Early Red Margaret
AppleEarly Red Margaret
Origin/History
Of English origin (Thomas). Known under a wide array of regional names across Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and the American states. Elliott cautions that it should not be confused with Early Strawberry, noting it is more often grown under the name Red Juneating.
Tree
Young trees are rather slender (Downing). Growth habit is upright throughout sources. Shoots are described consistently across all three sources as erect and downy (woolly in Downing's phrasing; downy in Elliott and Thomas). A moderate bearer across all sources; Elliott characterizes it as a regular, moderate bearer.
Fruit
Size: Below medium to medium. Downing places it below medium size; Elliott says medium or below; Thomas rates it simply medium.
Form: Downing and Thomas agree on roundish ovate. Elliott describes it as roundish oblong conical — a somewhat more elongated form. Downing adds that it tapers towards the eye.
Stem: Short and thick (Elliott). Thomas specifies approximately half an inch long and thick.
Cavity: Medium (Elliott). Not described in Downing or Thomas.
Calyx: Half closed (Elliott). Not described in Downing or Thomas.
Basin: Shallow (Elliott). Thomas gives additional detail: plaited, narrow, and very shallow.
Skin: Sources differ in their characterization. Downing describes the ground color as greenish yellow, pretty well covered by stripes of dark red. Elliott describes the coloring as green in shade, dark crimson red in sun — suggesting a more complete sun-exposed flush. Thomas describes it as striped with dull red and notes the skin is somewhat russeted, a detail absent from the other sources.
Flesh and Flavor: White (Downing, Elliott). Fine grained and tender (Elliott; Thomas concurs on tenderness). Subacid (Downing, Thomas). Elliott rates it "very good"; Downing rates it Good and stresses that the rich, agreeable flavor is at its best when freshly gathered from the tree — a qualifier Thomas echoes, noting it is good when fresh.
Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
Ripens in July across all sources. Downing places it at about the middle of July, or directly after Early Harvest. Thomas notes it ripens at wheat harvest and is scarcely earlier than Early Harvest — suggesting a later position within the early-summer window than Downing implies.
Uses
A fresh-eating apple, at its best immediately upon picking (Downing, Thomas).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1886–1901) from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Early Red Margaret. Margaret, or Striped Juneating. Striped June. Early Red Juneating. Striped Juneating. Red Juneating. Eve Apple of the Irish. Margaretha Apfel of the Germans. An excellent early Apple, ripening about the middle of July, or directly after the Early Harvest. The tree while young is rather slender, with reddish brown upright woolly shoots. It is a moderate bearer. Fruit below medium size, roundish ovate, tapering towards the eye. Skin greenish yellow, pretty well covered by stripes of dark red. Flesh white, subacid, and, when freshly gathered from the tree, of a rich, agreeable flavor. Good.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Early Red Margaret.
Early June, } of South, Red Juneating, Red June, } Striped Juneating, June, of Ohio, Early Red Juneating, Eve Apple, of the Irish, Margaretha Apfel, of Germans.
This should not be confounded with Early Strawberry — oftener grown as Red Juneating. Tree, a regular, moderate bearer, upright, downy shoots. Fruit, medium or below, roundish oblong conical ; green in shade, dark crimson red in sun ; stem, short, thick : cavity, medium : calyx, half closed ; basin, shallow ; flesh, white, fine grained, tender ; "very good." July.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Early Red Margaret. Medium, round-ovate; striped with dull red, somewhat russeted; stalk half an inch long, thick; basin plaited, narrow, very shallow; flesh sub-acid, tender, good when fresh; ripens at wheat harvest, scarcely earlier than Early Harvest. Shoots erect, downy; moderate bearer. England.