Golden Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
The Golden Pippin name has been applied to several distinct varieties, the most important of which are described below. The original and most famous is the English Golden Pippin, a very old variety mentioned by Evelyn in 1660, which has long been esteemed as one of the finest dessert apples in England. Coxe (1817) writes that "this apple possesses the highest reputation in England, as a fine winter, table, and cider fruit." Downing calls it "the queen of all dessert Apples, in the estimation of the English connoisseurs, as it unites the qualities of small size, fine form, and color, with high flavor and durability." However, it does not succeed well in America. Coxe observes: "There appears to be some justness in a remark of English writers, that the climate of England is peculiarly favourable to this apple — in this country it does not rank very high in the scale of good apples; this may proceed from climate in some degree, but it is, I apprehend, more to be ascribed to the long duration of the variety, which, in its native soil, is supposed to have diminished the excellence of its flavour and the vigour of its growth." Beach (1905) notes that none of the English sub-varieties appear to have gained favorable recognition in America, and that the Golden Pippins of New York and New England are fall apples distinct from the English variety. Floy states: "The English Golden Pippin grows with delicate small shoots and is not calculated for an orchard; but if properly managed it makes a beautiful espalier tree and is an abundant bearer. The apple is not much known in this country; the kind called here Golden Pippin is a very different fruit." Beach further notes that the Golden Pippin of Westchester County, also known as American Golden Pippin, is properly identified as the variety Golding and is described separately under that name.
Tree
The tree is small, the branches short, the growth delicate (Coxe). Coxe reports, citing Mr. Knight's treatise on orchards, that it succeeds best on sandy soils. Downing describes it as a great bearer but requiring a strong, deep, sandy loam.
Fruit
Size: Very small (Coxe). Small (Downing, Beach).
Form: Rather flat (Coxe). Round and regularly formed (Downing). Beach describes it as a rather small, smooth apple.
Skin: Rough, the colour a deep rich yellow mixed with russet (Coxe). Gold color, dotted with gray russety dots, with also obscure white specks imbedded under the skin (Downing). Beach describes it as white or yellowish with a shade of red towards the base.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellow, rich, and sprightly (Coxe). Yellowish, crisp, rather acid, but with a rich, brisk, high flavor; very good (Downing).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November to March (Downing, Beach). Coxe classes it as a winter fruit.
Uses
Dessert, culinary, and cider (Coxe, Downing, Beach). Esteemed in England primarily as a dessert apple.
Subtypes/Variants
There are many varieties of the English Golden Pippin, differing but little in general appearance and size, and very little in flavor from the old sort, but of rather more thrifty growth (Downing). The best of these, according to Downing, are Hughes' and Kirke's new Cluster Golden Pippins. In addition to the named sub-varieties and distinct American varieties described below, Downing notes that "there are also several other Apples under this popular name, many of which doubtless will be found identical with named sorts."
Golden Pippin (I) — York Pippin / Large Golden Pippin / Mammoth
Origin/History: The origin of this variety is unknown. It has long been in cultivation. Beach (1905) notes that in New York it is found mostly in old orchards and, generally speaking, its cultivation is not increasing. This variety belongs in the Fall Pippin group of apples. In Central and Western New York it is often called York Pippin. It is grown to a considerable extent in various parts of New York state and in New England, and in some sections is regarded as one of the most desirable of the fall varieties for commercial planting.
Tree: Very vigorous and very productive on deep rich soils; on light soils it is often a shy bearer, the fruit much smaller (Downing). Beach describes the tree as more spreading than that of Fall Pippin, and perhaps somewhat hardier. It is generally healthy, vigorous, quite long-lived, and when full grown becomes a pretty large tree. It is a reliable cropper, bearing good to heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually. There is apt to be considerable loss by premature dropping of the fruit, and unless proper preventive measures are taken the crop may be seriously injured by apple scab and codling moth, but with proper treatment these pests may be kept under good control.
Fruit — Size: Very large or large, pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach). Specimens sometimes weighing 20 ounces (Downing), one of the largest of its class.
Fruit — Form: Roundish to roundish oblate, sometimes slightly conic, often with a broad flat base and broadly ribbed toward the apex (Beach). Roundish, ribbed (Downing).
Fruit — Stem: Long to medium, thick, sometimes swollen (Beach).
