Red Queen
Apple
Red Queen
Origin/History
Russian origin. Catalogued as No. 316 in the Budd numbering system. Planted Spring 1895 at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, BC for testing.
Tree
A vigorous grower (Central Experimental Farm). Other tree characteristics not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Sources disagree. Hansen (1902) and Budd & Hansen (1914) describe the fruit as "above medium to large." Thomas (1903) describes it as "medium." The Central Experimental Farm (1900) gives two accounts: one entry calls the fruit "of medium size," while the entry specifically keyed to "Red Queen (No. 316 BUDD)" describes the fruit as "below medium size, roundish, tapering to the eye."
Form: Roundish conical. Hansen and Budd & Hansen call it "regular, roundish conical." Thomas calls it "irregular conical." The Central Experimental Farm describes it as "roundish" or "roundish, tapering to the eye."
Stem: Short, stout (Hansen; Budd & Hansen; Thomas).
Cavity: Regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas calls it "small."
Calyx: Closed (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).
Basin: Narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas calls it "small."
Skin/Surface: Greenish yellow, sometimes with a dull reddish blush (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as "greenish yellow, red blush on sunny side." The Central Experimental Farm describes the skin variously as "greenish yellow, with a bright blush on sunny side" and as "green with a dull red blush." Dots large, white, some with a minute dark dot in the center, numerous towards the basin (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).
Flesh/Flavor: Sources differ in detail. Hansen and Budd & Hansen describe the flesh as "greenish white, with green veinings, sprightly acid, good for culinary use." Thomas describes it as "white, green veinings, quite acid." The Central Experimental Farm gives two characterizations: "white, not juicy, firm, mildly sub-acid, quality medium" and "white, crisp, moderately juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality medium."
Core/Seeds: Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).
Season
Winter (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Late winter (Thomas). Early winter, or specifically November (Central Experimental Farm).
Uses
Good for culinary use (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Quality rated medium (Central Experimental Farm).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Illustrated as Fig. 458 in Thomas (1903).
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
This may be Red Reinette of Gibb.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1901) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (4)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Red Queen (No. 316)—Origin, Russia—Fruit above medium to large, regular, roundish conical; surface greenish yellow, sometimes with dull reddish blush; dots large, white, some with minute dark dot in center, numerous towards the basin; cavity regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted; stem short, stout; basin narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal; flesh greenish white, with green veinings, sprightly acid, good for culinary use. Winter.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Red Queen. Medium, irregular conical; greenish yellow, red blush on sunny side; cavity small; stem short, stout; basin small; flesh white, green veinings, quite acid. Late winter. Fig. 458. Russian.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Red Queen (No. 316). — Origin, Russia. Fruit above medium to large, regular, roundish conical; surface greenish yellow, sometimes with dull reddish blush; dots large, white, some with minute dark dot in centre, numerous towards the basin; cavity regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted; stem short, stout; basin narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal; flesh greenish white with green veinings, sprightly acid, good for culinary use. Winter.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit of medium size, roundish conical. Skin greenish yellow, with a bright blush on sunny side. Flesh white, not juicy, firm, mildly sub-acid, quality medium. Season early Winter. Red Queen (No. 316 BUDD). Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit below medium size, roundish, tapering to the eye. Skin green with a dull red blush. Flesh white, crisp, moderately juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality medium. Season November.