Rome Beauty

Origin & History

The Rome Beauty originated in Southern Ohio, raised by H. N. Gillett, a pioneer pomologist of Lawrence County. It was first brought to the notice of the public at the Ohio Fruit Growers' Convention in 1848 (Lowther). By the mid-nineteenth century it had become widely distributed over the middle and western states, and was growing into favor in the Pacific Northwest as one of the most profitable varieties (Lowther). Lowther notes it is better adapted to the middle section of the United States than to the northern or southern sections, and that Stinson considered it not well adapted to Missouri. Elliott notes that it requires a rich, warm, loamy soil to perfect good fruit; on poor land it is undersized, deficient in character, and inclined to overbear.

Tree

Tree thrifty, hardy, and very productive (Warder). Not a very vigorous grower as it appears in the nursery, but in the orchard it attains greater vigor and good medium size (Lowther). Downing describes it as a moderate grower that succeeds well in the Southwest. Form at first upright, later roundish to somewhat spreading and drooping, with rather slender lateral branches (Lowther); Warder describes it as round-headed. Shoots slender, red (Warder). Young wood clear reddish brown, slightly downy or gray (Downing). Foliage healthy (Warder). Blossoms open late and thus the tree often escapes a late frost (Warder, Downing). An early and certain bearer (Warder, Lowther).

Fruit

Size. Large to very large (Warder). Lowther describes it as medium to very large, usually averaging about medium, but in the Pacific Northwest much above medium. Downing, Elliott, and Thomas all describe it as large.

Form. Roundish, approaching conic (Downing); roundish, very slightly conical (Thomas); roundish conic or slightly oblong, regular or faintly ribbed, usually symmetrical with sides sometimes unequal (Lowther); regular oblate, roundish-oblate, and sometimes rather conical (Warder); roundish (Elliott). Warder describes the fruit as regular and handsome. Thomas notes its large size and beautiful appearance render it popular as an orchard variety.

Stem. Long, slender (Warder). An inch long (Downing). Elliott also describes it as slender.

Cavity. Wide, wavy, green (Warder). Downing describes it as large and deep, surrounded by greenish russet. Elliott describes it as open and regular.

Calyx. Eye quite small, closed (Warder). Calyx partially closed (Downing). Nearly closed, segments distinctly separate (Elliott).

Basin. Warder describes the basin as wide, deep, and regular. Downing describes it as narrow and deep — a direct conflict on width. Elliott describes it as round, open, and moderately deep.

Skin. Smooth, pale yellow, striped and mixed with bright red (Warder); yellow, shaded and striped with bright red (Downing); rich light yellow, mostly overspread and striped with shades of clear, bright red (Elliott); mostly covered with bright red on pale yellow ground (Thomas); thick, tough, smooth, yellow or greenish, more or less mottled with bright red, sometimes with a general red color (Lowther). Warder notes the fruit is said to be scabby on old trees.

Dots. Minute, indented (Warder). Downing describes the fruit as sprinkled with light dots.

Flesh & Flavor. Yellow, breaking, coarse-grained; flavor sub-acid, not rich; quality scarcely good (Warder). Yellowish, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid; good (Downing). White or nearly white with slight tinge of yellow, firm, moderately fine-grained, rather crisp, juicy, slightly aromatic, agreeable mild subacid, commonly good but not high in quality (Lowther). Yellow, crisp, mild, sub-acid (Elliott). Tender, not fine-grained, juicy, of good quality (Thomas). Sources generally agree on a subacid flavor but differ on texture: Warder says breaking and coarse-grained, Downing and Thomas say tender, Lowther says firm and moderately fine-grained, Elliott says crisp.

Core & Seeds. Core wide, regular, closed, meeting the eye; seeds numerous, long, pointed (Warder). Core rather large (Downing). Core medium, somewhat hollow; seeds long ovate, large and full (Elliott).

Season

December to February (Warder). October to December (Downing, Elliott). Ripens early in winter (Thomas). November to April or May (Lowther). The range across sources spans October through May.

Uses

Valuable for market on account of its productiveness, size, and beauty, as well as for its certain bearing (Warder). Considered one of the most profitable varieties and perhaps the best baking apple in the markets (Lowther). Popular as an orchard variety due to large size and beautiful appearance (Thomas).

Subtypes & Variants

Lowther references a Red Rome Beauty as a more fully red-colored sport or strain, directing readers to "See Red Rome Beauty."

Other

Not described in source.