Pumpkin Russet
Apple
Origin/History
Pumpkin Russet is an old New England variety of unknown precise origin. Thomas identifies it as from Connecticut. Kenrick in 1832 described it under the name Pumpkin Sweeting of New England. In 1849 Cole described it under the name Pumpkin Sweet, giving Pumpkin Russet as a synonym. In 1845 it was described by Downing under the name Pumpkin Russet, which is the name now generally accepted for it by pomologists. It was still occasionally listed by nurserymen as of 1905 but was then seldom planted in New York. Beach notes it is not a profitable commercial variety and is now seldom cultivated even for home use. Thomas notes it is distinct from the Sweet Russet cultivated through western New York, which is a more conical fruit.
Tree
Tree large, vigorous or very vigorous, at first upright but eventually becoming roundish or spreading, open; branches long, stout, curved. Downing describes the trees as large and spreading. Twigs short, curved, stout; internodes long. Bark dark reddish-brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, oblong, slightly raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent. The tree is hardy, moderately long-lived, and yields fair to good crops biennially or in some cases almost annually.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Round or globular; Beach describes it more precisely as oblate or somewhat inclined to conic, sometimes irregular, faintly ribbed, often compressed. Thomas says large, round, slightly flattened. Warder calls it globular and regular.
Stem: Beach describes the stem as medium to short, moderately slender to thick. Elliott and Downing describe the stalk as long.
Cavity: Beach: acute to acuminate, usually deep, moderately broad to rather narrow, nearly smooth, sometimes slightly furrowed. Elliott and Downing describe the cavity as wide and shallow. Thomas also describes it as wide and shallow.
Calyx: Beach: large, closed or slightly open; lobes long, narrow, acute to acuminate. Downing: eye narrow, slightly sunk.
Basin: Beach: small to medium, rather shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, somewhat abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled. Elliott and Thomas: basin small.
Skin: Beach: thick, rather tough, greenish or yellowish sometimes with bronze blush on exposed cheek, more or less covered with russet patches or netted veins of russet. Dots large and small, scattering, usually russet, irregular. Warder describes the surface as covered with coarse russeting. Downing describes the skin as pale yellowish green, slightly covered with russet. Elliott: yellowish green, thinly russeted. Thomas: yellowish green, partly russeted.
Flesh/Flavor: Beach: greenish-white or yellowish, firm, rather coarse, tender, juicy, sweet, good. Downing: exceedingly rich and sweet, rated "Good." Thomas: flavor rich and sweet. Warder: spongy, light, very sweet. Elliott: dry, sweet, rated "good." Beach summarizes it as a very large, round, yellowish-russet apple, sweet, rich, very good for baking but of little value for other purposes.
Core/Seeds: Calyx tube short, wide, broadly conical to nearly urn-shaped. Stamens median to basal. Core above medium to below, abaxile; cells usually open, symmetrical but not uniformly developed; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly ovate, very slightly emarginate, sometimes tufted. Seeds moderately light brown, rather large, wide, flat, acute (Beach).
Season
Beach: September and October, or in cold storage extending to January 1. Downing: September to January. Elliott: September to December. Warder: autumn. Thomas: through autumn.
Uses
Very good for baking. Warder specifies use for baking and apple butter. Beach states it is of little value for other purposes. Warder also notes it is valuable for stock (grafting rootstock).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Warder's overall assessment: "Not valuable, except for stock." Beach provides an extensive reference list: Kenrick, 1832:137; Mag. Hort., 1:363, 1835; Downing, 1845:93; Thomas, 1849:146; Cole, 1849:115; Elliott, 1854:152; Hooper, 1857:73; Warder, 1867:566; Downing, 1881:11 index, app.; Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:247; Powell and Fulton, U.S. B.P.I. Bul. 48:53, 1903; Beach and Clark, N.Y. Sta. Bul., 248:139, 1904. Fruit fairly uniform in size and shape (Beach).
