downing and Thomas as medium.
Form. Roundish oblate, symmetrical, regular (Downing; Beach; Hedrick); Warder describes it as large, flat, regular; Thomas as oblate; Elliott as roundish. Uniform in size and shape (Beach).
Stem. Short (Beach; Hedrick); medium (Warder).
Cavity. Wide, wavy (Warder); broad, wavy (Beach; Hedrick).
Calyx/Eye. Calyx closed or somewhat open (Beach; Hedrick). Warder describes the eye as small, short, closed.
Basin. Wide, regular or wavy (Warder); moderately deep, russeted (Beach); deep, russeted (Hedrick).
Skin. Smooth, shining, clear light yellow, handsomely blushed, striped and splashed with scarlet (Beach); smooth, shining, light yellow, blushed, striped and splashed with scarlet (Hedrick); very smooth, bright, clear yellow, with a shining scarlet cheek (Warder); very smooth, light yellow, with a bright scarlet cheek (Downing); clear yellow, red cheek (Elliott); handsome scarlet cheek (Thomas). Dots many, large, often red areolar with russet center (Beach; Hedrick); Warder describes dots as minute. General appearance beautiful and attractive (Beach); strikingly beautiful (Downing).
Flesh and Flavor. Flesh white or with slight yellowish tinge, moderately juicy, mild subacid (Beach); flesh yellow, juicy, mild subacid (Hedrick); white, moderately juicy, brisk subacid (Downing); white, breaking, juicy, mild sub-acid (Warder); white, juicy, sub-acid (Elliott); sub-acid (Thomas). Quality very good for cooking, not for dessert (Warder); only second-rate in point of flavor — but it is an excellent cooking and market apple (Downing); poor — cooking (Thomas); good (Downing's overall rating); good to very good (Hedrick). Suitable for market, cooking and evaporating, but not for dessert (Beach).
Core and Seeds. Core small, oval, just meeting the eye; axis short; seeds numerous, long (Warder). Other sources do not describe the core.
Season
October to February (Beach; Hedrick); November to February (Warder; Downing); November, December (Elliott); autumn (Thomas). In the vicinity of its origin its season closes from a month to six weeks earlier than either Hubbardston or Tompkins King (Beach). In Northern New York and Ontario its season is late fall and early winter and often extends to midwinter (Beach).
Uses
Excellent cooking and market apple (Downing); suitable for market, cooking and evaporating, but not for dessert (Beach); very good for cooking, not for dessert (Warder); cooking (Thomas). It is a good storage apple, stands shipping well and brings good prices (Beach). Good keeping qualities (Hedrick).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
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)Cranberry Pippin.
American. Above medium, roundish, clear yellow, red cheek; flesh, white, juicy, sub-acid. November, December.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Cranberry Pippin.
This is a beautiful apple which originated near Hudson, New York. Tree vigorous, very productive. Fruit large, flat, regular; Surface very smooth, bright, clear yellow, with a shining scarlet cheek; Dots minute. Basin wide, regular or wavy; Eye small, short, closed. Cavity wide, wavy; Stem medium. Core small, oval, just meeting the eye; Axis short; Seeds numerous, long; Flesh white, breaking, juicy; Flavor mild, sub-acid; Quality very good for cooking, not for dessert; Season November to February in New York.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cranberry Pippin.
This strikingly beautiful Apple was found growing on a farm near Hudson, N. Y. It is only second-rate in point of flavor— but it is an excellent cooking and market apple.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, regular. Skin very smooth, light yellow, with a bright scarlet cheek. Flesh white, moderately juicy, brisk subacid. Good. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Cranberry Pippin. Medium, oblate, with a handsome scarlet cheek; sub-acid, poor—cooking. Productive. Autumn. N. Y.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)CRANBERRY PIPPIN.
References. 1. Downing, 1845:106. 2. Thomas, 1849:179. 3. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:88. 1851. 4. Elliott, 1854:169. 5. Warder, 1867:402. 6. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:290. 7. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 8. Amer. Gard., 16:425. 1895. 9. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 2:9. 1895. fig. 10. Ib., 3:6. 1896. fig. 11. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:43. 1901. 12. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:116. 1904.
Synonyms. None.
In some sections this has proved a desirable apple, but in others it has not been successful. It is well known in some localities in the Hudson valley, in Northern and Western New York and in Ontario, where it is favorably regarded as a fall or early winter apple because of its good size, bright and attractive color and its uniform size and shape. It is a good storage apple, stands shipping well and brings good prices. It is suitable for market, cooking and evaporating, but not for dessert. It appears to be quite resistant to the attacks of scab. The trees are hardy and often very productive, but in some cases it is reported as undesirable because unproductive. It is said to be a shy bearer when young, but becomes productive with age.
Historical. Originated near Hudson, Columbia county (1).
Tree.
Tree large, very vigorous; branches stout, spreading. Form upright becoming somewhat spreading. Twigs long, moderately stout, light grayish-brown, quite pubescent; internodes short. Bark dull reddish-brown with some olive-green and thickly mottled with scarf-skin. Lenticels scattering medium to small, usually roundish. Buds medium or sometimes small, rather broad, deeply set, obtuse or sometimes acute, pubescent, appressed. Leaves dark green, broad, medium to large; foliage rather dense.
Fruit.
Fruit large. Form roundish oblate, symmetrical. Stem short. Cavity broad, wavy. Calyx closed or somewhat open. Basin moderately deep, russeted. Skin smooth, shining, clear light yellow, handsomely blushed, striped and splashed with scarlet. Dots many, large, often red areolar with russet center. General appearance beautiful and attractive. Flesh white or with slight yellowish tinge, moderately juicy, mild subacid. Season October to February. In the vicinity of its origin its season closes from a month to six weeks earlier than either Hubbardston or Tompkins King. In Northern New York and Ontario its season is late fall and early winter and often extends to midwinter.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)CRANBERRY PIPPIN.
The large size, bright color, uniform shape, good keeping qualities, and pleasant flavor of the fruit, with hardiness of tree and resistance to scab, make Cranberry Pippin an excellent apple for some localities. Unfortunately the trees do not bear young in some situations, and are capricious in bearing at all times, so that its local adaptabilities should always be determined before planting. Cranberry Pippin originated near Hudson, New York, sometime previous to 1845, when Downing first set forth its merits. Its culture is confined to New York, New England, and the adjoining parts of Canada.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading; branches stout. Leaves dark green, large. Fruit large, round-oblate, symmetrical; stem short; cavity broad, wavy; calyx closed or open; basin deep, russeted; skin smooth, shining, light yellow, blushed, striped and splashed with scarlet; dots many, large, often red-areolar with russet center; flesh yellow, juicy, mild subacid; good to very good; October to February.