September
Crab AppleSEPTEMBER
Origin/History
Originated with Peter M. Gideon of Excelsior, Minnesota, from seed of Cherry Crab. Stock of this variety was sent to the New York Station for testing in 1888. This variety is distinct from the September apple described by Downing.
Tree
Tree vigorous, with short, stout, crooked and twisted branches. Form rather flat, spreading, and open. Twigs moderately long, curved, and moderately stout with large terminal buds; internodes long. Bark clear brown, lightly mottled with scarf-skin and slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, round, and not raised. Buds prominent, large, long, plump, acute, free, and not pubescent.
A good grower, comes into bearing young, and yields full crops biennially.
Fruit
Size and Form. Medium to large for a crab, uniform in size but not in shape. Form roundish oblate to somewhat oblong, inclined to conic, frequently ribbed; sides usually unequal.
Stem. Usually long and slender.
Cavity. Somewhat obtuse, rather shallow to medium in depth, medium to broad, occasionally furrowed, sometimes russeted.
Calyx. Medium to rather large, closed or partly open.
Basin. Mammillate, very shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, slightly obtuse.
Skin. Thin, tender, smooth, pale yellow or greenish, striped with red; in well colored specimens becoming nearly covered with dark red and overspread with bluish bloom. Dots small, scattering, inconspicuous, gray or brownish.
Calyx Tube and Core Structure. Calyx tube rather short, medium in width, broadly funnel-form; pistil point persistent. Stamens median to nearly marginal. Core medium size, axile or slightly abaxile; cells closed or wide open; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish, elongated.
Seeds. Variable in shape, medium size, moderately wide, rather short, acute to broadly acute, rather light dull brown.
Flesh and Flavor. Flesh tinged with yellow, medium in grain, moderately tender, juicy, subacid, not astringent, with an agreeable crabapple flavor. Quality good to very good.
Season
September. Ripens a few days later than Transcendent.
Uses
Good quality for either dessert or culinary use.
References: Michigan Horticultural Society Report, 1888:319. Beach, New York Station Annual Report, 12:602, 1893.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)SEPTEMBER.
REFERENCES. 1. Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1888:319. 2. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:602. 1893.
SYNONYMS. None.
A very handsome fruit of good quality for either dessert or culinary use. It ripens a few days later than Transcendent.
The tree is a good grower, comes into bearing young and yields full crops biennially.
This is distinct from the September apple described by Downing.¹
Historical. Originated with Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn., from seed of Cherry Crab. In 1888 Mr. Gideon sent stock of this variety to this Station for testing.
TREE. Tree vigorous, with short, stout, crooked and twisted branches. Form rather flat, spreading, open. Twigs moderately long, curved, moderately stout with large terminal buds; internodes long. Bark clear brown, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds prominent, large, long, plump, acute, free, not pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit medium to large for a crab, uniform in size but not in shape. Form roundish oblate to somewhat oblong, inclined to conic, frequently ribbed; sides usually unequal. Stem usually long and slender. Cavity somewhat obtuse, rather shallow to medium in depth, medium to broad, occasionally furrowed, sometimes russeted. Calyx medium to rather large, closed or partly open. Basin mammillate, very shallow to moderately deep, medium in width, slightly obtuse. Skin thin, tender, smooth, pale yellow or greenish, striped with red, in well colored specimens becoming nearly covered with dark red, overspread with bluish bloom. Dots small, scattering, inconspicuous, gray or brownish. Calyx tube rather short, medium in width, broadly funnel-form; pistil point persistent. Stamens median to nearly marginal. Core medium size, axile or slightly abaxile; cells closed or wide open; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish, elongated. Seeds variable in shape, medium size, moderately wide, rather short, acute to broadly acute, rather light dull brown. Flesh tinged with yellow, medium in grain, moderately tender, juicy, subacid, not astringent but with an agreeable crabapple flavor, good to very good in quality. Season September.
¹ Downing, 1888:350.