Indiana Favorite

Origin & History

Originated in Fayette County, Indiana. Downing specifies it is supposed to have originated on the farm of Peter Morrits. The variety is believed to be a seedling of the Vandevere Pippin (Warder describes it as resembling the Pennsylvania Vandervere, "from which it may have sprung"; Thomas states definitively it is a seedling of the Vandevere Pippin and resembles it, "except in being of a deeper red and much less acid, and superior in flavor"). Warder notes it was considerably cultivated in the eastern part of Indiana, where he procured specimens exhibited at the Richmond Horticultural Society.

Tree

Vigorous (Warder), healthy (Downing), spreading in habit, and a productive bearer. Thomas calls it an "excellent bearer."

Fruit

Size: Medium to large. Warder and Thomas describe it as medium; Downing as medium or large; Elliott as medium to large.

Form: Globular-oblate to roundish, flattened at the ends. Warder describes the form as globular-oblate and regular. Thomas describes it as oblate, regular, and handsome. Downing describes it as roundish, flattened at the ends, and slightly one-sided. Elliott describes it as round, flattened at ends, tapering to calyx, and angular.

Stem: Sources disagree on stem length: Warder describes it as medium to long and red in color; Elliott describes it as slender; Thomas describes it as short.

Cavity: Warder describes the cavity as acute, regular, green or brown. Elliott describes it as deep and regular. Thomas describes it as wide.

Calyx: Warder describes the eye as small and closed. Elliott describes the calyx as irregular with short segments. Thomas describes the calyx as open.

Basin: Warder describes the basin as wide, regular, and abrupt. Thomas describes a moderate, even basin.

Skin: Yellow ground color, shaded and striped with red. Warder describes the surface as very smooth, bright red, striped with darker red, with numerous star-shaped yellow dots. Downing describes it as yellowish, shaded and streaked with red, and covered with russet specks. Elliott describes it as yellow, mostly covered, splashed and striped with two shades of red, with many russet specks. Thomas describes it as shaded and striped with red on rich yellow, with large yellow russet specks.

Flesh & Flavor: White to pale yellow, tender, juicy, mildly sub-acid to almost sweet. Warder describes the flesh as pale yellow, breaking, fine-grained, and juicy, with a mild sub-acid flavor, rated good to very good. Downing describes it as white, tender, juicy, vinous, almost sweet, and very pleasant, rated good. Elliott describes it as white, tender, juicy, slightly sub-acid, almost sweet, and pleasant, rated "very good." Thomas describes it as yellowish, crisp, a mild sub-acid, with an agreeable flavor, rated "very good."

Core & Seeds: Warder describes the core as regular, closed, clasping the eye, with seeds numerous, angular, and imperfect. Elliott describes the core as compact, with seeds pointed and light brown.

Season

A winter apple. Warder gives January to March; Downing and Elliott give January to April. Thomas notes it keeps remarkably well.

Uses

Warder recommends it for table and market.

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.