Hector Macdonald

Apple

Hector Macdonald

Origin / History

Raised by Mr. Charles Ross and introduced by Messrs. Pearson in 1906. Resembles Lane's Prince Albert, but Bunyard finds it "rather too poor a grower for market use." Listed in Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911).

Tree

Growth very dwarf, rather too poor for market use (Bunyard); Veitch calls it a good grower. Very fertile (Bunyard and Veitch). Leaf large, long, dark, slightly upfolded and undulated, deeply curved serrate.

Fruit

Size: Medium to large, 3 by 2½ (Bunyard); Veitch gives large.

Form: Round, slightly conical, fairly regular (Bunyard); oval (Veitch).

Stem: Nearly always very short (Bunyard).

Cavity: Wide, rather deep, without russet.

Calyx: Eye closed.

Basin: Rather deep, wide, plaited.

Skin: Pale yellowish green with faint broken stripes (Bunyard); pale yellow, shaded bright red (Veitch).

Dots: Not described in source.

Flesh and flavor: Greenish, very crisp, juicy, acid.

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October to February. Veitch gives October and November.

Uses

Culinary; a good cooker. Bunyard finds it too poor a grower for market use.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1911) from England

James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911

View original book sources (2)

HECTOR MACDONALD. Culinary, October to February, medium, to large, 3 by 2½, round slightly conical, fairly regular. Colour, pale yellowish-green with faint broken stripes. Flesh, very crisp, juicy, greenish, acid, good cooker. Eye, closed in a rather deep, wide and plaited basin. Stem, nearly always very short in a wide rather deep cavity without russet. Growth, very dwarf; very fertile. Leaf, large, long, dark, slightly upfolded and undulated, deeply curved serrate. Origin, raised by Mr. Charles Ross and introduced by Messrs. Pearson in 1906. Resembles Lane's Prince Albert, but it proves to be rather too poor a grower for market use.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

large, oval, pale yellow, shaded bright red, a good grower and very fertile ... Oct. & Nov.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)