Rosy Red
Apple
Rosy Red Apple
Origin/History
The variety's origin is disputed across sources. Warder (1867) credits the fruit to Lewis Jones of Cambridge, Indiana, describing Jones as "an indefatigable... earnest pomologist and philanthropist," and states it was found in a seedling orchard. Downing (1900) describes it as "an old variety, origin unknown," noting that it is grown in Michigan, where it is claimed as a seedling of Western New York, and also in Indiana, where it is claimed as a seedling of Cambridge, Indiana. Thomas (1903) associates the variety with Michigan. The competing claims suggest the variety circulated widely under the same name before its origin was settled.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium in size. Warder describes the form as conical and truncated, regular in outline. Downing gives a conflicting form: roundish oblate, slightly conical. Thomas describes it simply as medium.
Stem: Medium length, slender (Warder, Downing). Warder notes the stem is yellow.
Cavity: Acute and deep (both Warder and Downing agree). Warder adds that it is narrow and brown.
Calyx: Medium, closed (Warder). Downing describes the calyx as closed, medium, and irregular.
Basin: Medium, shallow, regular or folded (Warder). Downing does not separately describe the basin.
Skin: Warder describes the surface as smooth, bright red and generally diffused, with indistinct striping. Downing gives a conflicting description: ground color yellow, shaded, splashed, and marbled with light and dark red. Thomas describes it as striped.
Dots: Scattered, medium, yellow (Warder). Downing describes the dots as light.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh pale yellow (Warder) or yellowish (Downing), breaking in texture, juicy (Warder). Downing notes the flesh is sometimes a little stained. Flavor mild subacid (Warder, Downing, Thomas). Quality rated good by both Warder and Downing.
Core and Seeds: Core wide, indistinct, partly open, scarcely meeting the eye. Seeds few, plump and imperfect (Warder). Not described in Downing or Thomas.
Season
December and January (Warder). November through January (Downing). Early winter (Thomas).
Uses
Market and table (Warder).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
{Warder's and Downing's descriptions disagree.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Rosy Red.
This is one of the valuable fruits which we owe to the indefatigable efforts of that earnest pomologist and thus philanthropist, Lewis Jones, of Cambridge, Indiana. Found in a seedling orchard.
Fruit medium, conical, truncated, regular; Surface smooth, bright red, generally diffused, indistinctly striped; Dots scattered, medium, yellow.
Basin medium, shallow, regular or folded; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity acute, narrow, deep, brown; Stem medium, slender, yellow.
Core wide, indistinct, partly open, scarcely meeting the eye; Seeds few, plump and imperfect; Flesh pale yellow, breaking, juicy; Flavor sub-acid; Quality good; Use, market and table; Season, December and January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Rosy Red.
An old variety, origin unknown. It is grown in Michigan, where it is claimed as a seedling of Western New York, and in Indiana, and there claimed as a seedling of Cambridge, la.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, slightly conical, yellow, shaded, splashed, and marbled with light and dark red, light dots. Stalk medium, slender. Cavity deep, acute. Calyx closed, medium, irregular. Flesh yellowish, breaking, sometimes a little stained, mild subacid. Good. November, January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Rosy Red. Medium, striped; mild sub-acid. Early winter. Michigan.