McIntosh Red
Apple
McIntosh Red
Origin and History
The McIntosh Red originated on the McIntosh homestead in Matilda township, Dundas county, Ontario — Downing locates it more specifically at Dundela, Ontario. The original tree is said to have arisen as a seedling, discovered by John McIntosh, some seventy years prior to Downing's 1900 account (placing its origin in the early-to-mid 1800s). Allen McIntosh subsequently began propagation in the nursery around 1870. By 1914 the variety had become widely distributed throughout the northern half of the United States.
The variety belongs to the Fameuse group but, according to the Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, is adapted to a wider range of localities than the other varieties of that group.
Tree
Very hardy, long-lived, and vigorous, with a spreading head. A good annual bearer of fair, handsome fruit of excellent quality, valuable for both home use and market.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium or above in size. Form roundish oblate, regular, or faintly ribbed, obscurely angular.
Stem: Short. Downing describes it as rather small in diameter; the Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture describes it as moderately slender.
Cavity: The two sources conflict here. Downing describes the cavity as medium; the Encyclopedia describes it as large, acuminate or somewhat acute. Both descriptions should be considered when examining a specimen.
Calyx: Small. Downing describes it as closed; the Encyclopedia describes it as closed or partly open.
Basin: Rather small, slightly plaited (Downing; not described by the Encyclopedia).
Skin: Smooth, readily separating from the flesh. The ground color is clear whitish yellow, or greenish, washed and deeply blushed with bright red and striped with carmine — Downing characterizes this more strongly as whitish yellow, very nearly covered with dark rich red or crimson, appearing almost purplish in the sun. The skin is moderately sprinkled with light dots (Downing). In the Rocky Mountain states and in the Pacific Northwest the fruit frequently becomes a deep, dark red, overspread with a thin lilac bloom (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture). The fruit is bright red and very attractive in appearance.
Flesh and Flavor: White, fine, very tender, and juicy. The flavor is mild subacid, refreshing, with a peculiar slight quince-like note (Downing). The Encyclopedia describes the flesh as very tender, perfumed, and delicious.
Core and Seeds: Core medium (Downing; not described by the Encyclopedia).
Season
The sources differ slightly on season. Downing gives November through February, indicating good storage duration. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture gives October to December as the primary season, extending to January when grown at high altitudes.
Uses
Very good for dessert. Sells well in markets and brings good profits. Valuable for home use and market.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 40 catalogs (1889–1955) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington
- Palouse Nursery and Pleasant Dale Fruit Farm , Colfax, Washington Territory (situated two miles northeast of Colfax) - undated (single-page broadside flyer; "Washington Territory" suggests pre — 1889
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1906
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- 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./Montana Fruit Growers — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , 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
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1926
- Stark Bro's Nurseries , Louisiana , Missouri — 1932
- Milton Nursery Co. , Milton-Freewater , Oregon — 1947
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Forest Grove , Oregon — 1955
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)McIntosh Red.
Originated with John McIntosh, Dundela, Ontario, some seventy years since, but is not widely known; the tree is said to be very hardy, long-lived, vigorous, with a spreading head; a good annual bearer of fair, handsome fruit of excellent quality, and valuable for home use and market.
Fruit medium or above, roundish oblate, regular; skin whitish yellow, very nearly covered with dark rich red or crimson, almost purplish in the sun, moderately sprinkled with light dots; stalk short, rather small; cavity medium; calyx closed; basin rather small, slightly plaited; flesh white, fine, very tender, juicy, mild subacid, refreshing, peculiar slight quince-like flavor; core medium. November, February.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)McIntosh Red
This fruit is a bright red color and very attractive in appearance. It belongs to the Fameuse group, but is adapted to a wider range of localities than the other varieties of this group. The flesh is very tender, perfumed and delicious. Skin smooth, readily separating from the flesh, clear whitish yellow or greenish washed and deeply blushed with bright red and striped with carmine. In the Rocky Mountains States and in the Pacific Northwest it becomes in many cases a deep, dark red, overspread with a thin lilac bloom. Form roundish to somewhat oblate, regular or faintly ribbed, obscurely angular. Stem short, moderately slender. Cavity large acuminate or somewhat acute. Calyx small, closed or partly open. This variety originated on the McIntosh homestead, Matilda township, Dundas county, Ontario, where Allen McIntosh began its propagation in the nursery about 1870. It originated as a seedling, and is now widely distributed throughout the northern half of the United States. It is very good for dessert, sells well in the markets, and brings good profits. Season, October to December or, when grown on high altitudes, may be marketed until January.