Rock Sweet

Apple

Rock Sweet

Origin/History

Originating on the farm of Elihu Pearson, Newbury, Massachusetts.

Tree

Hardy and vigorous, a constant and regular bearer. Young shoots reddish olive.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium or below (Downing); medium (Elliott); rather small (Thomas). Roundish oblate, slightly conic (Downing; Thomas gives "roundish, oblate conic"); Elliott describes the shape as roundish conical rather than oblate.

Skin: Reddish, shaded, striped, and splashed with darker red (Downing; Elliott gives "splashed and shaded with red" without specifically noting stripes; Thomas notes striped). Sprinkled with large whitish dots.

Stem: Short.

Cavity: Broad, deep, russeted.

Calyx: Closed.

Basin: Shallow, corrugated (Downing; Elliott notes shallow only).

Flesh/Flavor: White, tender, juicy, rich, sweet, and pleasant (Downing). Elliott concurs: white, tender, juicy, sweet. Thomas notes sweet and rich.

Season

September.

Uses

Quality rated Good to Very Good (Downing); Good (Elliott).

Core/Seeds

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Rock Sweet. Origin, farm of Elihu Pearson, Newbury, Mass. Tree hardy, vigorous, and a constant bearer. Young shoots reddish olive. Fruit medium or below, roundish oblate, slightly conic, reddish, shaded, striped, and splashed with darker red, and sprinkled with large whitish dots. Stalk short, set in a broad, deep, russeted cavity. Calyx closed. Basin shallow, corrugated. Flesh white, tender, juicy, rich, sweet, and pleasant. Good to very good. September.

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

Rock Sweet.

From Newbury, Mass. Tree hardy, strong grower, regular bearer. Fruit, medium, roundish conical, splashed and shaded with red, large whitish dots ; stem, short ; cavity, russeted ; calyx, closed ; basin, shallow ; flesh, white, tender, juicy, sweet; "good." September.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Rock Sweet. Rather small, roundish, oblate conic, striped; sweet, rich. September. Mass.

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