Karabovka
AppleKARABOVKA
Origin and History
A Russian variety introduced to North America in 1884, when it was received from Ellwanger and Barry (Rochester, N.Y.) for testing at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. The variety does not agree with the description of Karabovka given by Budd in his 1885 Iowa Agricultural College bulletin, suggesting possible confusion or varietal drift in early American cultivation.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous with moderately long, stout, curved branches. Form rather open, flat, and spreading. Twigs long, curved, and stout, with large terminal buds and medium internodes. Bark dark brown, heavily streaked with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent near the tips. Lenticels quite numerous, small to medium, round, slightly raised. Buds large, prominent, plump, obtuse, free, and slightly pubescent.
The tree does not come into bearing very early but when mature yields full crops biennially.
Fruit
Size and Form: Small to medium, uniform. Form oblate, regular, and symmetrical.
Stem: Medium in length, moderately thick to rather slender.
Cavity: Acute to nearly acuminate, moderately deep to deep, narrow to medium in width, occasionally lipped, usually russeted.
Calyx: Large, open or nearly closed; lobes short, rather broad, and acute.
Basin: Medium in depth, wide, furrowed or wrinkled with mammiform protuberances.
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth, rather dull pale greenish-yellow, with scattering narrow stripes of dull dark red. When highly colored, largely striped, splashed, and shaded with red, and overspread with pinkish bloom.
Dots: Rather numerous, small, light, obscure, and submerged.
Calyx Tube: Large, medium in length, rather wide, broadly conical to funnel-shaped. Stamens median to marginal.
Core: Medium size, axile. Cells closed; core lines clasping. Carpels elliptical, emarginate.
Seeds: Very dark dull brown, medium size, wide, rather short, flat, plump, and obtuse.
Flesh and Flavor: Nearly white, moderately fine, tender, and moderately juicy. Mild subacid with a peculiar flavor. Fair to good in quality, inferior to standard sorts of its season.
Season
Late August and September.
Uses
Not specially attractive in appearance. Fair to possibly good in quality, though inferior to standard sorts of its season.
Other
The variety appears in early American horticultural records under multiple designations, including No. 21 M, No. 205, and Shropshire to Iowa No. 21, reflecting its status as a numbered Russian introduction in early evaluation trials.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)KARABOVKA.
REFERENCES. 1. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:74. 2. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bui., 1885:7. 3. Gibb, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1885:274. 4. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:582. 1894. 5. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bui., 56:161. 1905.
SYNONYMS. Kajabowka (5). KARABOFF (2, 3, 4). Karaboff (1, 5). KARABOVKA (5). Karabovka (3, 4). KARABOWKA (1). Karabowka (2, 4). No. 21 M (3, 4). No. 205 (2, 3, 4, 5). Shro. to Ia. No. 21 (5).
A Russian variety received from Ellwanger and Barry, Rochester, N. Y., in 1884 for testing at this Station. As grown here the tree does not come into bearing very early but when mature yields full crops biennially. The fruit is medium to rather small, not specially attractive in appearance, fair to possibly good in quality being inferior to standard sorts of its season. Season late August and September. It does not agree with the description of Karabovka given by Budd (2).
TREE. Tree moderately vigorous with moderately long, stout, curved branches. Form rather open, flat, spreading. Twigs long, curved, stout, with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, heavily streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels quite numerous, small to medium, round, slightly raised. Buds large, prominent, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit small to medium, uniform. Form oblate, regular, symmetrical. Stem medium in length, moderately thick to rather slender. Cavity acute to nearly acuminate, moderately deep to deep, narrow to medium in width, occasionally lipped, usually russeted. Calyx large, open or nearly closed; lobes short, rather broad, acute. Basin medium in depth, wide, furrowed or wrinkled and with mammiform protuberances. Skin thin, tender, smooth, rather dull pale greenish-yellow, with scattering narrow stripes of dull dark red, or when highly colored it is largely striped, splashed and shaded with red, and overspread with pinkish bloom. Dots rather numerous, small, light, obscure, submerged. Calyx tube large, medium in length, rather wide, broadly conical to funnel-shape. Stamens median to marginal. Core medium size, axile; cells closed; core lines clasping. Carpels elliptical, emarginate. Seeds very dark dull brown, medium size, wide, rather short, flat, plump, obtuse. Flesh nearly white, moderately fine, tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid with peculiar flavor, fair to good in quality. Season late August and September.