Strode's Birmingham
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Strode's Birmingham
Origin / History
Originated in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Reported as a desirable variety for market and general purposes in Pennsylvania (Beach, citing Pa. Sta. Hort. Assn. Rpt., 1886). As compared with standard varieties of its season, it does not appear to be worthy of the attention of New York fruit growers (Beach).
Tree
Vigorous, upright grower (Downing). The tree comes into bearing rather young and is productive, yielding moderate to good crops nearly annually (Beach). Downing rates it as very productive.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as rather below medium in size; Beach describes it as medium, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish conic or inclined to oblong (Beach), or oblong oval or conic (Downing); regular or faintly ribbed; sides unequal (Beach).
Stem: Long and slender (Beach).
Cavity: Acute to almost acuminate, usually rather deep, medium in width, symmetrical, russeted (Beach). Downing concurs it is deep and narrow.
Calyx: Medium to small, closed or partly open; lobes medium in length and width, acute, reflexed (Beach).
Basin: Shallow (both sources agree). Downing describes it as broad and corrugated; Beach describes it as narrow to medium in width, obtuse, furrowed and wrinkled. These accounts conflict on width.
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth (Beach). Color clear yellow or greenish, often with a faint blush and marked with russet flecks (Beach); Downing describes it simply as yellow. Dots scattering, very minute, submerged, inconspicuous, red or russet (Beach); Downing describes a few gray dots.
Calyx Tube and Stamens: Calyx tube short, wide, urn-shaped to broadly conical. Stamens nearly basal (Beach).
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellowish (Beach) or yellow (Downing), rather firm, fine, rather crisp, tender (Beach), moderately juicy (Downing) to juicy (Beach). Flavor brisk subacid, becoming mild and pleasant when fully mature (Beach); Downing concurs: subacid. Quality good to very good (both sources agree).
Core and Seeds: Core medium to small, axile; cells almost closed; core lines meeting. Carpels broadly ovate to oblong, narrowing toward either end, deeply emarginate. Seeds dark dull brown, medium to large, wide, plump, broadly acute, tufted (Beach).
Season
September (Downing). Beach gives the commercial limit as September, with home-use season extending through September and October; a few specimens may be kept until January.
Uses
Market and home use. Considered desirable for market and general purposes in Pennsylvania (Beach).
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)Strode's Birmingham.
Strode's.
Origin, Chester Co., Pa. A vigorous, upright grower, very productive.
Fruit rather below medium, oblong oval or conic, yellow, sprinkled with a few gray dots. Stalk slender, set in a deep, narrow cavity. Basin broad, shallow, corrugated. Flesh yellow, moderately juicy, subacid. Good to very good. September.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)STRODE BIRMINGHAM.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:193. 2. Warder, 1867:733. 3. Pa. Sta. Hort. Assn. Rpt., 1886:50. 4. Powell and Fulton, U. S. P. B. I. Bul. 48:57. 1903. 5. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:145. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Dumpling (3). STRODE (4, 5). Strade's (1). STROBE'S BIRMINGHAM (1, 2, 3). Strode's Birmingham (4, 5).
A medium-sized yellow apple of mild subacid flavor and good quality. Commercial limit September. For home use it is in season in September and October and a few specimens may be kept till January (5). It is reported as a desirable variety for market and general purposes in Pennsylvania (3). The tree comes into bearing rather young and is productive yielding moderate to good crops nearly annually. As compared with standard varieties of its season it does not appear to be worthy of the attention of New York fruit growers.
FRUIT.
Fruit of medium size; uniform in size and shape. Form roundish conic or inclined to oblong, regular or faintly ribbed; sides unequal. Stem long, slender. Cavity acute to almost acuminate, usually rather deep, medium in width, symmetrical, russeted. Calyx medium to small, closed or partly open; lobes medium in length and width, acute, reflexed. Basin shallow, narrow to medium in width, obtuse, furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin thin, tender, smooth, clear yellow or greenish, often with faint blush and marked with russet flecks. Dots scattering, very minute, submerged, inconspicuous, red or russet.
Calyx tube short, wide, urn-shape to broadly conical. Stamens nearly basal.
Core medium to small, axile; cells almost closed; core lines meeting. Carpels broadly ovate to oblong narrowing toward either end, deeply emarginate. Seeds dark dull brown, medium to large, wide, plump, broadly acute, tufted.
Flesh yellowish, rather firm, fine, rather crisp, tender, juicy, brisk subacid becoming mild and pleasant when fully mature, good to very good.
Season September to early winter.