Hawthornden
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Hawthornden
Origin / History
A Scotch apple, raised at Hawthornden, near Edinburgh, the birthplace of the poet Drummond. Lindley says it "is said to have been originally raised eight or ten miles south of Edinburgh, in the village, the name of which it bears." The Herefordshire Pomona calls the place "a romantic spot near Edinburgh, where Drummond the poet was born in 1585." The same work says the period when the apple was first produced is not known, and that it is first mentioned in the catalogue of Leslie and Anderson of Edinburgh. It was not known about London until 1790, when it was introduced into the Brompton Park Nursery; Bunyard gives it as "raised at Hawthornden, Scotland before 1790."
Lindley calls it "This valuable variety" and says "This is reckoned the best Apple in Scotland." The Herefordshire Pomona says it "has long been one of the most valuable and popular apples in cultivation." Bunyard calls it "One of the best cooking sorts."
American writers knew it as a "famous" (Warder) and "celebrated" (Downing) Scotch fruit, and Elliott lists it as foreign. They measured it against the Maiden's Blush. Downing says it "resembles, somewhat, our Maiden's Blush, but is inferior to that fruit in flavor," and Elliott calls it "Not equal to Maiden's Blush." Warder writes: "This famous Scotch fruit appears to do very well in this country, but it must yield the palm to its American cousin and representative, the Maiden's Blush, which possesses all its good qualities as a market and kitchen fruit, with attractive appearance."
Beach, who was not himself acquainted with the variety, says it "has done fairly well in various parts of this country from New England to California." He adds that it "appears to be but little known among New York fruit growers" and is "still occasionally listed by nurserymen."
Tree
Vigorous and spreading. Downing calls it also upright, and somewhat pendulous when in bearing. Bunyard gives growth as moderate, "making a dwarfish flat tree," and Veitch says it "forms a small pyramid." The extreme buds of the branches are mostly blossom-buds, so the ends become pendulous when the crop is fully grown (Lindley).
Wood and young shoots short-jointed to very short-jointed. Lindley describes the wood as light chestnut color, downy, with small white specks. Downing describes the young shoots as dull reddish brown, with prominent buds. Leaves oval, taper-pointed, regularly serrated, with small stipules (Lindley); Bunyard describes the leaf as very pale, nearly flat, rather large, shallow serrate. Flowers middle-sized, with bright rose-colored, roundish, cordate petals (Lindley).
An early, productive, and prolific bearer. Lindley calls it "one of the most abundant bearers we have," Downing "An excellent bearer," and the Herefordshire Pomona "unrivalled as an early and abundant bearer." Against this, Bunyard gives fertility as medium, and Beach records it as said to be a biennial cropper.
Lindley says it is apt to canker in Scotland. The Herefordshire Pomona says the tree "has always been considered as very healthy and vigorous." It adds that "of late years in some situations it has lost its condition and only produced small and diseased fruit, as if it had exhausted the soils of its own particular requirements."
Fruit
Size: Medium to large, most commonly placed above medium (Downing: "rather above the medium size"). About as many authors call it large as call it medium; Beach gives above medium to large. Bunyard measures it 3 by 2¼. The Herefordshire Pomona says it varies "very much in size according to the soil, situation, or condition of the tree, generally above medium size."
Form: Roundish, flattish, flattened or depressed (oblate), from slightly flattened to very flat (Warder). Warder, Downing, and Beach call it regular. Lindley calls it irregularly shaped, "one side being larger than the other," and Bunyard also calls it irregular. The Herefordshire Pomona notes "occasionally a prominent rib on one side which produces an irregularity in its appearance."
Stem: Short to medium, stout to very stout (Bunyard), sometimes fleshy (Herefordshire Pomona). Lindley gives it as half an inch long.
Cavity: Wide, rather deep to deep, wavy and irregular; Warder calls it green.
Calyx: Eye small, closed, a little depressed (Lindley); segments broad and flat (Herefordshire Pomona).
Basin: Warder gives it shallow, narrow, and regular. The Herefordshire Pomona and Bunyard give it moderately deep to pretty deep, irregular and ribbed.
Skin: Smooth to perfectly smooth, clear, always fair, with a delicate bloom (Herefordshire Pomona). Ground greenish yellow, pale yellow, creamy yellow, or pale light yellow, nearly white in the shade (Downing); Warder and Beach call it white, Warder "a beautiful white."
A faint red blush or flush, reddish, lies on the side exposed to the sun, varying in extent and color with exposure. Beach describes the white skin as "sometimes nearly overspread with faint blush that deepens to bright red in the sun." Warder found it "very rarely and faintly blushed." A handsome fruit (Downing).