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Pumpkin Russet.
Fruit large, globular, regular; Surface covered with coarse russeting; Flesh spongy, light, very sweet; Used for baking and apple butter; Season, autumn. Not valuable, except for stock.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pumpkin Russet.
Sweet Russet. Pumpkin Sweet. Flint Russet. York Russet.
Origin unknown. Trees large and spreading.
Fruit large, round. Flesh pale yellowish green, slightly covered with russet. Stalk long, set in a wide, shallow cavity. Eye narrow, slightly sunk. Flesh exceedingly rich and sweet. Good. September to January.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)PUMPKIN RUSSET.
REFERENCES. 1. Kenrick, 1832:137. 2. Mag. Hort., 1:363. 1835. 3. Downing, 1845:93. 4. Thomas, 1849:146. 5. Cole, 1849:115. 6. Elliott, 1854:152. 7. Hooper, 1857:73. 8. Warder, 1867:566. 9. Downing, 1881:11 index, app. 10. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:247. 11. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul. 48:53. 1903. 12. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:139. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Flint Russet (3, 6). Kingsbury Russet (9). PUMPKIN RUSSET (3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12). Pumpkin Russet (5). PUMPKIN SWEET (5). Pumpkin Sweet (3). PUMPKIN SWEETING (2). PUMPKIN SWEETING of New England (1). Sweet Russet (3, 4, 6). York Russet (6).
This is a very large, round, yellowish-russet apple, sweet, rich, very good for baking but of little value for other purposes. The tree is a vigorous, rapid grower, hardy, moderately long-lived and yields fair to good crops biennially or in some cases almost annually. It is not a profitable commercial variety and is now seldom cultivated even for home use.
Historical. Pumpkin Russet is an old New England variety. Kenrick (1) in 1832 described it under the name Pumpkin Sweeting of New England. In 1849 Cole (5) described it under the name Pumpkin Sweet giving Pumpkin Russet as a synonym. In 1845 it was described by Downing (3) under the name Pumpkin Russet which is the name now generally accepted for it by pomologists. It is still occasionally listed by nurserymen but is now seldom planted in New York.
TREE. Tree large, vigorous or very vigorous, at first upright but eventually becoming roundish or spreading, open; branches long, stout, curved. Twigs short, curved, stout; internodes long. Bark dark reddish-brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, oblong, slightly raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit large, fairly uniform in size and shape. Form oblate or somewhat inclined to conic, sometimes irregular, faintly ribbed, often compressed. Stem medium to short, moderately slender to thick. Cavity acute to acuminate, usually deep, moderately broad to rather narrow, nearly smooth, sometimes slightly furrowed. Calyx large, closed or slightly open; lobes long, narrow, acute to acuminate. Basin small to medium, rather shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, somewhat abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled. Skin thick, rather tough, greenish or yellowish sometimes with bronze blush on exposed cheek, more or less covered with russet patches or netted veins of russet. Dots large and small, scattering, usually russet, irregular. Calyx tube short, wide, broadly conical to nearly urnshape. Stamens median to basal. Core above medium to below, abaxile; cells usually open, symmetrical but not uniformly developed; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly ovate, very slightly emarginate, sometimes tufted. Seeds moderately light brown, rather large, wide, flat, acute. Flesh greenish-white or yellowish, firm, rather coarse, tender, juicy, sweet, good. Season September and October or in cold storage extending to January 1 (12).
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Pumpkin Russet.
Sweet Russet, | York Russet, | Flint Russet.
Fruit, large, roundish, yellowish green, thinly russeted; stem, long; cavity, wide, shallow; basin, small; flesh, dry, sweet; "good." September to December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Pumpkin Russet. (Sweet Russet.) Large, round, slightly flattened ; yellowish green, partly russetted ; cavity wide, shallow; basin small; flavor rich and sweet. Through autumn. Distinct from the Sweet Russet cultivated through western New York, which is a more conical fruit. Connecticut.