Heritage Apple Corps
← All varieties

Lowell

Apple
USDA watercolor illustration of Lowell

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Origin/History

Origin unknown; an old variety of American origin (Beach). Lowell is quite generally known in many parts of New York State, especially in Western New York (Beach). It was still commonly listed by nurserymen as of 1905 but was being planted little, and its cultivation appeared to be on the decline (Beach). Elliott notes that "the early habit of productiveness, with the large fair fruit, will always command a place in large orchards, where this variety is known," and that it is most valuable on rich heavy soils.

Tree

Tree rather large, vigorous, hardy, long-lived (Beach). Form upright spreading, rather open (Beach), described as round-headed by Warder. Thomas describes the tree as rather slender and a moderate grower, contrasting with the vigorous descriptions given by other sources. Foliage yellowish green (Warder). Wood reddish brown (Downing). A reliable cropper giving good crops biennially and sometimes annually (Beach). Elliott describes trees as thrifty, rather strong growers, spreading.

Twigs long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium (Beach). Bark dark brown, mottled with scarf-skin; heavily pubescent (Beach). Lenticels numerous, small to medium size, not raised (Beach). Buds prominent, medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, pubescent (Beach).

Fruit

Size: Large (all sources agree). Fairly uniform in size but somewhat variable in shape (Beach).

Form: Roundish oblong inclined to conic, unsymmetrical, irregular (Beach). Warder describes it as round, slightly conic, truncated, regular. Thomas gives roundish-oblong, obtuse, slightly conical. Downing describes roundish oval or conic. Elliott gives roundish oblong, slightly conical.

Stem: Medium to rather long, moderately thick, deflected to one side (Beach). Warder gives long, slender. Elliott gives long, slender. Thomas specifies one inch long.

Cavity: Acute or approaching acuminate, rather shallow to moderately deep, medium to rather broad, sometimes furrowed, occasionally compressed, often lightly russeted (Beach). Warder describes it as medium, regular, green. Downing gives deep, uneven. Elliott gives narrow.

Calyx: Medium to large, closed or partly open (Beach). Warder gives medium, closed. Downing gives closed. Elliott gives small, nearly closed. Thomas notes the basin rim is obtuse and even.

Basin: Rather shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, somewhat abrupt, often slightly furrowed and wrinkled (Beach). Warder gives deep, abrupt, regular. Downing gives deep, abrupt, and furrowed. Elliott gives deep, furrowed. Thomas gives deep, furrowed or plaited inside.

Skin: Thin, tender, smooth or with occasional russet dots and flecks, waxy, at first green but eventually becoming rich yellow (Beach). Warder describes the surface as smooth, waxy yellow, not blushed or bronzed, becoming greasy when kept indoors. Downing gives bright waxen yellow, oily. Elliott gives green, becoming rich yellow, with oily surface. Thomas gives green, becoming rich yellow, surfaces lightly oily. Dots very numerous, small, inconspicuous, brown or russet or submerged (Beach). Warder describes dots as numerous, green.

Calyx Tube: Usually rather long, rather wide, conical approaching funnelform. Stamens median or nearly so (Beach).

Flesh/Flavor: Greenish or tinged with yellow, rather firm, medium to rather fine-grained, crisp, tender, very juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good (Beach). Warder gives yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy, sub-acid, aromatic, quality very good. Downing gives yellowish white, with a brisk, rich, rather acid flavor, good to very good. Elliott gives yellowish white, rather coarse, sub-acid, fine aroma. Thomas gives yellowish white, rather coarse, rich sub-acid or rather acid, "hardly first quality, but valuable for its fair surface and great and early productiveness." Beach also notes elsewhere that the flesh is a little coarse, very juicy, sprightly subacid and desirable for either dessert or culinary uses. Flesh color thus varies across sources: yellow (Warder), yellowish white (Downing, Elliott, Thomas), greenish or tinged with yellow (Beach). Texture is described as fine-grained by Warder but rather coarse by Elliott and Thomas, with Beach giving medium to rather fine-grained.

