Hiester
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Hiester
Origin/History
Originated in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Considered a desirable apple in some parts of Pennsylvania (Beach, citing Boyer, 1881). A pleasant subacid apple that is classed as a late fall and early winter variety where it originated; in New York it is in season during winter. Not recommended for planting in New York (Beach). But little known in New York (Beach).
Tree
Downing describes the tree as large, vigorous, spreading, and productive, with young shoots that are very dark blackish brown. Beach corroborates that the tree is vigorous and productive but does not characterize it as large or spreading.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Roundish oblate, sometimes faintly ribbed (Beach).
Stem: Very short and slender (Beach).
Cavity: Acute, rather broad and deep (Beach).
Calyx: Small, partly open (Beach).
Basin: Rather abrupt to somewhat obtuse, broad, deep, slightly wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: The two sources give complementary but differing characterizations. Downing describes the skin as yellowish, shaded and indistinctly splashed and mottled with two shades of red, with few light gray dots. Beach gives a more detailed account: pale yellow, mottled with thin bright red on the shady side and washed with deeper red and narrowly streaked with deep carmine in the sun. Dots gray or russet, conspicuous about the cavity (Beach).
Calyx tube: Rather small, cone-shape, approaching funnel-form (Beach).
Stamens: Median (Beach).
Flesh/Flavor
The sources are in general agreement but differ in some particulars. Both describe the flesh as crisp and tender, with a subacid flavor. Downing calls the flesh white and juicy, rating the flavor a pleasant subacid and quality Good. Beach describes the flesh as yellowish-white and moderately juicy, with flavor ranging from mild subacid to somewhat sweet, rating quality fair to good.
Core/Seeds
Core small, somewhat abaxile; cells open or partly open; core lines meeting or clasping. Carpels broadly roundish. Seeds medium or below, rather narrow, short, plump (Beach).
Season
November to March (Downing). Beach characterizes it as a late fall and early winter variety in its native Pennsylvania, in season during winter in New York.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hiester. Heaster. Heister. Baer. Stehly. Miller. Originated in Reading, Berks Co., Pa. Tree large, vigorous, spreading, productive. Young shoots very dark blackish brown. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, yellowish, shaded and indistinctly splashed and mottled with two shades of red, few light gray dots. Flesh white, crisp, juicy, tender, pleasant subacid. Good. November to March.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)HIESTER.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1872:215. 2. Boyer, Pa. Fr. Gr. Soc. Rpt., 1881:34. 3. Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:324. 1896.
SYNONYMS. Baer (1). Heaster (1). Heister (1). Michel Miller (2). Miller (1). Stehly (1).
A pleasant subacid apple in season here during winter, but where it originated it is classed as a late fall and early winter variety. Tree vigorous and productive (1). It is considered a desirable apple in some parts of Pennsylvania (2). Not recommended for planting in New York.
Historical. Origin, Reading, Berks county, Pa. (1). But little known in New York.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium. Form roundish oblate, sometimes faintly ribbed. Stem very short and slender. Cavity acute, rather broad and deep. Calyx small, partly open. Basin rather abrupt to somewhat obtuse, broad, deep, slightly wrinkled. Skin pale yellow mottled with thin bright red on shady side and washed with deeper red and narrowly streaked with deep carmine in the sun. Dots gray or russet, conspicuous about the cavity. Calyx tube rather small, cone-shape, approaching funnel-form. Stamens median.
Core small, somewhat abaxile; cells open or partly open; core lines meeting or clasping. Carpels broadly roundish. Seeds medium or below, rather narrow, short, plump. Flesh yellowish-white, crisp, moderately juicy, rather tender, mild subacid to somewhat sweet, fair to good in flavor and quality.