French Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
French Pippin
Origin/History
Of unknown origin (Downing). The name French Pippin has been applied to several distinct varieties of the Fall Pippin group, making it difficult to determine which variety has priority to the name except as connected with the oldest description (Downing). Beach notes that these varieties sharing the name vary in season from autumn through late spring or early summer and are characterized by rather large, roundish or oblong fruit that is at first green but later assumes more or less of a yellowish tone, sometimes slightly blushed, with yellowish subacid flesh.
An apple of this class was described by Beach under the name Lehigh Greening, disseminated from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Some authorities believed the Lehigh Greening to be identical with an old variety grown in portions of Southeastern Pennsylvania under the name French Pippin. The variety described in detail by Beach was grown in some parts of New York under the name French Pippin and bears a very close resemblance to Lehigh Greening; Beach considered it possibly identical but was unable to decide from comparisons of fruit from various localities. Beach also did not definitively determine whether the variety he described is the French Pippin of Southeastern Pennsylvania, nor whether it is the variety referred to by Warder (1867) and Downing (1857) as the French Pippin of Pennsylvania.
Note on naming conflict: Downing explicitly states that the variety he describes is "quite distinct from Newark or French Pippin, which has slender branches," implying the existence of at least two distinct varieties circulating under the French Pippin name. Thomas (1903) treats French Pippin as synonymous with Newark Pippin, redirecting readers there — directly contradicting Downing's statement that the two are distinct.
Tree
Tree medium in size to rather large, moderately vigorous (Beach). Hardy and vigorous (Downing). A biennial or in some cases an annual bearer, a reliable cropper and productive (Beach). Form upright, somewhat spreading (Beach). Twigs medium in length, erect, moderately stout; bark rather dark (Beach). Shoots dark reddish brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Fruit large to very large, pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach). Downing describes it as rather large. Form roundish to roundish oblate (both sources agree), faintly ribbed, pretty regular; sides sometimes slightly unequal (Beach). Downing describes it simply as roundish oblate.
Stem: Short, moderately thick (Beach).
Cavity: Acute to acuminate, moderately deep to deep, narrow to rather wide, thinly russeted, sometimes compressed or lipped (Beach).
Calyx: Medium in size, somewhat open; lobes acuminate (Beach). Calyx tube long, funnel-form, sometimes approaching cone-shape, with very wide limb; stamens median (Beach).
Basin: Abrupt, shallow to moderately deep, medium in width to rather wide, smooth or gently furrowed and slightly wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: Tough, thin, smooth (Beach). Bright pale yellow or greenish-yellow (Beach); Downing describes it as greenish yellow with a faint dull cheek. Numerous, conspicuous russet or green dots (Beach); Downing describes large brown dots thinly sprinkled over the surface. Often with a thin brownish blush (Beach); Downing similarly notes a faint dull cheek. Traces of russet present (Downing).
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh nearly as yellow as that of Fall Pippin, firm, rather fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly with an agreeable subacid flavor, good to very good in quality (Beach). Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, tender, pleasant, subacid, and rates it Good.
Core and Seeds: Core rather small, slightly abaxile; cells fairly symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping (Beach). Downing also notes the core as small. Carpels roundish, slightly emarginate (Beach). Seeds broad, obtuse (Beach).
Season
Discrepancy between sources: Downing gives the season as October to January. Beach, describing what may be a different variety circulating under the same name, gives the season as January to May or June, characterizing it as a very late keeper. Beach notes the fruit is brightly colored and attractive for a yellow apple in that season.
Uses
The fruit is brightly colored and attractive for a yellow apple (Beach). Quality rated Good (Downing) to good to very good (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Beach discusses the French Pippin name as applied to a group of Fall Pippin-type varieties rather than a single clearly defined variety, noting that the Lehigh Greening — disseminated from Allentown, Pennsylvania — may be identical with the French Pippin of Southeastern Pennsylvania and possibly also with the New York-grown variety he describes. The relationships among these varieties had not been definitively resolved at the time of publication.
Other
Thomas (1903) redirects "French Pippin" to "Newark Pippin" without further description. Downing explicitly distinguishes his French Pippin from the Newark Pippin, noting the latter has slender branches. The possibility that different nurseries and regions applied the French Pippin name to distinct varieties in the Fall Pippin type group means physical descriptions from different sources may not be fully reconcilable.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)French Pippin.
Of unknown origin. Tree hardy and vigorous; with dark reddish brown shoots.
Fruit rather large, roundish oblate, greenish yellow, with a faint dull cheek, thinly sprinkled with large brown dots, and traces of russet. Flesh yellowish, tender, pleasant, subacid. Good. Core small. October, January.
Quite distinct from Newark or French Pippin, which has slender branches. There are several apples under name of French Pippin, and it is difficult to decide which has priority to the name, except as connected with the oldest description.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)FRENCH PIPPIN.
The name French Pippin has been applied to several varieties of the Fall Pippin group. These vary in season from autumn till late spring or early summer and are characterized by rather large, roundish or oblong fruit which at first is green but later assumes more or less of a yellowish tone. It is sometimes slightly blushed and has yellowish subacid flesh. An apple of this class is described on a following page as the Lehigh Greening, the name under which it has been disseminated within recent years from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Some believe that the Lehigh Greening is identical with an old variety grown in portions of Southeastern Pennsylvania under the name French Pippin. An apple which is grown in some parts of New York under the name French Pippin is described below. It is a very late keeper being in season from January to May or June. The fruit is large, brightly colored and attractive for a yellow apple. It bears a very close resemblance to Lehigh Greening and possibly is identical with it. Comparisons of the fruit from various localities have been made but as yet we have been unable to decide whether or not these two are identical. We have not determined definitely whether the variety described below is the French Pippin of Southeastern Pennsylvania above mentioned, nor whether it is the variety referred to by Warder¹ and Downing² as the French Pippin of Pennsylvania.
TREE.
Tree medium in size to rather large, moderately vigorous, a biennial or in some cases an annual bearer, a reliable cropper and productive. Form upright, somewhat spreading. Twigs medium in length; erect, moderately stout; bark rather dark.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to very large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to roundish oblate, faintly ribbed, pretty regular, sides sometimes slightly unequal. Stem short, moderately thick. Cavity acute to acuminate, moderately deep to deep, narrow to rather wide, thinly russeted, sometimes compressed or lipped. Calyx medium in size, somewhat open; lobes acuminate.
Basin abrupt, shallow to moderately deep, medium in width to rather wide, smooth or gently furrowed and slightly wrinkled.
Skin tough, thin, smooth, bright pale yellow or greenish-yellow with numerous, conspicuous russet or green dots, often with thin brownish blush.
Calyx tube long, funnel-form, sometimes approaching cone-shape, with very wide limb. Stamens median.
Core rather small, slightly abaxile; cells fairly symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish, slightly emarginate. Seeds broad, obtuse.
Flesh nearly as yellow as that of Fall Pippin, firm, rather fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly with an agreeable subacid flavor, good to very good in quality.
Season January to May or June.
¹Warder, 1867: 19. ²Downing, 1857: 144.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)French Pippin. See Newark Pippin.