Royal Pearmain
Apple
Royal Pearmain
Origin / History
An old apple described by Coxe and Ronalds, found in the old orchards of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio (Downing). Coxe procured it from the neighbourhood of Richmond, Virginia, where it was highly esteemed by the planters; it was known and much cultivated in Pennsylvania under the name of the Merritt's Pearmain (Coxe).
Warder notes that two different apples were borne under this name, "both very promising and desirable sorts," and describes the one mentioned by Coxe — his specimens traced back to Coxe's nursery, though they came to the West by way of Georgia. Warder also describes a second apple under this name, of unknown origin, obtained from H. N. Gillett of Lawrence County, Ohio; and a third, Southern, with specimens obtained from Mr. Westbrooke of North Carolina.
Thomas's entry is a cross-reference: "Royal Pearmain. See Herefordshire Pearmain."
Tree
Coxe: The tree grows tall and straight, with a luxuriant foliage and regular form, and is a most abundant and uniform bearer.
Downing: A moderately vigorous grower, very productive, the fruit keeping well.
Fruit
Size and Form
Coxe: A fine, large apple, rather flat in its form; the size that of a Vandervere.
Warder (Coxe's apple): Full medium to large, globular, rather flattened, regular.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Quite small, globular, flattened, slightly conic, regular.
Warder (Southern apple): Medium to large, globular, unequal.
Downing: Medium, roundish conical truncated.
Stem
Coxe: Not described in source.
Warder (Coxe's apple): Medium to long.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Medium.
Downing: Stalk slender.
Cavity
Warder (Coxe's apple): Acute, brown.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Wide.
Downing: Russeted.
Calyx / Eye
Warder (Coxe's apple): Eye medium, closed.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Eye small, closed.
Warder (Southern apple): Eye small, closed.
Downing: Calyx with short divided segments.
Basin
Warder (Coxe's apple): Medium, folded.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Shallow, plaited.
Warder (Southern apple): Abrupt, deep, wavy.
Downing: Irregular or broadly furrowed.
Skin
Coxe: A rich russet colour, blended with red, faintly streaked and dotted with spots of russet. The skin is rough.
Warder (Coxe's apple): Surface not smooth, of a rich yellow, finely blushed, with carmine more or less diffused over the fruit, and overspread with a very thin russet. Dots medium, prominent, brown.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Surface smooth, greenish yellow. Dots scattered, minute, black.
Warder (Southern apple): Surface smooth, white, with leather-cracking, and a heavy bloom. Dots minute, irregular, brown.
Downing: Yellow, mostly overspread and indistinctly striped with red, warm rough russet at the apex.
Flesh and Flavor
Coxe: The flesh a rich yellow, of a very sprightly taste, and firm in its texture; when first gathered, rather tart, but becomes both sweet and tender by keeping.
Warder (Coxe's apple): Flesh rich yellow, firm, juicy. Flavor acid, sprightly. Quality very good.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Flesh yellowish white, firm, breaking. Flavor sub-acid. Quality good, Mr. Gillett says, best.
Warder (Southern apple): Not described in source for flesh.
Downing: Flesh yellowish, firm, rich, mild subacid, when fully ripe almost sweet. Very good.
Core / Seeds
Warder (Gillett's apple): Core ovate, closed; seeds medium.
Other sources: Not described in source.
Season
Coxe: Ripens in October, and will keep till February and March.
Warder (Coxe's apple): October to February.
Warder (Gillett's apple): Mid-summer.
Downing: November to March.
Uses
Coxe: A good table apple, and makes excellent cider.
Warder (Coxe's apple): Use, table.
Subtypes / Variants
Warder explicitly distinguishes three apples carried under the Royal Pearmain name:
- The one mentioned by Coxe (specimens traced back to Coxe's nursery, came West by way of Georgia).
- An apple of unknown origin, obtained from H. N. Gillett, Lawrence County, Ohio — quite small, globular flattened slightly conic, greenish yellow, with yellowish-white breaking flesh, sub-acid, mid-summer season.
- A Southern apple, specimens obtained from Mr. Westbrooke of North Carolina — medium to large, globular unequal, smooth white skin with leather-cracking and a heavy bloom.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 35. ROYAL PEARMAIN.
Is a fine, large apple, rather flat in its form, of a rich russet colour, blended with red, faintly streaked and dotted with spots of russet. The skin is rough, the flesh a rich yellow, of a very sprightly taste, and firm in its texture ; when first gathered, rather tart, but becomes both sweet and tender by keeping : it is a good table apple, and makes excellent cider ; the size that of a Vandervere ; it ripens in October, and will keep till February and March it is highly esteemed by the planters in Virginia, whence I procured it from the neighbourhood of Richmond : the tree grows tall and straight, with a luxuriant foliage and regular form, and is a most abundant and uniform bearer. This apple is known in Pennsylvania, and much cultivated, under the name of the Merrits Pearmain.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Royal Pearmain.
We have two different apples bearing this name, both very promising and desirable sorts. I shall, in this place, attempt to describe the one mentioned by Coxe, as my specimens are traced back to his nursery, though coming to the West by way of Georgia.
Fruit full medium to large, globular, rather flattened, regular; Surface not smooth, of a rich yellow, finely blushed, with carmine more or less diffused over the fruit, and overspread with a very thin russet; Dots medium, prominent, brown.
Basin medium, folded; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity acute, brown; Stem medium to long.
Flesh rich yellow, firm, juicy; Flavor acid, sprightly; Quality very good; Use, table; Season, October to February.
This very fine little apple was obtained from H. N. Gillett, Lawrence County, Ohio. Origin not known.
Fruit quite small, globular, flattened, slightly conic, regular; Surface smooth, greenish yellow; Dots scattered, minute, black.
Basin shallow, plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide; Stem medium.
Core ovate, closed; Seeds medium; Flesh yellowish white, firm, breaking; Flavor sub-acid; Quality good, Mr. Gillett says, best; Season, mid-summer.
Southern. The specimens were obtained from Mr. Westbrooke, of North Carolina.
Fruit medium to large, globular, unequal; Surface smooth, white, with leather-cracking, and a heavy bloom; Dots minute, irregular, brown.
Basin abrupt, deep, wavy; Eye small, closed.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Royal Pearmain.
Merritt's Pearmain.
An old Apple described by Coxe and Ronalds. It is to be found in the old orchards of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The tree a moderately vigorous grower, very productive, the fruit keeping well.
Fruit medium, roundish conical truncated, yellow, mostly overspread and indistinctly striped with red, warm rough russet at the apex. Stalk slender. Cavity russeted. Calyx with short divided segments. Basin irregular or broadly furrowed. Flesh yellowish, firm, rich, mild subacid, when fully ripe almost sweet. Very good. November to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Royal Pearmain. See Herefordshire Pearmain.