Pine Apple Russet
ApplePine Apple Russet
Origin/History
Found in a garden belonging to Mr. Hardingham of Norwich in 1780, and first described by Lindley (Bunyard). Elliott classes the variety as foreign. Bunyard notes that the apple as grown in his day differs from Lindley's account in being rather dry rather than abundantly juicy, and that Hogg copies Lindley's description almost verbatim. Bunyard also observes that an apple of the same name from Devon is quite distinct, for which he proposes the distinguishing name "Devon" — the Norwich variety described here is the original Pine Apple Russet.
Tree
Of moderate growth (Downing). Fertility moderate (Bunyard). Downing notes the fruit is "not fair or very valuable." Leaf rather small, upfolded, boldly crenate (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size
Above medium (Elliott); medium (Downing, Thomas, Bunyard). Bunyard gives dimensions of 2 by 2½ inches.
Form
Sources differ on form. Elliott: roundish ovate. Downing: conic, angular. Thomas: conic. Bunyard: oblong rounded, nearly even.
Stem
Long (Elliott); rather long and slender (Downing); moderately long, thin (Bunyard).
Cavity
Uneven, and slightly russeted (Downing); small, even (Bunyard).
Calyx / Eye
Calyx small (Elliott); calyx closed (Downing); eye open with tips laid back (Bunyard).
Basin
Shallow, plaited (Elliott); shallow, corrugated (Downing); shallow, even (Bunyard).
Skin
Greenish yellow, overspread with thin russet (Elliott); whitish yellow, faintly striped (Downing); whitish-yellow (Thomas); greenish-brown covered with fine russet (Bunyard).
Flesh / Flavor
Yellowish white, juicy, crisp, spicy, sub-acid (Elliott). Whitish, juicy, tender, subacid, slightly aromatic; "very good" (Downing). Sub-acid, of little value (Thomas). Pale yellow, firm, a little dry (Bunyard). Yellow, tender and highly flavoured, a fine aromatic variety (Veitch). Bunyard remarks that "the flavour distinctly recalls the Pine Apple." Sources disagree on juiciness: Elliott and Downing describe the flesh as juicy, while Bunyard describes it as firm and a little dry — Bunyard attributes the discrepancy with Lindley's earlier account of "abundant juice" to a change in the variety as grown in his day.
Core / Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Last of September and October (Downing); September and October (Veitch); October to November (Elliott, Bunyard); autumn (Thomas). Classed as a dessert apple by Bunyard.
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard). Veitch notes that it keeps well but will become mealy in a long keeping house.
Subtypes/Variants
Bunyard distinguishes the original Norwich variety (described here) from a distinct apple of the same name from Devon, for which he proposes the name "Devon" to differentiate.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1911) from England
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (5)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Pine Apple Russet. Hardingham's Russet.
Foreign. Fruit above medium ; roundish ovate, greenish yellow, overspread with thin russet; stem, long; calyx, small ; basin, shallow, plaited; flesh, yellowish white, juicy, crisp, spicy, sub-acid. October to November.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pine Apple Russet. Hardingham's Russet. Tree of moderate growth, fruit not fair or very valuable. Fruit medium, conic, angular. Skin whitish yellow, faintly striped. Stalk rather long and slender. Cavity uneven, and slightly russeted. Calyx closed. Basin shallow, corrugated. Flesh whitish, juicy, tender, subacid, slightly aromatic. Very good. Last of September and October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Pine Apple Russet. Medium, conic, whitish-yellow; sub-acid—of little value. Autumn.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)PINE APPLE RUSSET. Dessert, October to November, medium, 2 by 2½, oblong rounded, nearly even. Colour, greenish-brown covered with fine russet. Flesh, pale yellow, firm, a little dry. Eye, open in a shallow, even basin, tips laid back. Stem, moderately long, thin, in a small even cavity. Fertility, moderate. Leaf, rather small, upfolded, boldly crenate. Origin, found in a garden belonging to Mr. Hardingham, of Norwich, in 1780, and first described by Lindley. This is I presume Lindley's apple though he speaks of its abundant juice (and Hogg copies him almost verbatim), but as grown to-day, it is rather dry. The apple of the same name from Devon is quite distinct and I venture to add the name Devon to distinguish that variety. The flavour distinctly recalls the Pine Apple.
Pitcher: see Mank's Codlin.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)medium size, flesh yellow, tender and highly flavoured, a fine aromatic variety. It keeps well but will become mealy in a long keeping house. Sep. & Oct.