Dots: Minute (Warder).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white; Warder gives greenish-white. Crisp and tender, breaking, fine grained, juicy to very juicy, the juice plentiful.
Flavor agreeable and pleasant, acid (Elliott, Warder) to mild subacid; Warder adds aromatic. Lindley calls the juice "plentiful, sweet and pleasant." Downing calls it "a simple, pleasant flavor," and Beach "not of high flavor."
Downing, Beach, and Lowther rate it "good," and Veitch calls it "excellent."
Core and seeds: Core wide, regular, somewhat open, meeting the eye. Seeds numerous, angular, imperfect, brown (Warder).
Season
The recorded season runs from September to December. The American authors place it in early autumn, September to November. The Herefordshire Pomona, Bunyard, and Veitch give October to December. Lindley says it ripens in October "and will keep good about a month or six weeks."
Uses
A culinary and market apple. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "suitable only for kitchen use." Warder rates it "of second quality for table, but first rate for cooking." Downing calls it "good for cooking or drying, and exceedingly profitable for market."
Subtypes / Variants
Downing describes a New, or winter Hawthornden. Its wood is brownish red, the tree more robust, the fruit larger, and it keeps longer than the common Hawthornden.
Other
Lowther's station table records reports of 5* from the Northern Division and 6* from the Central Division, each also reported in another division.
Book Sources
Described in 9 period pomological works
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
- Lindley, Pomologia Britannica Vol. 1 (1841) — listed as The Hawthornden Apple
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as White Hawthornden
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1845–1911) from England, Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Joseph Breck & Co. , Boston , Massachusetts — 1855 — listed as Hawthorndean
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (10)
— John Lindley, Pomologia Britannica, Vol. 1 (1841)34
THE HAWTHORNDEN APPLE.
Hawthornden. Hort. Soc. Fruit Cat. no. 440. White Hawthornden. Nicol's Fruit Gardener, p. 256.
This valuable variety is said to have been originally raised eight or ten miles south of Edinburgh, in the village, the name of which it bears, which is better known as the birth-place of the poet Drummond. It is one of the most abundant bearers we have; and as the extreme buds of the branches are mostly blossom-buds, the ends become pendulous when the crop of fruit is fully grown. Ripens in October, and will keep good about a month or six weeks.
WOOD short-jointed, of a light chestnut colour, downy, with small white specks.
LEAVES oval, taper-pointed, regularly serrated, with small stipulæ.
FLOWERS middle-sized, with bright, rose-coloured, roundish, cordate petals.
FRUIT large, flattish, irregularly shaped, one side being larger than the other.
STALK half an inch long.
EYE a little depressed.
SKIN clear, greenish yellow, reddish on the side next the sun.
FLESH white.
JUICE plentiful, sweet and pleasant.
This is reckoned the best Apple in Scotland; but it is apt to canker in that country.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Hawthornden. White Hawthornden, | Mountaineer. Foreign. Above medium, roundish flattened, pale yellow, blush in sun ; flesh, white, acid. October, November. Not equal to Maiden's Blush.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Fig. 76.—HAWTHORNDEN.
Hawthornden.
This famous Scotch fruit appears to do very well in this country, but it must yield the palm to its American cousin and representative, the Maiden's Blush, which possesses all its good qualities as a market and kitchen fruit, with attractive appearance.
Tree spreading, vigorous and productive; an early bearer.
Fruit large, regular, and very flat; Surface perfectly smooth, always fair, and of a beautiful white, very rarely and faintly blushed; Dots minute.
Basin shallow, narrow, regular; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, wavy, green; Stem medium.
Core wide, regular, somewhat open, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, angular, imperfect, brown; Flesh greenish-white, breaking, fine grained, juicy; Flavor acid, aromatic; of second quality for table, but first rate for cooking; Uses, kitchen and market; Season October.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- HAWTHORNDEN.
[Syn: Hawthorndean; White Hawthorndean; Red Hawthorndean.]
This variety was raised at Hawthornden, a romantic spot near Edinburgh, where Drummond the poet was born in 1585. The period when this apple was first produced is not known. It is first mentioned in the catalogue of Leslie and Anderson of Edinburgh; but was not known about London until 1790, when it was introduced into the Brompton Park Nursery.
Description.—Fruit; varying very much in size according to the soil, situation, or condition of the tree, generally above medium size, roundish and depressed, with occasionally a prominent rib on one side which produces an irregularity in its appearance. Skin; smooth, covered with a delicate bloom, greenish yellow, with a blush of red on one side which varies in extent and colour according as it has been more or less exposed to the sun. Eye; small and closed, with broad and flat segments, placed in a pretty deep and irregular basin. Stalk; short, stout, and sometimes fleshy, inserted in a deep and irregular cavity. Flesh; white, crisp and tender, very juicy, with an agreeable and pleasant flavour.