Fruit — Cavity: Acute to acuminate, medium in depth, broad, usually rather symmetrical, sometimes lipped, russeted and often with heavy, outspreading russet rays (Beach).
Fruit — Calyx: Rather large, closed (Beach).
Fruit — Basin: Deep, moderately wide to wide, abrupt, slightly furrowed, sometimes irregularly compressed (Beach).
Fruit — Skin: Rather tender, green or yellowish changing to a deeper and rather attractive yellow when fully mature, sometimes with bronze blush and russet flecks (Beach). Greenish yellow, becoming quite yellow at full maturity, slight blush of brown crimson in sun-exposed specimens (Downing).
Fruit — Dots: Small to rather large and conspicuous, greenish and submerged or with russet point (Beach).
Fruit — Calyx Tube: Wide, conical. Stamens median to somewhat basal (Beach).
Fruit — Core/Seeds: Core rather small, somewhat abaxile; cells open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish or approaching elliptical, sometimes obovate, heavily tufted. Seeds few, often not perfectly developed, medium size, irregular, rather dark brown, rather plump, acute (Beach). Core small (Downing).
Fruit — Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, coarse, rather tender, juicy, agreeable mild subacid, somewhat aromatic, good to very good (Beach). Yellowish, coarse, juicy, tender, mild subacid, good to very good (Downing). As compared with Fall Pippin the fruit is harder, keeps longer, and stands shipping better in hot weather (Beach).
Season: Late September to December or January (Beach). In Western New York its season in ordinary storage extends from about September 20 to January 1 (Beach). November, December (Downing). It holds its flavor and quality well for a late fall and early winter sort (Beach).
Uses: Suitable for either dessert or culinary uses (Beach). Beach reports it frequently brings better prices than Fall Pippin, and that it is sometimes exported.
Golden Pippin (II) — Pittstown Pippin
Origin/History: Downing states that this is an old apple grown many years ago in Adams, Mass., from whence it was brought to Pittstown and has been recently christened after that place. Beach (1905) reports that it appears this variety is no longer propagated in New York.
Tree: Upright vigorous grower, with large strong branches. Shoots dull brownish red, slightly downy (Downing).
Fruit — Size: Rather large.
Fruit — Form: Roundish oblate, sometimes conic, and sides unequal.
Fruit — Skin: Greenish yellow with a blush in sun exposure.
Fruit — Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid.
Fruit — Core: Rather large.
Season: September and October.
Uses: Good for cooking (Downing).
Elliott's Golden Pippin — American Golden Pippin / Ribbed Pippin / New York Greening / Newtown Greening
[NOTE: Source text may describe a different variety than the English Golden Pippin — Beach (1905) identifies the "Golden Pippin of Westchester County, also known under the name of American Golden Pippin," as a distinct variety properly called Golding. Elliott's synonyms (American Golden Pippin, New York Greening, Newtown Greening) align with that identification. The description is included here as it appears under the Golden Pippin name in Elliott's work.]
Tree: An old American sort, of strong growth, not an early but productive bearer (Elliott).
Fruit — Size: Large (Elliott).
Fruit — Form: Variable, sometimes ribbed, roundish flattened (Elliott).
Fruit — Stem: Short, stout (Elliott).
Fruit — Cavity: Deep (Elliott).
Fruit — Calyx: Closed (Elliott).
Fruit — Skin: Golden yellow, with a few dots, sometimes net russet (Elliott).
Fruit — Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, tender, juicy, rich, vinous, aromatic (Elliott).
Fruit — Core: Large (Elliott).
Season: November, February (Elliott).
Michigan Golden Pippin (Porter)
Downing mentions another Golden Pippin sometimes known as Porter in Michigan, which is of medium size, roundish oblate, greenish yellow, mild subacid, ripe in September and October.
Other
Beach (1905) provides an extensive reference list for the English Golden Pippin: Forsyth 1803, Coxe 1817, Thacher 1822, N.Y. Board of Agriculture Memoirs 1826, Floy-Lindley 1833, Magazine of Horticulture 1835, Downing 1845, Thomas 1849, Cole 1849, Emmons Natural History of New York 1851, Hooper 1857, Elliott 1858, Warder 1867, Leroy 1873, Hogg 1884, and Bailey's Annals of Horticulture 1892.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
(Hansen says this originated in Minnesota.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1897–1911) from England
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (5)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 64. GOLDEN PIPPIN.
