Kievskoe

Apple

Kievskoe

Origin/History

Origin Russia (Hansen). Kievskoe was planted at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, BC in spring 1895 (Central Experimental Farm). Hansen notes that the fruit is much like the true Romna, but distinguishes the two varieties by tree habit: Kievskoe "has a roundish, somewhat flattened top while Romna is quite upright in habit."

Tree

The tree has a roundish, somewhat flattened top (Hansen). Central Experimental Farm reports it as a strong grower.

Fruit

Size: Large, very regular (Hansen). Medium size (Central Experimental Farm). [Sources conflict on size.]

Form: Conical (Hansen). Roundish, ribbed (Central Experimental Farm). [Sources conflict on form.]

Stem: Medium (Hansen). Not described in Central Experimental Farm.

Cavity: Regular, acuminate, narrow, with radiating russet (Hansen).

Calyx: Open, segments divergent (Hansen).

Basin: Abrupt, narrow, regular, medium (Hansen).

Skin: Green, with a dull bronze blush on the sunny side; surface roughened by dots; dots distinct, numerous, minute, russet (Hansen). Yellowish with a reddish blush (Central Experimental Farm). [Sources conflict on ground color and blush character.]

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid; quality good (Hansen). Flesh whitish, firm, juicy, brisk acid; quality good (Central Experimental Farm). [Both sources agree the flesh is whitish, juicy, and of good quality. Sources conflict on acidity — Hansen describes mild subacid; Central Experimental Farm describes brisk acid. Central Experimental Farm additionally notes the flesh as firm, a detail absent in Hansen.]

Core and Seeds: Core closed, sessile; cells axile, ovate, slit, large, rounded; tube conical; stamens median; seeds thirteen, short, plump (Hansen).

Season

Winter (Hansen). Early August (Central Experimental Farm). [Sources conflict sharply on season. The two descriptions differ substantially across multiple characters — size, form, skin color, acidity, and season — which may indicate the Central Experimental Farm tree was a different variety or mislabeled accession.]

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1900)

Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900

View original book sources (2)

Kievskoe—Origin, Russia. Fruit much like true Romna, but "tree has a roundish, somewhat flattened top while Romna is quite upright in habit."—Fruit large, very regular, conical; surface green, with dull bronze blush on sunny side, roughened by dots; dots distinct, numerous, minute, russet; cavity regular, acuminate, narrow, with radiating russet; stem medium; basin abrupt, narrow, regular, medium; calyx open, segments divergent. Core closed, sessile; cells axile, ovate, slit, large, rounded; tube conical; stamens median; seeds thirteen, short, plump; flesh white, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid, good. Winter.

— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a strong grower. Fruit of medium size, roundish, ribbed. Skin yellowish with a reddish blush. Flesh whitish, firm, juicy, brisk acid, quality good. Season early August.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)