The Hawthornden has long been one of the most valuable and popular apples in cultivation. It is suitable only for kitchen use, and is in season from October to December.
The tree has always been considered as very healthy and vigorous, and unrivalled as an early and abundant bearer, but of late years in some situations it has lost its condition and only produced small and diseased fruit, as if it had exhausted the soils of its own particular requirements.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hawthornden.
White Hawthornden.
A celebrated Scotch Apple, which originated at Hawthornden, the birthplace of the poet Drummond. It resembles, somewhat, our Maiden's Blush, but is inferior to that fruit in flavor. An excellent bearer, a handsome fruit, and good for cooking or drying, and exceedingly profitable for market.
Tree vigorous, upright, spreading, and, when in bearing, somewhat pendulous. Young shoots very short-jointed, dull reddish brown. Buds prominent.
Fruit rather above the medium size, pretty regularly formed, roundish, rather flattened. Skin very smooth, pale light yellow, nearly white in the shade, with a fine blush where exposed to the sun. Flesh white, juicy, of a simple, pleasant flavor. Good. September.
There is a New, or winter Hawthornden, the wood of which is brownish red, tree more robust, the fruit larger, and a longer keeper than the above.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)White Hawthornden. See Hawthornden.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)HAWTHORNDEN.
REFERENCES. 1. Hooker, Pom. Lond., 1813:T. 44 (cited by 2). 2. Forsyth, 1824:106. 3. Pom. Mag., 1828:No. 34. col. pl. 4. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 530. 5. Mag. Hort., 1:326. 1835. 6. Manning, 1838:48. 7. Ib., Mag. Hort., 7:45. 1841. 8. Downing, 1845:86. 9. Cole, 1849:113. 10. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 17:18. 1851. fig. 11. Barry, 1851:284. 12. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:40. 1851. 13. Mag. Hort., 19:174. 1853. 14. Elliott, 1854:171. 15. Gregg, 1857:43. 16. Hooper, 1857:43. 17. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 18. Warder, 1867:410. fig. 19. Leroy, 1873:376. fig. 20. Thomas, 1875:501. 21. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1:10. 1876. 22. Ib., 5:24. 1879. 23. Hogg, 1884:105. 24. Rural N. Y., 45:233. 1886. figs. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 26. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 27. Gaudier, 1894:No. 13. col. pl. 28. Dempsey, Out. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 1:24. 1894. fig. 29. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:354.
SYNONYMS. Hawley (27) but erroneously. HAWTHORNDEAN (2, 6, 7). Hau'thorndean (23). HAWTHORNDEN (1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29). Lincolnshire Pippin (27). Lord Kingston (27). Maiden's Blush erroneously (10). Old Hawthorndean (23, 27). Pomme de Hawthornden (27). Red Hawthornden (10). Shoreditch White (27). Weisser Hawthornden (27). Wheeler's Kernel (27). White Apple (27). White Hawthorndean (23, 27). White Hawthornden (3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14).
A Scotch variety which has done fairly well in various parts of this country from New England to California. Warder (18) says of it: "This famous Scotch fruit appears to do very well in this country, but it must yield the palm to its American cousin and representative, the Maiden's Blush, which possesses all its good qualities as a market and kitchen fruit, with attractive appearance."
The tree is said to be a vigorous grower and a biennial cropper, and the fruit is above medium to large, regular, fair, white sometimes nearly overspread with faint blush that deepens to bright red in the sun. Flesh mild subacid, not of high flavor, pleasant, good. Season September and October.
We are not acquainted with this variety. It appears to be but little known among New York fruit growers. It is still occasionally listed by nurserymen (26).
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Hawthornden: size medium; form roundish (oblate); color greenish yellow; quality good; use both kitchen and market; season early autumn; Northern Division reports 5* (also reported in another division); Central Division reports 6* (also reported in another division).
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)HAWTHORNDEN. Her. Pom., 6. (Hawley, Lincolnshire Pippin, Old Hawthornden.) Culinary, October to December, medium, 3 by 2¼, round, slightly flattened, irregular. Colour, creamy-yellow with faint red flush. Flesh, tender, white, sub-acid. Eye, closed, in a moderately deep and ribbed basin. Stem, short and very stout in a rather deep cavity. Growth, moderate; fertility medium. Leaf, very pale, nearly flat, rather large, shallow serrate. Origin, raised at Hawthornden, Scotland before 1790. One of the best cooking sorts, making a dwarfish flat tree.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)medium size, excellent and prolific, flesh juicy with an agreeable and pleasant flavour, forms a small pyramid ... Oct. to Dec.