Red Winter Sweet

Apple

Red Winter Sweet

Origin/History

Origin unknown. Specimens were received from Kentucky, though the fruit is there stated to have come from Virginia or Maryland. Thomas also places it in Virginia and Kentucky.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium, roundish conic (Downing); roundish (Thomas).

Skin: Deep crimson on yellow, with indistinct splashes and stripes, and large and small light dots (Downing). Thomas describes the color as striped deep red.

Stem: Short.

Cavity: Small.

Calyx: Small, closed.

Basin: Not described in source.

Flesh/Flavor: Yellow, a little coarse, rich, honeyed sweet (Downing). Thomas similarly describes the flesh as coarse, rich, and very sweet.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

December through February (Downing). Early winter (Thomas).

Uses

Fine for cooking (Downing).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1901) from Missouri

Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901

View original book sources (2)

Red Winter Sweet. Origin unknown. Specimens from Kentucky, although the fruit is there stated to have come from Virginia or Maryland. Fruit medium, roundish conic, deep crimson on yellow, with indistinct splashes and stripes, large and small light dots. Stalk short. Cavity small. Calyx small, closed. Flesh yellow, a little coarse, rich, honeyed sweet. Fine for cooking. December, February.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Red Winter Sweet. Medium, roundish, striped deep red; coarse, rich, very sweet. Early winter. Va. and Ky.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

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