Davis Apple

Apple

Davis Apple

Origin & History

[NOTE: Source text from Coxe (1817) almost certainly describes a different variety sharing the "Davis" name. Coxe's apple is bright russet, ripens in September, and is "very liable to rot" — contradicting the other three sources on color (yellowish/crimson), season (March–May), and storage (great keeper). The Coxe description is included separately below.]

Origin, Plymouth, Wayne County, Michigan, on the farm of Jehiel Davis (Downing).

Tree

Vigorous, upright, bears annually (Downing). A great bearer (Elliott).

Fruit

Size: Small (Downing, Thomas). Below medium (Elliott).

Form: Roundish, flattened at base and crown (Downing). Ovate regular, flattened at base and crown (Elliott). Oblong, flattened (Thomas).

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Closed (Elliott).

Basin: Small (Elliott). Russeted at the crown (Downing).

Skin: Yellowish, shaded and obscurely striped with crimson, russeted at the crown, and sprinkled with gray dots (Downing). Yellowish, shaded with red, with gray dots (Elliott). Crimson (Thomas).

Flesh & Flavor: Whitish, fine-grained, compact, juicy, crisp, sprightly, subacid. Quality rated "Good" (Downing). Whitish, firm, subacid (Elliott). Crisp, subacid (Thomas).

Core & Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

April, May (Downing). March to April (Elliott). A good keeper (Elliott, Thomas).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.

Other — Coxe's "Davis Apple" (likely a different variety)

Coxe (1817) describes a "Davis Apple" (No. 127) as follows: "This is a very fair apple; the colour a bright russet; the flesh rich and finely flavoured, fit for the table or early cider in September—it bears abundantly, but is very liable to rot." The bright russet color, September season, suitability for early cider, and tendency to rot are all incompatible with the Michigan Davis described by Downing, Elliott, and Thomas, indicating this is a distinct, earlier variety of the same name.

Book Sources

Described in 4 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 (4)

NO. 127. DAVIS APPLE.

This is a very fair apple; the colour a bright russet; the flesh rich and finely flavoured, fit for the table or early cider in September—it bears abundantly, but is very liable to rot.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

Davis.

Origin, Plymouth, Wayne Co., Mich., on the farm of Jehiel Davis.

Tree vigorous, upright, bears annually.

Fruit small, roundish, flattened at base and crown, yellowish, shaded, and obscurely striped with crimson, russeted at the crown, and sprinkled with gray dots. Flesh whitish, fine-grained, compact, juicy, crisp, sprightly, subacid. Good. April, May.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Davis.

From Wayne Co., Mich. Fruit, below medium, ovate regular, flattened at base and crown ; color, yellowish, shaded with red-gray dots ; calyx, closed ; basin, small ; flesh, whitish, firm, sub-acid ; great bearer and keeper. March to April.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Davis. Small, oblong, flattened, crimson; crisp, sub-acid. Good keeper. Mich.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)