Large Red Siberian
Crab Apple
Large Red Siberian Crab Apple
Origin / History
Large Red Siberian is an old variety, known in cultivation since at least 1845 (Downing). All four related Siberian varieties — Red Siberian, Large Red Siberian, Large Yellow Siberian, and Yellow Siberian — are from the Old World, but when and by whom they were introduced does not appear (Hedrick). Large Red Siberian represents an improvement on Red Siberian, being larger in tree and fruit, but it is in its turn being superseded by varieties having larger and handsomer fruits (Hedrick). As of the early 1890s it was still listed by nurserymen, but larger and handsomer varieties of more recent introduction were generally preferred in market (Beach).
Tree
The tree is larger than Red Siberian and forms a medium to rather large specimen (Beach), described by Downing as forming a larger tree than the common Siberian Crab. It is a vigorous grower, erect or roundish in habit, with long, slender twigs (Beach); Hedrick confirms the twigs are longer and more slender than those of Red Siberian. The foliage is coarser than that of Red Siberian (Beach, Downing, Hedrick). The tree is very hardy, healthy, and moderately long-lived (Beach, Hedrick). It is a reliable cropper, yielding heavy crops biennially and sometimes annually (Beach, Hedrick).
Fruit
Size and Form
Fruit is of medium size for a Siberian crab — larger than Red Siberian, but smaller than either Transcendent or Hyslop (Beach). Downing describes it as about twice the size of the common Siberian Crab. Fruit is uniform in size and shape. Form is roundish to roundish ovate (Beach; Downing: roundish ovate; Hedrick: round to round-ovate), regular.
Stem
Stem medium to long, slender.
Cavity
Acuminate, shallow. Beach describes it as moderately broad; Hedrick describes it simply as broad. Often furrowed, usually russeted.
Calyx
Calyx closed. Lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Downing describes the calyx as large and prominent; Beach describes it as medium size — these accounts conflict.
Basin
Shallow or none, obtuse, wrinkled, having mammiform protuberances.
Skin
Thin, tough, smooth. Ground color pale yellow. Beach describes it as almost wholly overlaid with bright red and marked with obscure narrow stripes of dark red; Hedrick describes it as overlaid with bright red and marked with obscure, narrow stripes of dark red (omitting "almost wholly"). Downing describes the skin simply as pale red and yellow.
Dots
Beach: very small, light, inconspicuous. Hedrick: small, light, inconspicuous.
Flesh and Flavor
Beach: flesh yellowish, very firm, subacid, astringent, good for culinary uses. Hedrick: flesh yellow, firm, subacid, astringent; good. The two sources differ slightly — Beach gives "yellowish" and "very firm," Hedrick gives "yellow" and "firm." Similar in appearance and quality to Red Siberian (Beach). Downing states it is esteemed for the same purposes as the common Siberian Crab.
Core and Seeds
Calyx tube short, wide, urn-shape. Stamens median to marginal (Beach); median (Hedrick). Core medium size, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting. Carpels ovate to obovate (Beach) or ovate (Hedrick), emarginate. Seeds glossy, dark brown; Beach describes them as rather small, short, wide, obtuse; Hedrick describes them as small, short, wide, obtuse.
Season
September and October.
Uses
Culinary. Esteemed for the same purposes as Red Siberian (Downing); good for culinary uses (Beach).
Subtypes / Variants
Hedrick groups Large Red Siberian with three closely related varieties: Red Siberian, Large Yellow Siberian, and Yellow Siberian. Large Yellow Siberian and Yellow Siberian differ from the red-fruited varieties chiefly in having yellow fruit. All four are from the Old World.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 41 catalogs (1864–1947) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1906
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Ornamental & Fruit Nursery Company , Wapato, County of Yakima , Washington — 1915
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Milton Nursery Co. , Milton-Freewater , Oregon — 1947
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Large Red Siberian Crab.
This variety is about twice the size of the common Siberian Crab, roundish ovate, with a large and prominent calyx, and a pale red and yellow skin. It forms a larger tree, with rather coarser foliage than the common variety, and is esteemed for the same purposes. September and October.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)LARGE RED SIBERIAN.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1845:147. 2. Cole, 1849:137. 3. Fitz, 1872:147. 4. Barry, 1883:359. 5. Wickson, 1889:249. 6. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:243.
SYNONYMS. None.
This fruit is of medium size for a Siberian crab, being larger than Red Siberian, but smaller than either Transcendent or Hyslop. It is similar to Red Siberian in appearance and quality. The foliage is coarser than that of Red Siberian, and the tree is larger, being medium to rather large, a vigorous grower, erect or roundish, with long, slender twigs. It is very hardy, healthy, moderately long-lived, and a reliable cropper, yielding heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually. It has long been known in cultivation, and is still listed by nurserymen (6), but larger and handsomer varieties of more recent introduction are generally preferred in market.
FRUIT.
Fruit of medium size, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to roundish ovate, regular. Stem medium to long, slender. Cavity acuminate, shallow, moderately broad, often furrowed, usually russeted. Calyx medium size, closed; lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Basin shallow or none, obtuse, wrinkled, having mammiform protuberances. Skin thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow, almost wholly overlaid with bright red and marked with obscure narrow stripes of dark red. Dots very small, light, inconspicuous. Calyx tube short, wide, urn-shape. Stamens median to marginal. Core medium size, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting. Carpels ovate to obovate, emarginate. Seeds glossy, dark brown, rather small, short, wide, obtuse. Flesh yellowish, very firm, subacid, astringent, good for culinary uses. Season September and October.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)LARGE RED SIBERIAN. This old sort, an improvement on Red Siberian, is, in its turn, being superseded by varieties having larger and handsomer fruits. Large Red Siberian differs from Red Siberian in being larger in tree and fruit, with coarser foliage and longer and more slender twigs. Large Yellow Siberian and Yellow Siberian differ from these two varieties chiefly in having yellow fruit. All four varieties are from the Old World, but when and by whom introduced does not appear. Tree very hardy, healthy, moderately long-lived, productive biennially and sometimes annually. Fruit of medium size, uniform in size and shape, round to round-ovate, regular; stem medium to long, slender; cavity acuminate, shallow, broad, often furrowed, usually russeted; calyx closed; lobes long, narrow, acuminate; basin shallow or none, obtuse, wrinkled, having mammiform protuberances; skin thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow, overlaid with bright red and marked with obscure, narrow stripes of dark red; dots small, light, inconspicuous; calyx-tube short, wide, urn-shape; stamens median; core medium size, axile; cells closed; core-lines meeting; carpels ovate, emarginate; seeds glossy, dark brown, small, short, wide, obtuse; flesh yellow, firm, subacid, astringent; good; September and October.