Paul's Imperial. Medium, yellow, nearly covered with bright red, acid. Ripens early. Tree vigorous.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

PAUL IMPERIAL.

REFERENCES. 1. Ellwanger and Barry, Cat., 1888:14. 2. Thomas, 1897:299.

SYNONYMS. None.

A September variety in season about with Transcendent; somewhat irregular in shape; of very good general appearance but less attractive in size and color than Hyslop and inferior to Martha in quality. The tree is below medium size, comes into bearing rather young and is a reliable annual cropper.

Historical. Introduced by Paul and Son, Cheshunt, England. A cross between the Red Astrachan and Siberian Crab (1).

TREE.

Tree moderately vigorous with short, stout, crooked branches having numerous small spurs. Form spreading, flat, open. Twigs olive-green tinged with brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, medium to large, oval, slightly raised. Buds large, prominent, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit small to medium, uniform in size but not in shape. Form usually oblate, often irregularly elliptical, strongly ribbed; sides unequal. Stem long to medium, slender. Cavity obtuse to acute, moderately deep, broad, furrowed, not russeted. Calyx large, closed, prominent, persistent; lobes long, moderately broad. Basin very shallow, wide, obtuse, furrowed and wrinkled and sometimes mammillate. Skin thin, rather tender, smooth, yellow, often entirely covered with dark bright red or with but little of the yellow ground color exposed, overspread with blue bloom. Dots very small, numerous, indistinct, light. Calyx tube small, short, moderately wide, urn-shape. Stamens nearly marginal. Core rather large, axile or nearly so; cells closed or slightly open; core lines meeting. Carpels nearly roundish, narrowing toward apex, tufted. Seeds below medium size, moderately wide, acute, light brown. Flesh yellowish sometimes stained with pink, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, rather tough, juicy, brisk subacid, less astringent than Red Siberian, good. Season September and October.

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

PAUL IMPERIAL.

Paul Imperial is an English crab imported in 1888 by Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, New York. The fruits are less attractive in appearance than those of several American crab-apples, falling short both in size and color, and are not so good in quality. The trees are only medium in size, but come in bearing young, and are very productive. This variety is said to be a cross between Red Astrachan and Siberian crab.

Tree vigorous, spreading, open, with short, stout, crooked branches having numerous small spurs. Fruit small, uniform in size but not in shape, usually oblate, often irregularly elliptical, strongly ribbed, sides unequal ; stem long, slender ; cavity obtuse, deep, broad, furrowed, not russeted ; calyx large, closed, prominent, persistent ; lobes long, broad ; basin shallow, wide, obtuse, furrowed and wrinkled and sometimes mammillate ; skin thin, tender, smooth, yellow, often covered with dark red, overspread with bloom ; dots numerous, indistinct, light ; calyx-tube small, short, wide, urnshape ; stamens marginal ; core large, axile ; cells closed or open ; core-lines meeting ; carpels round, narrowing toward apex, tufted ; seeds small, wide, acute, light brown ; flesh yellow sometimes stained with red, firm, coarse, crisp, tough, juicy, brisk subacid ; good ; September and October.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a strong grower. Fruit above medium size, round, flatish. Colour yellowish white, nearly covered with purple and a bluish bloom. Season August.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)