Landsberg

Landsberg

Origin/History

Raised from seed about 1840 by Mr. Burkhardt (variously styled Justizrath Burchardt or Councillor Burchardt), a justice of the peace in Landsberg, Germany (Beach, Bunyard). Downing attributes the origin to Hanover, Germany, while Beach gives Landsberg, Germany, noting the variety was imported from Silesia, Germany, in 1883 by Professor Budd for the Iowa State College — these are conflicting locations. Bunyard notes the variety is now little cultivated.

Tree

Tree vigorous and strong (Downing, Beach, Bunyard). Form roundish or spreading, rather open (Beach). Downing describes the tree as very productive; Bunyard gives fertility as only moderate — these accounts conflict. Beach describes the tree as coming into bearing rather early and as reliably productive, yielding good crops biennially.

Twigs short to medium, nearly straight, rather stout; internodes medium (Beach). Bark olive-green tinged with brownish-red, mottled with scarf-skin; pubescent (Beach). Lenticels quite numerous, small, round, not raised (Beach). Buds large to below medium, broad, plump, generally obtuse, free, quite pubescent (Beach).

Leaf large, variable in shape, boldly crenate (Bunyard).

It is said to be very firmly attached to the tree, thus withstanding autumnal gales (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size and Form

Medium to large, pretty uniform in shape and size (Beach). Bunyard gives dimensions of 2⅜ by 2¼ inches. Form roundish conic to roundish oblate, obscurely angular, pretty regular; sides sometimes unequal (Beach). Bunyard describes the form as round conical, irregular. Downing describes the fruit as oblate, regular.

Stem

Downing and Bunyard describe the stem as long and slender (Downing) or thin and long (Bunyard). Beach gives the stem as short to medium — conflicting with Downing and Bunyard. Bunyard specifies it is deeply inserted in a deep cavity.

Cavity

Downing describes the cavity as medium and russeted. Beach gives it as acute to acuminate, deep, rather wide, sometimes obscurely furrowed, usually smooth but sometimes russeted — Beach's "deep" conflicts with Downing's "medium." Bunyard also gives a deep cavity.

Calyx

Calyx segments long, acute, reflexed, sometimes closed (Beach). Downing states the calyx closed; Bunyard gives the eye as open or closed. Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shape; stamens median (Beach).

Basin

Downing describes the basin as medium and corrugated. Beach gives medium in width and depth, often somewhat furrowed, wrinkled. Bunyard describes a broad basin — broader than Beach and Downing indicate.

Skin

Thin, tough, smooth or slightly roughened by russet dots (Beach). The prevailing color is waxen yellow or pale greenish-yellow, clear and pale; the skin readily shows bruises (Beach). Downing describes the skin as smooth, golden yellow, sometimes with a shade of light red in the sun. Bunyard gives the color as yellow with a crimson flush. Beach confirms that an attractive crimson blush is sometimes present. Dots numerous, submerged and whitish, sometimes russet (Beach); Downing describes many light and brown dots.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh nearly white to white (Beach, Bunyard). Downing describes the flesh as yellowish — a slight conflict with Beach and Bunyard. Very tender, crisp, rather fine-grained (Beach). Mild subacid, agreeable in flavor (Beach); Downing describes the flavor as lively subacid, rather rich; Bunyard gives it as sweet. Quality good to very good for dessert (Downing, Beach).

Core and Seeds

Core abaxile, medium; cells usually symmetrical and wide open; core lines slightly clasping (Beach). Downing describes the core as small, conflicting with Beach's medium. Carpels broadly ovate, much concave, narrow toward the apex, nearly smooth (Beach). Seeds numerous, medium in size, broad, obtuse, medium brown, smooth or nearly so (Beach).

Season

Mid-October to January (Beach). Downing gives November to January. Some fruit keeps apparently sound until March or later, but after January it loses in quality (Beach). Bunyard gives the season as October to January.

Uses

A good dessert apple (Beach, Bunyard). Less desirable for culinary uses because when cooked it lacks character in texture, color, and flavor (Beach). It is easily excelled for any purpose by standard sorts of its season and is not recommended for planting in New York (Beach). The skin's tendency to show bruises readily is a handling consideration (Beach).

Other

An attractive late autumn and early winter apple with a clear, pale waxen yellow or greenish appearance (Beach). The fruit is pretty uniform in shape and size (Beach).