Red Cheek
AppleRed Cheek
Origin / History
Three distinct apples are claimed under this name (Downing). One is said to have originated on the farm of Hull, Sharon, Conn. Another is said to have originated near Dracut, Mass. The third comes from New Jersey.
Hansen (1902) finds Red Cheek as received from Minnesota nearly or quite identical with Raspberry. He says the name was at first applied to Romianka, No. 445, but that the two are very distinct, and that the name is also applied to several old eastern varieties.
Tree
Sharon, Conn., apple: tree forming a small branching head, a great bearer.
Fruit
Size: Medium in all three apples.
Form: Connecticut: roundish oblate conic. Dracut: roundish conical. New Jersey: roundish oblong oval, inclining to conic.
Stem: Short (New Jersey apple).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Connecticut: small, closed. Dracut: closed. New Jersey: partially closed.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Connecticut: whitish, shaded in the sun with bright red. Dracut: whitish, shaded with crimson in the sun. New Jersey: whitish yellow, shaded with crimson in the sun.
Dots: Dracut: few, gray. New Jersey: gray and light dots.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, tender, juicy in all three. Connecticut: pleasant mild subacid. Dracut: pleasant subacid. New Jersey: subacid.
Core and seeds: Core medium (Connecticut), rather large (Dracut), rather small (New Jersey).
Season
November to February overall. Connecticut: December to February, a long keeper. Dracut: November, December. New Jersey: December, January.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Three distinct apples are claimed under the name: the Sharon, Conn., the Dracut, Mass., and the New Jersey Red Cheek.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
This may be Monmouth.
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Red Cheek.
There are claimed to be three distinct Apples under this name. One is said to have originated on the farm of Hull, Sharon, Conn.; the tree forming a small branching head, a great bearer, and the fruit a long keeper.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate conic, whitish, shaded in the sun with bright red. Calyx small, closed. Flesh white, tender, juicy, pleasant mild subacid. Core medium. December to February.
Another Red Cheek is said to have originated near Dracut, Mass.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, whitish, shaded with crimson in the sun, few gray dots. Calyx closed. Flesh white, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid. Core rather large. November, December.
Another comes from New Jersey.
Fruit medium, roundish oblong oval, inclining to conic, whitish yellow, shaded with crimson in the sun, gray and light dots. Stalk short. Calyx partially closed. Flesh white, tender, juicy, subacid. Core rather small. December, January.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Red Cheek—As received from Minnesota, this appears nearly or quite identical with Raspberry. The name Red Cheek was at first applied to Romianka, No. 445, but the two are very distinct; the name is also applied to several old eastern varieties.