This apple possesses the highest reputation in England, as a fine winter, table, and cider fruit: the size is very small, the form rather flat, the skin rough, the colour a deep rich yellow, mixed with russet—the flesh yellow, rich, and sprightly: the tree is small, the branches short, the growth delicate; and by Mr. Knight in his treatise on orchards, is said to succeed best on sandy soils. There appears to be some justness in a remark of English writers, that the climate of England is peculiarly favourable to this apple—in this country it does not rank very high in the scale of good apples; this may proceed from climate in some degree, but it is, I apprehend, more to be ascribed to the long duration of the variety, which, in its native soil, is supposed to have diminished the excellence of its flavour and the vigour of its growth.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Golden Pippin. Golden Pippin. London Golden Pippin. Old Golden Pippin. Warter's Golden Pippin. Balgone Pippin. Bayfordbury Golden Pippin. Milton Golden Pippin. Pepin d'Or. Russet Golden Pippin. Pomme d'Or. Herefordshire Golden Pippin. Koening's Pippelin. Reinette d'Angleterre.
The Golden Pippin of the English is the queen of all dessert Apples, in the estimation of the English connoisseurs, as it unites the qualities of small size, fine form, and color, with high flavor and durability. It is a very old variety, being mentioned by Evelyn in 1660, but it still thrives well in many parts of England.
Fruit small, round, and regularly formed, gold color, dotted with gray russety dots, with also obscure white specks imbedded under the skin. Flesh yellowish, crisp, rather acid, but with a rich, brisk, high flavor. Very good. A great bearer, but requires a strong, deep, sandy loam. November to March. Does not succeed well here.
There are many varieties of the English Golden Pippin, differing but little in general appearance and size, and very little in flavor, from the old sort, but of rather more thrifty growth; the best of these are Hughes', and Kirke's new Cluster Golden Pippins.
Golden Pippin. Pittstown Pippin.
This is an old Apple, grown many years ago in Adams, Mass., from whence it was brought to Pittstown, and has been recently christened after that place. The tree is an upright vigorous grower, with large strong branches. Shoots dull brownish red, slightly downy.
Fruit rather large, roundish oblate, sometimes conic, and sides unequal, greenish yellow with a blush in sun exposure. Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid. Core rather large. Good for cooking. September and October.
Golden Pippin. Pound Royal of some. York Pippin. Butter Pippin. Large Golden Pippin. Mammoth.
This Apple is considerably grown in the New England States and Western New York, and is one of the largest of its class, specimens sometimes weighing 20 ounces. Tree very vigorous and very productive on deep rich soils; on light soils it is often a shy bearer, the fruit much smaller.
Fruit very large, roundish, ribbed, greenish yellow, becoming quite yellow at full maturity, slight blush of brown crimson in sun-exposed specimens. Flesh yellowish, coarse, juicy, tender, mild subacid. Core small. Good to very good. November, December.
There is another Golden Pippin sometimes known as Porter in Michigan, which is of medium size, roundish oblate, greenish yellow, mild subacid. Ripe in September and October.
There are also several other Apples under this popular name, many of which doubtless will be found identical with named sorts.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)GOLDEN PIPPIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Forsyth, 1803:52. 2. Coxe, 1817:138. fig. 3. Thacher, 1822:125. 4. N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:477. 5. Floy-Lindley, 1833:12. 6. Mag. Hort., 1:265. 1835. 7. Downing, 1845:112. fig. 8. Thomas, 1849:181, 189. fig. 9. Cole, 1849:128. 10. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:82. 1851. 11. Hooper, 1857:41. 12. Elliott, 1858:171. 13. Warder, 1867:720. 14. Leroy, 1873:510. 15. Hogg, 1884:91. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240.
SYNONYMS. D'OR D'ANGLETERRE (14). ENGLISH GOLDEN PIPPIN (8). English Golden Pippin (7, 12, 14). Old Golden Pippin (7, 12, 14). Pepin d'Or (5, 7).
A rather small, smooth, white or yellowish apple with a shade of red towards the base. In season from November to March. In England it has long been esteemed as a very valuable dessert and culinary apple (7, 14, 15). It does not succeed well here (7). There are many varieties of the English Golden Pippin, the fruit of which differs but little from that of the old variety but the trees are more vigorous (7). None of these appear to have gained favorable recognition in this country. Floy says, "The English Golden Pippin grows with delicate small shoots and is not calculated for an orchard; but if properly managed it makes a beautiful espalier tree and is an abundant bearer. * * * The apple is not much known in this country; the kind called here Golden Pippin is a very different fruit" (5). The Golden Pippins of New York and New England are fall apples. For an account of them the reader is referred to the succeeding volume.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)THE GOLDEN PIPPINS.
