Kansas Queen
AppleKansas Queen
Origin/History
Raised by Burrell Atkinson of Leavenworth, Kansas.
Tree
Hardy and vigorous, forming a handsome open head. Very productive.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium, roundish, slightly conical, and slightly angular. Thomas describes it as large. (Sources conflict on size.)
Stem: Short and slender.
Cavity: Deep, rather narrow.
Calyx: Closed or nearly so.
Basin: Medium, corrugated.
Skin: Downing describes the skin as entirely covered with light and dark red, sometimes almost purplish in the sun, moderately sprinkled with small light and gray dots. Thomas describes it as yellow, nearly covered with crimson, implying a yellow ground color showing through. (Sources conflict: Downing reports complete red coverage with no mention of yellow ground; Thomas notes yellow ground color and partial crimson coverage.)
Flesh and Flavor: Quite white, rather firm, juicy, brisk subacid. Quality rated good.
Core and Seeds: Core rather large.
Season
August–September (Downing); early autumn (Thomas).
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)Kansas Queen.
Raised by Burrell Atkinson, Leavenworth, Kan. Tree hardy, vigorous, forming a handsome open head; very productive.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly conical, slightly angular; skin entirely covered with light and dark red, sometimes almost purplish in the sun, moderately sprinkled with small light and gray dots; stalk short, slender; cavity deep, rather narrow; calyx closed or nearly so; basin medium, corrugated; flesh quite white, rather firm, juicy, brisk subacid; good; core rather large. August, September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Kansas Queen. Large, yellow, nearly covered with crimson. Early autumn.