Great Mogul
AppleGreat Mogul
Origin and History
An apple of Russian origin, introduced into the United States approximately 25 years prior to 1905 (circa 1880). Also known historically as Grosser Mogul and Vilikui Mogul.
Tree Characteristics
Growth and Form: A good grower when young, but when mature becomes rather below medium in size. The tree develops an open, spreading form with a somewhat drooping habit. Branches are rather short and stout; laterals are distinctly drooping.
Twigs: Below medium to short in length, stout, and irregularly geniculate.
Bark: Clear brownish-red to very dark brown (nearly black), mottled lightly with gray scarf-skin, slightly pubescent.
Lenticels: Very conspicuous and prominent—medium to large in size, oblong in shape, generally elongated, and russeted.
Buds: Very prominent, large, broad, and plump with acute tips. Buds are free and lightly attached to the bark; the scales are not well united and are pubescent.
Bearing Habit: Comes into bearing rather young, is an annual bearer, and produces abundantly.
Fruit Characteristics
Size and Form: Large to very large. The form is typically roundish ovate, though it varies toward oblong conic or oblate conic, with slight angularity. Usually quite regular in shape and size.
Stem: Medium to nearly long in length, rather thick, and often clubbed or swollen.
Cavity: Usually very acuminate (tapering to a sharp point), occasionally acute. Moderately deep and moderately wide. Sometimes displays outspreading russet rays. Surface is smooth and symmetrical, often with a pronounced lip.
Calyx: Medium to rather large. Closed or slightly open. The lobes are long, broad, and acute.
Basin: Rather small and often oblique. Narrow to medium in width, shallow to moderately deep, with an abrupt character. Surface is smooth or slightly wrinkled and symmetrical.
Skin: Rather thick and tough, smooth with a somewhat waxy appearance. The ground color is pale greenish-yellow, more or less overspread with rather bright pinkish-red and often indistinctly striped with carmine. The overall effect is less striking than Alexander, tending to be more oblong, less broadly striped, and less attractive in color and form.
Dots: Inconspicuous, numerous, small, scattering, and gray in color.
Calyx Tube: Medium in length, elongated, conical or somewhat funnel-form with a wide limb. A fleshy pistil point projects into the base.
Stamens: Marginal to median.
Core: Somewhat abaxile. The cells are often unsymmetrical, varying from wide open to nearly closed. Core lines are slightly clasping.
Carpels: Broadly ovate and elongated with slight emargination.
Seeds: Numerous and compactly filling the cells. Medium to large in size, variable in shape, rather short and very wide, plump, with tips either obtuse or sometimes acute. Light brown in color.
Flesh and Flavor: Nearly white with a slight tinge of yellow. The flesh is not very firm, moderately fine in texture, not crisp but tender and juicy. The flavor is subacid mingled with sweet, with fair to good overall quality.
Season
October to December.
Note
This variety is not recommended for growing in New York.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)GREAT MOGUL.
References. 1. Regel, 1:453. 1868. 2. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1885:24, 35, 36, 37. 3. Lyon, U. S. Pom. Bul., 2:41. 1888. 4. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 18:519. 1892. 5. Troop, Ind. Sta. Bul., 53:124. 1894. 6. Stinson, Ark. Sta. An. Rpt., 9:105. 1896. 7. Troop, Ind. Sta. Rpt., 12:80. 1899. 8. Ib., Ia. Sta. Bul., 41:85. 1899. 9. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:128. 1905.
Synonyms. GREAT MOGUL (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). 54 M (3). Grosser Mogul (2, 9). Vilikui Mogul (2, 9).
Fruit large, greenish, blushed and striped with red, somewhat resembling Alexander in type but tending to be more oblong, less broadly striped with carmine, and on the whole less attractive in color and form. Tree a fine grower, comes into bearing rather young, is an annual bearer and productive. It is not recommended for growing in New York.
Historical. An apple of Russian origin which was introduced into the United States about twenty-five years ago (1, 2, 3).
Tree.
Tree a good grower when young but when full grown is rather below medium size. Form open, spreading, rather drooping with rather short stout branches and drooping laterals. Twigs below medium to short, stout, irregularly geniculate. Bark clear brownish-red to very dark brown almost black, mottled lightly with gray scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels very conspicuous, medium to large, oblong, generally elongated and russeted. Buds very prominent, large, broad, plump, acute, free, lightly attached to the bark, scales not well united, pubescent.
Fruit.
Fruit large to very large. Form roundish ovate, sometimes varying to oblong conic or to oblate conic, slightly angular. Usually the fruit is pretty regular in form, shape and size. Stem medium to nearly long, rather thick, often clubbed or swollen. Cavity usually very acuminate, sometimes acute, moderately deep, moderately wide, sometimes with outspreading russet rays, smooth, symmetrical, often lipped. Calyx medium to rather large, closed or slightly open, lobes long, broad, acute. Basin rather small, often oblique, narrow to medium in width, shallow to moderately deep, somewhat abrupt, smooth or slightly wrinkled, symmetrical. Skin rather thick, tough, smooth, somewhat waxy, pale greenish-yellow more or less overspread with rather bright pinkish-red, often indistinctly striped with carmine. Dots inconspicuous, numerous, small, scattering, gray. Calyx tube medium, elongated, conical or somewhat funnel-form with wide limb and fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Stamens marginal to median. Core somewhat abaxile; cells often unsymmetrical, varying from wide open to nearly closed; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly ovate, elongated, slightly emarginate. Seeds numerous, compactly filling the cells, medium to large, variable in shape, rather short, very wide, plump, obtuse or sometimes acute, light brown. Flesh nearly white, slightly tinged with yellow, not very firm, moderately fine, not crisp, tender, juicy, subacid mingled with sweet, fair to good in quality.
Season October to December.