Holland Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin and History
Origin unknown. It is an old variety which has long been in cultivation in New York and adjoining states (Beach). Downing states that the Holland Pippin and the Fall Pippin "are indeed of the same origin," though multiple sources emphasize they are wholly distinct varieties. The Holland Pippin has been frequently confused with the Fall Pippin in pomological literature. As Warder notes, "there is a strange confusion existing in some of the books, by which this fruit has been associated with the Fall Pippin. The Holland, as grown in Western New York, and through the West, as derived from the former State, is entirely different."
Beach reports that two varieties were in cultivation in New York under the name Holland Pippin: one a winter apple in season from late autumn to April or May (described separately as Holland Winter), and the other — this variety — which begins to ripen earlier than Fall Pippin and is in season during September and October.
Downing provides this detailed comparison (quoted by Beach from 1848): "The Holland Pippin, though considerably resembling this apple in the growth of the tree, and size and shape of the fruit, is a totally distinct apple from the Fall Pippin. In fact, while the Fall Pippin is one of the best autumn table apples (at least in this district), the Holland Pippin is of very inferior quality for dessert, and is, in fact, only a cooking apple. As a kitchen fruit, however, it is one of the most valuable summer fruits we know — for it bears regularly and well, comes into use at the beginning of August, and continues fit for pies, tarts, and sauce, until October, when the Fall Pippin begins to ripen. The Holland Pippin is fit for use while the skin is quite green, but the Fall Pippin, not until it turns quite yellow. Finally, the stalk of the Holland Pippin is short, and set in a wide cavity, while that of the Fall Pippin is large, and set in a cavity often narrow, and comparatively shallow. With these points of difference, these two apples ought not to be confounded."
Beach notes the variety was still listed by nurserymen as of 1905 but was not being planted to any considerable extent. It appeared to be more valued for market in certain portions of the Hudson valley than in other sections of New York. Warder observes it was not seen in the southern counties of the states north of the Ohio River.
Elliott considered it esteemed for cooking but "surpassed by Gravenstein."
Coxe (1817) lists it as "No. 15" but provides no description.
Tree
Large or moderately large, vigorous (Beach). Form spreading or roundish (Beach). Resembles the Fall Pippin in growth (Elliott, Downing). Twigs medium to long, curved, stout; internodes medium (Beach). Bark dark brown, heavily coated with gray scarf-skin; pubescent (Beach). Lenticels scattering, small to medium, oval, not raised (Beach). Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent (Beach).
A good grower, hardy or nearly so, healthy, pretty long-lived, and generally quite productive, yielding moderate to heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually (Beach). Bears regularly and well (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Large (Warder) to very large (Downing, Thomas). Beach describes it as usually large or very large, sometimes medium, pretty uniform in size and shape.
Form: Roundish, with some variation across sources. Warder describes it as regular, conic, rather oblate. Downing calls it roundish, a little more square in outline than the Fall Pippin, not so much flattened though a good deal like it, a little narrowed next the eye. Beach describes it as roundish, often decidedly flattened at the ends, varying to oblate conic, obscurely ribbed. Thomas describes it as roundish, somewhat oblong, and flattened at the ends, sometimes slightly oblate. Elliott notes it is more regular round than the Fall Pippin.
Stem: Variable. Downing describes it as half an inch long, thick, deeply sunk. Beach describes it as medium to short, usually rather slender. Thomas calls it variable in length, usually short. Warder says medium to long. Elliott notes it is shorter than that of the Fall Pippin.
Cavity: Acute or sometimes acuminate, medium in width to broad, moderately shallow to deep, usually covered with thick outspreading russet (Beach). Warder describes it as medium, acute, regular, brown. Thomas says wide, acute. Elliott says not as deep as Fall Pippin, more broad and open. Downing (1848, via Beach) describes a wide cavity.
Calyx: Pubescent, medium to small, closed or partly open; lobes rather long, acute (Beach). Warder describes the eye as medium, closed. Downing says the calyx is small, closed. Elliott notes the calyx is smaller than that of the Fall Pippin.
Basin: Usually rather shallow but varying to moderately deep, medium in width to rather narrow, abrupt to somewhat obtuse, ridged and wrinkled (Beach). Warder describes it as narrow, medium depth, regular. Downing says moderately sunk in a slight plaited basin. Thomas notes it is slightly plaited.
