Southern Porter
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Southern Porter
Origin/History
An old and valuable apple, which originated about ten miles east of Chesterville, South Carolina. One of the most popular apples of its locality and season.
Tree
Hardy, a strong grower; young wood hard and tough, habit rather spreading. Very productive in alternate years, with a moderate crop in the intervening year.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Downing describes the form as roundish conical, regular; Thomas describes it as ovate.
Stem: Short, small.
Cavity: Medium, deep.
Calyx: Open.
Basin: Large, slightly corrugated.
Skin: Bright golden yellow with a few gray dots.
Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, fine, half tender, juicy, rich mild subacid, slightly aromatic.
Core/Seeds: Core small.
Season
Ripens in September at the South. Downing notes it ripens near two months later than the Porter; Thomas gives the interval as several weeks after Porter, with September as the California ripening date.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Southern Porter.
Porter. Kidd. Jones. Fall. Hog Peru Long.
An old and valuable apple, which originated about ten miles east of Chesterville, South Carolina; tree hardy, a strong grower, young wood hard and tough, rather spreading; very productive alternate years, and a moderate crop the intervening one; one of the most popular apples of its locality and season, ripening near two months later than the Porter.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, regular; skin bright golden yellow and a few gray dots; stalk short, small; cavity medium, deep; calyx open; basin large, slightly corrugated; flesh whitish, fine, half tender, juicy, rich mild subacid, slightly aromatic; core small. September at the South.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Southern Porter. Medium, ovate, bright yellow, rich sub-acid. Ripens several weeks after Porter, or in September in California.