Shiawassee
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
SHIAWASSEE
Origin and History
The original tree was planted as an ungrafted seedling in the orchard of Beebe Truesdell, in Vernon, Shiawassee county, Michigan, and came into bearing about 1850. The variety is often listed by nurserymen but is seldom planted in Michigan.
Tree
Uniform size, very hardy, vigorous, upright spreading, healthy and long-lived. Does not come into bearing very young. When mature, in some cases not a reliable cropper, but generally reported as yielding good to heavy crops biennially, or sometimes annually.
Fruit
Form and Size: Medium to nearly large, uniform in shape but not in size. Form oblate conic, pretty regular but sometimes elliptical.
Stem: Medium in length, slender to moderately thick.
Cavity: Acute, varying from nearly acuminate to somewhat obtuse, deep, broad, rather symmetrical, sometimes compressed, often with outspreading russet rays.
Calyx: Small to below medium, closed or slightly open; lobes rather short, moderately narrow.
Basin: Rather shallow to moderately deep, rather wide, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed.
Skin: Rather pale yellow, usually entirely overspread with attractive red, irregularly splashed and striped with carmine. Dots small to medium, grayish.
Calyx Tube: Medium size, moderately wide, conical to short funnel-shape. Stamens median to nearly basal.
Core: Below medium size, widely abaxile; cells symmetrical, usually open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels cordate to broadly ovate.
Seeds: Rather dark brown, medium size, rather narrow, plump, acute.
Flesh and Flavor: White, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid, aromatic, rather sprightly, good to very good. Flavor and aroma somewhat similar to that of McIntosh.
Appearance and Quality
Good size, quite attractive appearance, and pleasant dessert quality. Fair and uniform fruit that hangs pretty well to the tree. Probably McIntosh would be preferred to Shiawassee by most fruit growers.
Season and Storage
Ripens in October. Some portion of the fruit may be held till January.
Type
Of the Fameuse type.
Uses
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)SHIAWASSEE.
REFERENCES. 1. Lyon, Mag. Hort., 26:64. 1860. 2. Hovey, Ib., 27:67. 1861. fig. 3. Ib., 29:126. 1863. 4. Warder, 1867:459. fig. 5. Downing, 1869:351. 6. Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1872:459. fig. 7. Thomas, 1875:204. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1875:12. 9. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:220. 10. Barry, 1883:354. 11. Cook, Rural N. Y., 45:257. 1886. 12. Can. Hort., 11:43. 1888. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 14. Ib., Amer. Gard., 12:244. 1891. 15. Can. Hort., 15:117. 1892. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:249. 17. Miller, Rural N. Y., 53:278. 1894. 18. Hoskins, Amer. Gard., 15:299. 1894. 19. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1896:72. 20. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:341. 1896. 21. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 56:839. 1897. 22. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1899:77. 23. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 83:92. 1900. 24. Ib., Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:308. 1901. 25. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:41. 1901. 26. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:84, 90, 95. 1902. 27. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:46. 1903. 28. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:56. 1903. 29. Budd-Hansen, 1903:174. 30. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:144. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Michigan Beauty (5). SHIAWASSE (21). SHIAWASSE BEAUTY (1, 7, 8, 20). SHIAWASSEE (14, 26). SHIAWASSEE BEAUTY (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25). Shiawassee Beauty (27). Shiawassee Beauty (23, 24, 28, 29, 30). SHIAWASSIE BEAUTY (15).
Fruit of the Fameuse type, of good size, quite attractive appearance and pleasant dessert quality. It has a flavor and aroma somewhat similar to that of McIntosh. Probably McIntosh would be preferred to Shiawassee by most fruit growers. The fruit of Shiawassee is fair, uniform and hangs pretty well to the tree. It ripens in October, and some portion of the fruit may be held till January. The tree is of uniform size, very hardy, vigorous, upright spreading, healthy and long-lived. It does not come into bearing very young, and when mature in some cases it is not a reliable cropper, but it is generally reported as yielding good to heavy crops biennially, or sometimes annually.
Historical. The original tree was planted as an ungrafted seedling in the orchard of Beebe Truesdell, in Vernon, Shiawassee county, Mich., and came into bearing about 1850 (1). The variety is often listed by nurserymen but is seldom planted in this state.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to nearly large, uniform in shape but not in size. Form oblate conic, pretty regular but sometimes elliptical. Stem medium in length, slender to moderately thick. Cavity acute, varying from nearly acuminate to somewhat obtuse, deep, broad, rather symmetrical, sometimes compressed, often with outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to below medium, closed or slightly open; lobes rather short, moderately narrow. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, rather wide, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed. Skin rather pale yellow, usually entirely overspread with attractive red, irregularly splashed and striped with carmine. Dots small to medium, grayish. Calyx tube medium size, moderately wide, conical to short funnel-shape. Stamens median to nearly basal. Core below medium size, widely abaxile; cells symmetrical, usually open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels cordate to broadly ovate. Seeds rather dark brown, medium size, rather narrow, plump, acute. Flesh white, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid, aromatic, rather sprightly, good to very good. Season October to January.