Skin: Thin, tough, nearly smooth (Beach). Color is greenish yellow or pale green, becoming pale yellow when fully ripe (Downing), or rather pale yellow or greenish (Beach), or greenish yellow becoming pale yellow or whitish yellow (Thomas). Warder describes it as dull yellowish-green, rarely bronzed. A brownish-red blush is noted: Downing says "washed on one side with a little dull red or pale brown"; Beach says "more or less of a brownish-red blush which is conspicuously marked with large, irregular, areolar dots"; Thomas says "with a brownish red cheek." Dots: Warder says minute; Downing describes a few scattered, large, greenish dots; Beach says numerous, large and small, often submerged and greenish.
Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish-white or greenish-white, breaking, coarse-grained, juicy; flavor quite acid, not rich, not agreeable; quality only fair (Warder). Thomas describes the flesh as nearly white, rather acid, with a moderate flavor. Downing rates it "Good" but notes elsewhere it is "of very inferior quality for dessert, and is, in fact, only a cooking apple." Beach affirms it is valued only as a cooking apple.
Core and Seeds: Core medium, regular, closed, meeting the eye (Warder). Seeds numerous, sometimes imperfect (Warder).
Season
Begins to fall from the tree and is fit for pies about the middle of August, continuing fit for kitchen use until the first of November (Downing). October to December at the North (Warder). Beach gives the season as September and October, noting it ripens earlier than Fall Pippin. Thomas says it ripens in early and mid-autumn but is a good cooking apple some weeks previously. Elliott says it is fitted for cooking in August.
The crop ripens unevenly: some apples ripen early and are correspondingly short-lived, while others ripen later and keep correspondingly later. It varies greatly in keeping qualities in different seasons, some years keeping well till late fall or early winter (Beach).
The fruit is fit for use while the skin is quite green (Downing).
Uses
A cooking apple only. Valued for pies, tarts, and sauce (Downing). Downing calls it "one of the most valuable summer fruits we know" as a kitchen fruit. Thomas calls it "an excellent culinary sort." Elliott considers it esteemed for cooking but surpassed by Gravenstein. Beach notes it was grown to a limited extent for market, with good appearance for a green apple when kept free from scab.
Subtypes and Variants
Beach distinguishes two varieties grown under the name Holland Pippin in New York: this variety (a late summer to autumn cooking apple) and Holland Winter (a winter apple in season from late autumn to April or May, described separately in Beach Vol. I, p. 159).
Other
Description absent from Coxe (1817); variety listed as "No. 15" with no further detail.
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) includes Holland Pippin only in a variety-characteristic table:
Holland Pippin.............. L | f | gy | G | b | a | 3* | 4* | 2*
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1864–1899) from New Jersey, Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
View original book sources (7)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)No. 15. Holland Pippin.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Holland Pippin.
There is a strange confusion existing in some of the books, by which this fruit has been associated with the Fall Pippin. The Holland, as grown in Western New York, and through the West, as derived from the former State, is entirely different; and as that is extensively known, its description is here given, that it may be compared with the other, which belongs to a different class.
Fruit large, regular, conic, rather oblate; Surface dull yellowish-green, rarely bronzed; Dots minute.
Basin narrow, medium depth, regular; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity medium, acute, regular, brown; Stem medium to long.
Core medium, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, sometimes imperfect; Flesh yellowish-white or greenish-white, breaking, coarse-grained, juicy; Flavor quite acid, not rich, not agreeable; Quality only fair; Use cooking only; Season, October to December at the North.
Not seen in the southern counties of the States north of the Ohio River.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Holland Pippin.
Reinette d'Hollande. Summer Pippin. Pie Apple.
This and the Fall Pippin are frequently confounded together. They are indeed of the same origin. One of the strongest points of difference lies in their time of ripening.
The Holland Pippin begins to fall from the tree and is fit for pies about the middle of August, and from that time to the first of November is one of the very best kitchen apples.
Fruit very large, roundish, a little more square in outline than the Fall Pippin, and not so much flattened, though a good deal like it, a little narrowed next the eye. Stalk half an inch long, thick, deeply sunk. Calyx small, closed, moderately sunk in a slight plaited basin. Skin greenish yellow or pale green, becoming pale yellow when fully ripe, washed on one side with a little dull red or pale brown, with a few scattered, large, greenish dots. Good.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)HOLLAND PIPPIN.
