Poughkeepsie Russet
Apple
Poughkeepsie Russet
Origin / History
Originated in New York, first disseminated from the Poughkeepsie area. Elliott (1865) considers it probably an American seedling, noting that Downing described it under the name "English Russet"; Elliott preferred the name Poughkeepsie Russet as commemorative of its place of origin. Because so many sorts are known under the general term "English Russet," the more specific name is to be preferred.
Tree
Growth upright. Shoots brown and slender (Warder); described by Elliott as lively brown. Warder characterizes the tree as tender, vigorous, and productive, with healthy foliage. Elliott notes it is a profuse bearer, and that despite being only of medium size, its keeping quality renders it very profitable.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Warder describes the form as conical or globular-conical, regular. Elliott describes it as roundish conical, or roundish ovate, regular.
Stem: Warder gives the stem as long. Elliott describes it as rather short. [These two sources conflict on stem length.]
Cavity: Warder: pointed, wavy. Elliott: round. [These two sources conflict on cavity shape.]
Calyx: Elliott: small, close. Warder describes the eye as large, closed. [The sources conflict on calyx/eye size, though both agree it is closed.]
Basin: Warder: shallow, regular. Elliott: abrupt, regular, round.
Skin: Warder: smooth, almost polished, dull yellowish-green, often bronzed near the base, more or less covered with fine russet. Elliott: light greenish yellow, mostly overspread with brownish russet; when well matured, becomes yellowish.
Flesh: Warder: greenish, firm, inclined to be tough. Elliott: yellowish white, fine texture, rather firm, aromatic. [The sources conflict on flesh color and texture characterization; Warder finds it tough, Elliott finds the texture fine.]
Flavor: Warder rates the flavor as acid and poor, quality third rate. Elliott notes it is aromatic.
Core: Warder: closed, not meeting the eye. Elliott: small.
Seeds: Warder: imperfect. Elliott: ovate, reddish brown.
Season
Warder: December until June. Elliott: All Winter and Spring.
Uses
Warder limits its recommended use to market and cooking only, but values it highly because it keeps soundly for a long time. Elliott similarly notes that its quality of keeping over the year renders it very profitable, despite being only of medium size.
Subtypes / Variants
Elliott notes a variety called "Crow's Nest" that is sometimes sold under the Poughkeepsie Russet name. The Crow's Nest fruit is larger, does not keep as well, and the tree when grown makes a dense top — distinguishing it from the true Poughkeepsie Russet.
Elliott also notes a Golden Russet cultivated in Central Ohio that closely resembles the Poughkeepsie Russet but is larger, has an open calyx (versus the closed calyx of Poughkeepsie Russet), and is often beautifully bronzed with russet yellow. Elliott suspects they may prove identical, the soil and location accounting for the apparent differences.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Poughkeepsie Russet. ENGLISH RUSSET.
Origin New York; Tree tender, vigorous, upright, productive; Shoots brown, slender; Foliage healthy.
Fruit medium, conical or globular-conical, regular; Surface smooth, almost polished, dull yellowish-green, often bronzed near the base, more or less covered with fine russet.
Fig. 161.—POUGHKEEPSIE RUSSET.
Basin shallow, regular; Eye large, closed. Cavity pointed, wavy; Stem long.
Core closed, not meeting the eye; Seeds imperfect; Flesh greenish, firm, inclined to be tough; Flavor acid, poor; Quality third rate; Use, market and cooking only, and valued because it keeps soundly for a long time; Season, December until June.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)POUGHKEEPSIE RUSSET.
English Russet, | Winter Russet?
This variety, described by Downing as the "English Russet," is probably an American seedling, and as there are so many sorts known under the general term of English Russet, we prefer to adopt the name of Poughkeepsie Russet, as commemorative of the section whence it was first disseminated. Growth, upright. Shoots, lively brown, profuse bearer, and although only of medium size, its quality of keeping over year renders it very profitable. There is also another called "Crow's Nest," sometimes sold under this name, of which the fruit is larger, does not keep as well, and the tree when grown makes a dense top.
Fruit, medium ; form, roundish conical, or roundish ovate, regular ; color, light greenish yellow, mostly overspread with brownish russet ; when well matured, becomes yellowish ; stem, rather short ; cavity round ; calyx, small, close ; basin, abrupt, regular, round ; flesh, yellowish white, fine texture, rather firm, aromatic; core, small; seeds, ovate, reddish brown. All Winter and Spring.
There is cultivated in Central Ohio, a Golden Russet (see our figure) which resembles this, but is larger, and with an open calyx, and often beautifully bronzed with russet yellow. We think they may prove identical, and the soil and location make the apparent difference.