Royal Pearmain

[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the Warder (1867) entry runs on past its Royal Pearmain description into two further descriptions of different varieties. The first is a "very fine little apple" obtained from H. N. Gillett, Lawrence County, Ohio, origin not known: quite small, smooth, greenish yellow, a mid-summer fruit. The second is a "Southern" apple from Mr. Westbrooke of North Carolina: medium to large, smooth, white, with leather-cracking and a heavy bloom. Neither matches the Royal Pearmain described by Coxe, Warder, and Downing, and both are excluded below.]

Origin / History

An old apple. Coxe procured it from the neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, and wrote that it was "highly esteemed by the planters in Virginia." He added that it was known in Pennsylvania, and much cultivated there, under the name of the "Merrits Pearmain."

Downing calls it an old apple described by Coxe and Ronalds, to be found in the old orchards of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Warder states that two different apples bear the name Royal Pearmain, both "very promising and desirable sorts." He describes the one mentioned by Coxe, his specimens being traced back to Coxe's nursery, though they came to the West by way of Georgia. Thomas refers the name Royal Pearmain to Herefordshire Pearmain.

Tree

Tree tall and straight, of regular form, with luxuriant foliage (Coxe); a moderately vigorous grower (Downing). Very productive; in Coxe's words "a most abundant and uniform bearer."

Fruit

Size: Medium to large. Coxe calls it "a fine, large apple," the size of a Vandervere; Downing gives it as medium.

Form: Globular, rather flat, regular. Downing gives it as roundish conical, truncated.

Stem: Slender (Downing), medium to long (Warder).

Cavity: Acute, brown, russeted.

Calyx: Eye medium, closed (Warder). Calyx with short, divided segments (Downing).

Basin: Medium, folded, irregular or broadly furrowed.

Skin: Rough, not smooth. Ground rich yellow, mostly overspread with red, faintly or indistinctly striped, finely blushed with carmine more or less diffused over the fruit. The surface is overspread with a very thin russet (Warder), with warm, rough russet at the apex (Downing). Coxe gives the general color as "a rich russet colour, blended with red."

Dots: Medium, prominent, brown (Warder); spots of russet (Coxe).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh rich yellow to yellowish, firm, juicy, rich, of "a very sprightly taste." Flavor acid, sprightly (Warder) to mild subacid (Downing). It is almost sweet when fully ripe (Downing), or, as Coxe has it, "rather tart" when first gathered but "becomes both sweet and tender by keeping." Quality very good (Warder, Downing); Coxe calls it "a good table apple."

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October to March. Ripens in October and keeps well into February and March; Downing begins the season in November.

Uses

Table apple; Coxe calls it "a good table apple" and says it "makes excellent cider."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.