Core/Seeds: Rather large, axile to somewhat abaxile; cells closed; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish to pointed obovate, emarginate (Beach). Warder gives core medium, oval, closed, clasping. Elliott gives core medium or small. Seeds dark brown, not uniform in shape, medium size, obtuse to somewhat acute (Beach). Warder gives seeds numerous, angular, pointed, pale. Elliott gives seeds ovate.

Season

August to October (Beach). Warder gives August, September. Downing gives September, October. Elliott gives August and early September. Thomas gives early autumn. The fruit ripens in succession through a period of several weeks and is apt to drop as it ripens (Beach). Under favorable conditions a portion of the fruit may be kept till winter (Beach).

Uses

Table, cooking, drying, market (Warder). Desirable for either dessert or culinary uses (Beach). Grown for home use and to a limited extent for local market (Beach). Thomas notes it is valuable for its fair surface and great and early productiveness.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914).

Lowell (10).......... L | re | | VG | b | a | 4*
[Size=L, Form=re, Color=(blank), Quality=VG, Use=b, Season=a, N.Div.=4*]

Book Sources

Described in 6 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 20 catalogs (1889–1932) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington

View original book sources (6)

Lowell.

TALLOW PIPPIN, QUEEN ANNE, &c.

Origin unknown.

Tree vigorous, healthy, round-headed; Foliage yellowish green.

Fruit large, round, slightly conic, truncated, regular; Surface smooth, waxy yellow, not blushed or bronzed, becoming greasy when kept indoors; Dots numerous, green.

Basin deep, abrupt, regular; Eye medium, closed.

Cavity medium, regular, green; Stem long, slender.

Core medium, oval, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, pointed, pale; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality very good; Use, table, cooking, drying, market; Season, August, September.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Lowell. Michigan Golden. Tallow Apple. Greasy Pippin. Golden Pippin of some.

Origin unknown. Tree hardy, vigorous, spreading, productive, wood reddish brown. Fruit large, roundish oval or conic, bright waxen yellow, oily. Stalk of medium length. Cavity deep, uneven. Basin deep, abrupt, and furrowed. Calyx closed. Flesh yellowish white, with a brisk, rich, rather acid flavor. Good to very good. September, October.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

LOWELL.

REFERENCES. 1. Cultivator, 5:246. 1848. 2. Cole, 1849:109. 3. Thomas, 1849:157. 4. Waring, 1851:27. 5. Barry, 1851:285. 6. Elliott, 1854:88. fig. 7. Hooper, 1857:55. 8. Gregg, 1857:46. fig. 9. Downing, 1857:166. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 11. Warder, 1867:576. 12. Fitz, 1872:145. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 14. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:243. 15. Mich. Sta. Bul., 105:108. 1894. 16. Lyon, Ib., 118:60. 1895. 17. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:330. 1896. 18. N. C. Ed. Agr. Bul., 1900:7. 19. Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:53. 1902. 20. Mo. Fr. Sta. Bul., 3:27. 1902. 21. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:48. 1903. 22. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903. 23. Budd-Hansen, 1903:117. 24. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:130. 1904.

SYNONYMS. Greasy Pippin (6, 9, 16, 22, 24, of some 23). LOWELL (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24). Lowell (1). LOWELL (Pippin) (14). Orange (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, of some 6). Pound Royal (2, 7, erroneously 6). Queen Anne (1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, of Northern Ohio 3, of Ohio 5). Tallow (2, 7). TALLOW APPLE (1). Tallow Apple (3, 6, 9, of some 23). Tallow Pippin (3, 5, 6, 11, 15, 24).

