Pawpaw
ApplePawpaw
Origin / History
Originated at Pawpaw (Paw Paw), Michigan (Downing; Beach). Elliott alone gives the origin as "Little Bain, Ronde, Mich." Downing calls it a new apple, esteemed in its place of origin for its productiveness and beauty of appearance. Beach says it has long been cultivated in Michigan to a limited extent but is practically unknown to New York fruit growers, and does not recommend it for planting in New York. Beach calls it a late-keeping winter apple of medium size, attractive red color and good quality.
Tree
Hardy (Downing; Beach). A good and regular bearer (Downing); a moderate grower and regular bearer (Beach). Beach, citing Lyon, adds that it must have suitable soil and good culture. Young shoots dull grayish reddish brown.
Fruit
Size: Medium (Elliott; Downing; Beach in his general account). Beach's technical description gives large.
Form: Roundish oblong or roundish, somewhat oblong, inclined to conic, faintly ribbed. Axis slightly oblique; sides unequal.
Stem: Medium in length, moderately slender.
Cavity: Acuminate, deep, compressed, irregularly russeted. Narrow (Downing); rather broad (Beach).
Calyx: Medium in size, partially open (Downing) to slightly open (Beach). Segments a little recurved. Calyx tube short, conical. Stamens basal.
Basin: Medium in depth and width, somewhat abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, compressed.
Skin: Smooth, rather glossy. Yellow, shaded and mostly overspread and mottled with bright rich red, attractive, irregularly splashed and striped with carmine. Prevailing color red. Elliott calls the red obscurely striped; Downing calls it faintly splashed and mottled.
Dots: Moderately numerous, variable in size, russet or light colored, rather conspicuous, often areolar.
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish or tinged with yellow, firm, moderately fine-grained, rather tender, juicy. Subacid; mild subacid and sprightly (Elliott); "rich, brisk subacid" (Downing). Quality good to very good (Beach); "Very good" (Downing).
Core and seeds: Core medium in size, axile; cells closed or partly open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, slightly emarginate, slightly tufted. Seeds numerous, above medium size, rather wide, plump, acute, irregular, somewhat tufted, rather dark brown.
Season
December to June (Downing; Beach). Beach calls it a late-keeping winter apple.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Possibly identical with: Rubicon
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Pawpaw.
Originated Little Bain, Ronde, Mich. Size, medium ; color, red, obscurely striped ; flesh, yellowish, juicy, mild sub-acid ; sprightly.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pawpaw.
Western Baldwin. Rubicon. Ball Apple.
Origin, Pawpaw, Mich. Tree hardy, a good and regular bearer. Young shoots dull grayish reddish brown.
A new Apple, esteemed in its place of origin for its productiveness and beauty of appearance.
Fruit medium, roundish oblong, slightly oblique, yellow, shaded and mostly overspread with bright rich red, faintly splashed and mottled, moderately sprinkled with areole dots. Stalk medium. Cavity deep, narrow. Calyx partially open. Segments a little recurved. Flesh yellowish, juicy, firm, rich, brisk subacid. Very good. December to June.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)PAWPAW.
REFERENCES. 1. Horticulturist, 13:149. 1858. 2. Warder, 1867:728. 3. Downing, 1869:299. 4. Thomas, 1875:508. 5. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 6. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:42. 1903.
SYNONYMS. Ball Apple (3). PAWPAW SEEDLING (1). Rubicon (3, 5). Western Baldwin (3).
A late-keeping winter apple of medium size, attractive red color and good quality. A hardy, moderate grower and regular bearer; must have suitable soil and good culture (5). It is not recommended for planting in this state.
Historical. Origin Paw Paw, Michigan (1, 3). It has long been cultivated in Michigan to a limited extent, but is practically unknown to New York fruit growers.
FRUIT.
Fruit large. Form roundish or somewhat oblong, inclined to conic, faintly ribbed; axis slightly oblique; sides unequal. Stem medium in length, moderately slender. Cavity acuminate, deep, rather broad, compressed, irregularly russeted. Calyx medium in size, slightly open. Basin medium in depth and width, somewhat abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, compressed. Skin smooth, rather glossy, yellow overspread and mottled with attractive red irregularly splashed and striped with carmine. Dots moderately numerous, variable in size, russet or light colored, rather conspicuous, often areolar. Prevailing color red. Calyx tube short, conical. Stamens basal. Core medium in size, axile; cells closed or partly open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, slightly emarginate, slightly tufted. Seeds numerous, above medium size, rather wide, plump, acute, irregular, somewhat tufted, rather dark brown. Flesh tinged with yellow, firm, moderately fine-grained, rather tender, juicy, subacid, good to very good. Season December to June.