Pittsburgh Pippin
ApplePittsburgh Pippin
Origin / History
Sources disagree on the origin. Elliott (1865) reports the supposed origin as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Downing (1900) gives the origin as Ohio. Thomas (1903) notes the variety is valued in Pennsylvania.
Tree
An irregular grower with a spreading habit (Elliott; Thomas). A moderate bearer (Elliott).
Fruit
Size
Large.
Form
Sources describe the form variously as roundish flattened (Elliott), oblate and ribbed (Downing), and roundish-oblate (Thomas). Lowther (1914) characterizes the form as flat.
Stem / Stalk
Short (Elliott); small (Thomas).
Cavity
Elliott describes the cavity as deep and slightly russeted. Thomas describes it as large.
Calyx
Nearly closed, with long segments (Elliott).
Basin
Broad and furrowed (Thomas).
Skin / Color
Sources describe the color variously: pale yellow with brown dots (Elliott); greenish white with a tinge of red in the sun (Downing); pale yellow (Thomas); yellow-red (Lowther).
Flesh / Flavor
Whitish (Elliott) or white (Thomas/short Thomas entry), juicy (Downing), tender (Thomas), with a sprightly sub-acid flavor (Elliott) or mild sub-acid flavor (Thomas); described as pleasant (Thomas short entry) and of good quality (Downing; Lowther).
Core / Seeds
Core medium (Elliott).
Season
Early winter (Thomas); December to January (Elliott); November to December (Downing); winter (Lowther). Keeps well (Thomas short entry, which also notes the variety in Virginia and Kentucky).
Uses
Suited to both kitchen and market use (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther (1914) records the variety as reported from 1 station in the Northern Division, with additional reports from another division.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Pittsburg Pippin.
Flat Pippin, | Swiss Apple, | William Tell. Father Apple, | Switzer Apple, |
Supposed origin, Pittsburgh, Pa. Tree, irregular grower, moderate bearer. Fruit, large, roundish flattened; pale yellow, with brown dots; stem, short; cavity, deep, slightly russeted; calyx, nearly closed, segments long; flesh, whitish, sprightly sub-acid; core, medium. December to January.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Pittsburgh Pippin", pp. 169–169]
Pittsburg Pippin.
Flat Pippin, | Swiss Apple, | William Tell. Father Apple, | Switzer Apple, |
Supposed origin, Pittsburgh, Pa. Tree, irregular grower, moderate bearer. Fruit, large, roundish flattened; pale yellow, with brown dots; stem, short; cavity, deep, slightly russeted; calyx, nearly closed, segments long; flesh, whitish, sprightly sub-acid; core, medium. December to January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Flat Pippin. Needles. Origin, Ohio. Fruit large, oblate, ribbed, greenish white, tinge of red in the sun. Flesh whitish, juicy, subacid. Good. November, December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)red; flesh white, pleasant. Keeps well. Va. and Ky.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Pittsburg Pippin", pp. 368–368]
Pittsburg Pippin. (Father Apple, William Tell.) Large, roundish-oblate; pale yellow; stalk small, cavity large; basin broad-furrowed; flesh tender, with a mild sub-acid flavor. Early winter. Valued in Pennsylvania. An irregular, spreading grower.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Pittsburg (Pippin). Size: large. Form: flat. Color: yellow-red. Quality: good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division: 1 reporting station, also reported in another division.