Fruit rather large; clear yellow with waxy surface. Flesh a little coarse, very juicy, sprightly subacid and desirable for either dessert or culinary uses. It ripens in succession through a period of several weeks and is apt to drop as it ripens. Its season extends from late August to October and under favorable conditions a portion of the fruit may be kept till winter (24). The tree is a good grower, hardy, long-lived and a reliable cropper giving good crops biennially and sometimes annually. This fruit is grown for home use and to a limited extent for local market.

Historical. Lowell is an old variety of American origin (6) which is quite generally known in many parts of the state, especially in Western New York. It is still commonly listed by nurserymen, but is being planted but little and its cultivation appears to be on the decline.

TREE. Tree rather large, vigorous. Form upright spreading, rather open. Twigs long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, mottled with scarf-skin; heavily pubescent. Lenticels numerous, small to medium size, not raised. Buds prominent, medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit large, fairly uniform in size but somewhat variable in shape. Form roundish oblong inclined to conic, unsymmetrical, irregular. Stem medium to rather long, moderately thick, deflected to one side. Cavity acute or approaching acuminate, rather shallow to moderately deep, medium to rather broad, sometimes furrowed, occasionally compressed, often lightly russeted. Calyx medium to large, closed or partly open. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, somewhat abrupt, often slightly furrowed and wrinkled. Skin thin, tender, smooth or with occasional russet dots and flecks, waxy, at first green but eventually becoming rich yellow. Dots very numerous, small, inconspicuous, brown or russet or submerged. Calyx tube usually rather long, rather wide, conical approaching funnelform. Stamens median or nearly so. Core rather large, axile to somewhat abaxile; cells closed; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish to pointed obovate, emarginate. Seeds dark brown, not uniform in shape, medium size, obtuse to somewhat acute. Flesh greenish or tinged with yellow, rather firm, medium to rather fine-grained, crisp, tender, very juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good. Season August to October.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Lowell (10).......... L | re | | VG | b | a | 4*

[Table columns: Size=L, Form=re, Color=(blank), Quality=VG, Use=b, Season=a, N.Div.=4*, C.Div.=..., S.Div.=...]

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Lowell. Orange, of some. Greasy Pippin, Tallow Apple, Queen Anne, Tallow Pippin, Pound Royal, erroneously.

American. The early habit of productiveness, with the large fair fruit, will always command a place in large orchards, where this variety is known. Trees, thrifty, rather strong growers, spreading; most valuable on rich heavy soils. Fruit, large; form, roundish oblong, slightly conical; color, green, becoming rich yellow; oily surface; stem, long, slender; cavity, narrow; calyx, small, nearly closed; basin, deep, furrowed; flesh, yellowish white, rather coarse, sub-acid, fine aroma; core, medium or small; seeds, ovate. August and early September.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Lowell.* (Orange, Tallow Apple, Tallow Pippin, Queen Anne, of Northern Ohio.) Large, roundish-oblong, obtuse, slightly conical; green, becoming rich yellow; surfaces lightly oily; stalk one inch long; basin deep, furrowed or plaited inside, rim obtuse, even; flesh yellowish white, rather coarse, rich sub-acid, or rather acid; hardly first quality, but valuable for its fair surface and great and early productiveness. Early autumn. Tree rather slender and a moderate grower.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
Golden Pippin of some Greasy Pippin Loure Queen Michigan Golden Orange Pound Royal Queen Anne Tallow Tallow Apple Tallow Pippin American Golden Pippin Lowre Queen Fall Pippin Golden Pippin Champlain Summer Pound Royal Pound Royale Long Red Pearmain Kaighn's Spitzenburg McAFEE Ohio Nonpareil Richard's Graft Herefordshire Pearmain Pound Royal Fall Harvey White Spanish Reinette Gloria Mundi Catshead Marigold Orange Pippin Fall Orange Mother Michigan Golden White Seek-no-farther Orange Ortley Pippin Ortley Michigan Golden Pippin Belmont Blenheim Golding Isle of Wight Pippin Speckled Holden Pippin Jones' Pippin