The name Golden Pippin has been applied to several distinct varieties, the most important of which are mentioned below.
The Golden Pippin of England is a small, yellowish apple with shade of red, which is in season from November to March. This has already been described in Volume I, page 141.
The Golden Pippin of Westchester County, also known under the name of American Golden Pippin and by various other synonyms, is described as Golding, page 82, which is the name now accepted for this variety by pomologists. In addition to the varieties described below under the name Golden Pippin there are several other sorts which have been known under this name,
(I) GOLDEN PIPPIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1869:195. 2. Thomas, 1875:500. 3. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. 4. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:123. 1905. 5. Ib., 56:347. 1905. SYNONYMS. Butter Pippin (1). Golden Pippin (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Large Golden Pippin (1). Mammoth (1, 2). Pound Royal (2, of some 1). York Pippin (1, 5).
This variety belongs in the Fall Pippin group of apples. In Central and Western New York it is often called York Pippin. The fruit is large, coarse-grained, with a very pleasant flavor, and is suitable for either dessert or culinary uses. As compared with Fall Pippin the fruit is harder, keeps longer and stands shipping better in hot weather. In Western New York its season in ordinary storage extends from about September 20 to January 1. It holds its flavor and quality well for a late fall and early winter sort. It frequently brings better prices than Fall Pippin, and we are informed it is sometimes exported. The tree is more spreading than that of Fall Pippin, and is perhaps somewhat hardier. It is generally healthy, vigorous, quite long-lived, and when full grown becomes a pretty large tree. It is a reliable cropper, bearing good to heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually. There is apt to be considerable loss by premature dropping of the fruit, and unless proper preventive measures are taken the crop may be seriously injured by apple scab and codling moth, but with proper treatment these pests may be kept under good control. Golden Pippin is grown to a considerable extent in various parts of New York state and in New England. In some sections it is regarded as one of the most desirable of the fall varieties for commercial planting.
Historical. The origin of this variety is unknown. It has long been in cultivation. In New York it is now found mostly in old orchards and, generally speaking, its cultivation is not increasing.
FRUIT.
Fruit very large or large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to roundish oblate, sometimes slightly conic, often with a broad flat base and broadly ribbed toward the apex. Stem long to medium, thick, sometimes swollen. Cavity acute to acuminate, medium in depth, broad, usually rather symmetrical, sometimes lipped, russeted and often with heavy, outspreading russet rays. Calyx rather large, closed. Basin deep, moderately wide to wide, abrupt, slightly furrowed, sometimes irregularly compressed. Skin rather tender, green or yellowish changing to a deeper and rather attractive yellow when fully mature, sometimes with bronze blush and russet flecks. Dots small to rather large and conspicuous, greenish and submerged or with russet point. Calyx tube wide, conical. Stamens median to somewhat basal. Core rather small, somewhat abaxile; cells open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish or approaching elliptical, sometimes obovate, heavily tufted. Seeds few, often not perfectly developed, medium size, irregular, rather dark brown, rather plump, acute. Flesh yellowish, coarse, rather tender, juicy, agreeable mild subacid, somewhat aromatic, good to very good. Season late September to December or January.
(II) GOLDEN PIPPIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1869:194. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. SYNONYMS. Golden Pippin (1, 2). Pittstown Pippin (1).
Downing states that this is an old apple grown many years ago in Adams, Mass. Tree upright and vigorous; fruit rather large, roundish oblate, sometimes conic, greenish-yellow with blush; flesh yellowish, sprightly subacid, good for cooking; season September and October (1). It appears that this variety is no longer propagated in New York.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Golden Pippin.
American Golden Pippin, | Ribbed Pippin, New York Greening, | Newtown Greening.
An old American sort, of strong growth, not an early, but productive bearer. Fruit, large ; form, variable, sometimes ribbed, roundish flattened ; golden yellow, with a few dots, sometimes net russet ; stem, short, stout ; cavity, deep ; calyx, closed ; flesh, yellowish, tender, juicy, rich, vinous, aromatic ; core, large. November, February.