Orange Pippin
Apple
Origin/History
An old apple, originated in Normandy and disseminated from the Isle of Wight, where, as some have supposed, it was brought from Normandy. It was valued mainly as a cider fruit (Downing). The variety was entered on the list of the American Pomological Society in 1869, dropped in 1871, and re-entered in 1873 (Beach). It has also been known as the Isle of Wight Pippin, Isle of Wight Orange, Marygold, and Marigold. By the early 1900s, it was no longer considered of superior value by fruit growers and was going out of cultivation (Beach).
Tree
Not described in source for the primary (Normandy/Isle of Wight) variety.
Fruit
Size: Medium. Described as small by the Bunyard catalog.
Form: Roundish.
Skin: Rich orange yellow (Downing). Yellowish, golden gray russeted and highly colored with orange and red on the sunny side (Beach, citing Lindley and Downing). Pale greenish with some orange russet; keeping in the house, its skin assumes a beautiful clear color — described as a handsome apple worthy of growing for its beauty alone (Bunyard catalog).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Flesh/Flavor: Firm, crisp, pleasant acid; suitable for dessert (Downing; Beach). Sweetly flavored, with good flavor (Bunyard catalog).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October to January. Keeps fine throughout winter; keeps well in storage (Bunyard catalog).
Uses
Valued mainly as a cider fruit (Downing). Suitable for dessert (Beach). Excellent for any purpose; excellent fruit for the cooler (Bunyard catalog).
Subtypes/Variants
New Jersey Orange Pippin: A distinct variety grown in some parts of New Jersey, differing from the Normandy/Isle of Wight Orange Pippin. Its origin and detailed history are unknown. Described as a profitable summer market apple. Tree vigorous, at first upright but eventually spreading; a reliable biennial cropper. Fruit medium or above, pale yellow with some orange red in the sun; flesh white, half fine, tender, pleasant subacid; season September and October (Beach). Downing also noted this variety: "There is also an Orange Pippin grown in New Jersey differing from this, but we have been unable to obtain its history or description."
Beach observed that at least two varieties have been known in this country under the name Orange Pippin, and that the references in the pomological literature are not all to the same variety, being included only because in many cases it is uncertain which variety the writer had in mind.
Other
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.
Orange Pippin. M ob yr VG b W 2* 7* 1*
(Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914)
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Orange Pippin. Marigold Pippin. Isle of Wight Orange.
An old Apple, originated in Normandy, and valued mainly as a cider fruit.
Fruit medium, roundish, rich orange yellow. Flesh firm, crisp, pleasant acid. October to January.
There is also an Orange Pippin grown in New Jersey differing from this, but we have been unable to obtain its history or description.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)ORANGE PIPPIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Forsyth, 1803:54. 2. Ib., 1824:119. 3. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 4. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831: No. 587. 5. Kenrick, 1832:81. 6. Lindley, 1833:80. 7. Warder, 1867:728. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1869. 9. Downing, 1872:62 app. fig. 10. Leroy, 1873:457. fig. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1873. 12. Hogg, 1884:116. 13. Ib., 1884:164. 14. Thomas, 1885:519. 15. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:245.
SYNONYMS. Englesc Orange Appel (12). ISLE OF WIGHT PIPPIN (4, 12). Isle of Wight Pippin (5, 6). Isle of Wight Orange (4, 5, 6, 12). MARIGOLD (10). Marigold (5). Marigold Creed's (10). Marigold Pippin (2). Marygold (6). ORANGE (7). ORANGE PIPPIN (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16). Orange Pippin (4, 12). Pomme d'Orange (12).
The above references are not all to the same variety and are included only because in many cases it is uncertain which variety the writer had in mind. At least two varieties have been known in this country under the name Orange Pippin but so far as we can learn neither of them is now considered of superior value by fruit growers and both are going out of cultivation. One, which has been called also the Isle of Wight Pippin, Isle of Wight Orange, Marygold and Marigold, was disseminated from the Isle of Wight where, as some have supposed, it was brought from Normandy (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12). Fruit medium size, roundish, skin yellowish, golden gray russeted and highly colored with orange and red on the sunny side; flesh firm, crisp, pleasant acid, suitable for dessert; season October to January (6, 9). This was entered on the list of the American Pomological Society in 1869, dropped in 1871 and re-entered in 1873.
An Orange Pippin grown in some parts of New Jersey is described (8, 9, 11, 14, 15) as a profitable summer market apple of unknown origin. Tree vigorous, at first upright but eventually spreading; a reliable biennial cropper. Fruit medium or above, pale yellow with some orange red in the sun; flesh white, half fine, tender, pleasant subacid; season September and October.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Orange Pippin. M ob yr VG b W 2* 7* 1*
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)Small apple sweetly flavored, keeps fine, keeps throughout winter. Excellent fruit for the cooler. Excellent for any purpose. A handsome apple with good flavor. Pale greenish with some orange russet. Keeping in house, its skin assumes a beautiful clear color. Worthy of growing for its beauty alone.