References. 1. Coxe, 1817:109. fig. 2. Downing, 1845:86. 3. Ib., Horticulturist, 3:345. 1848. 4. Thomas, 1849:156. fig. 5. Cole, 1849:110. 6. Downing, Chas., Horticulturist, 8:196. 1853. 7. Elliott, 1854:138. 8. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 22:555. 1856. fig. 9. Hooper, 1857:45. 10. Gregg, 1857:37. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 12. Warder, 1867:506. 13. Wickson, 1889:244. 14. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 15. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 16. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:124. 1904.
Synonyms. Fall Pippin (1). French Pippin (7). Holland Pippin (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16). Pie Apple (2, 7, 8). Reinette d'Hollande (2). Reinette d'Holland (7). Summer Pippin (2, 7, 8).
There are two varieties in cultivation in New York under the name Holland Pippin. One is a winter apple in season from late autumn to April or May which has already been described under the name Holland Winter, Vol. I., page 159. The other begins to ripen earlier than Fall Pippin and is in season during September and October. This variety was formerly confused by some with the Fall Pippin. The following comparison of the two varieties was given by Downing in 1848 (3). "The Holland Pippin, though considerably resembling this apple in the growth of the tree, and size and shape of the fruit, is a totally distinct apple from the Fall Pippin. In fact, while the Fall Pippin is one of the best autumn table apples (at least in this district), the Holland Pippin is of very inferior quality for dessert, and is, in fact, only a cooking apple. As a kitchen fruit, however, it is one of the most valuable summer fruits we know — for it bears regularly and well, comes into use at the beginning of August, and continues fit for pies, tarts, and sauce, until October, when the Fall Pippin begins to ripen. The Holland Pippin is fit for use while the skin is quite green, but the Fall Pippin, not until it turns quite yellow. Finally, the stalk of the Holland Pippin is short, and set in a wide cavity, while that of the Fall Pippin is large, and set in a cavity often narrow, and comparatively shallow. With these points of difference, these two apples ought not to be confounded."
Holland Pippin is grown to a limited extent for market. It appears to be more valued for this purpose in certain portions of the Hudson valley than in other sections of the state. The fruit is large and when kept free from scab its general appearance is good for a green apple. The crop ripens unevenly. Some of the apples ripen early and are correspondingly short-lived while others ripen later and keep correspondingly later. It varies greatly in keeping qualities in different seasons, some years keeping well till late fall or early winter (16). The tree is a good grower, hardy or nearly so, healthy, pretty long-lived and generally quite productive yielding moderate to heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually.
Historical. Origin unknown. It is an old variety which has long been in cultivation in this and adjoining states. It is still listed by nurserymen but it is not being planted to any considerable extent.
Tree.
Tree large or moderately large, vigorous. Form spreading or roundish. Twigs medium to long, curved, stout; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, heavily coated with gray scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to medium, oval, not raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
Fruit.
Fruit usually large or very large, sometimes medium, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish often decidedly flattened at the end varying to oblate conic, obscurely ribbed. Stem medium to short, usually rather slender. Cavity acute or sometimes acuminate, medium in width to broad, moderately shallow to deep, usually covered with thick outspreading russet. Calyx pubescent, medium to small, closed or partly open; lobes rather long, acute. Basin usually rather shallow but varying to moderately deep, medium in width to rather narrow, abrupt to somewhat obtuse, ridged and wrinkled. Skin thin, tough, nearly smooth, rather pale yellow or greenish with more or less of a brownish-red blush which is conspicuously marked with large, irregular, areolar dots. Dots numerous, large and small, often submerged and greenish.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Holland Pippin.............. L | f | gy | G | b | a | 3* | 4* | 2*
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Holland Pippin. Reinette d'Holland, Summer Pippin, Pie Apple, French Pippin, of some.
Tree, resembles Fall Pippin, with which it is often confounded, but from which it is distinct. It is esteemed for cooking, for which it is fitted in August, but we think surpassed by Gravenstein. We refer for description to Fall Pippin, with this difference, more regular round, stem shorter, cavity not as deep, more broad and open; calyx smaller, and basin not as wide.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Holland Pippin. Very large, roundish, somewhat oblong, and flattened at the ends, sometimes slightly oblate; greenish yellow, becoming pale yellow or whitish yellow, with a brownish red cheek; stalk variable in length, usually short; cavity wide, acute; basin slightly plaited; flesh nearly white, rather acid, with a moderate flavor. Ripens early and mid-autumn, but is a good cooking apple some weeks previously. Wholly distinct from the Fall Pippin. An excellent culinary sort.