Sugar Loaf Pippin

Origin / History

Of foreign origin, probably Russian. Lindley says it "appears to be of Russian origin." Thomas alone calls it English.

Mr. Martin Miller Call, of the Taurida Garden, sent it to the Horticultural Society under the name Dolgoi Squoznoi. Lindley glosses this as two Russian words, dolgoi meaning long and squoznoi meaning transparent. Bunyard gives Dolgoi Squoznoi as the original name. The Chiswick Garden also received it from Mr. Dymond, nurseryman, of Exeter, under the name Sugar Loaf Pippin. The Horticultural Society's Catalogue of Fruits entered it under both names. Lindley considered it closely allied to a variety Mr. Dymond sold as Hutchins's Early Seedling, "if it be not the very same." Bunyard says it has been "known in England since the early part of last century."

Lindley ranked it "an excellent summer apple." At its season, he says, "there is scarcely any apple which possesses the same good qualities." Bunyard judged it "of no particular value, but very refreshing and sweet."

Tree

Tree of good growth and productive (Downing). Bunyard gives the growth as spreading and the tree as fertile. Downing says the fruit is very showy on the tree.

Wood reddish chestnut color, spotted with gray (Lindley).

Leaves ovate, acuminate, somewhat cordate at the base, doubly serrated, and slightly downy beneath. Petioles about half an inch long, tinged with purplish red at their base (Lindley).

Fruit

Size: Medium. Bunyard measures it 2¾ by 2¾. Elliott alone calls it large.

Form: Oblong conical, oblong, or ovate, generally tapering to the eye. Transverse outline "by no means angular" (Lindley). Bunyard calls it tall and nearly regular.

Stem: Lindley gives the stalk as about an inch long. Bunyard calls the stem rather short.

Cavity: Deep, regular, and even, without russet.

Calyx: Eye closed (Bunyard).

Basin: Deep and wide, the eye much hollowed. Slightly ribbed, with a few slight plaits (Lindley).

Skin: Smooth, very clear light yellow-green to clear pale yellow and pale whitish-yellow, with yellow on the sunny side. It becomes white when fully ripe: "as white as that of a Blanquet Pear" (Lindley), or nearly white on one side (Downing). Elliott alone gives the skin as dull greenish yellow, brownish in the sun.

Dots: A few greenish dots (Lindley).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white or whitish to greenish white. It is moderately juicy to very juicy. Lindley calls it firm and crisp and Downing calls it firm, but Bunyard calls it soft. Lindley says the flesh becomes soft and mealy after the fruit has been gathered a week or ten days.

Flavor subacid to sweet. Lindley gives "a most agreeable, lively, sweetish, subacid flavour." Downing calls it "very slightly acid." Bunyard calls it sweet and "very refreshing."

Lindley's verdict is "an excellent summer apple." Elliott and Downing rate it "good." Thomas calls it "poor."

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Summer, among the earliest apples. It ripens from the latter part of July (Downing) through August and into September (Elliott). Lindley gives about the beginning of August. It does not keep: a week or ten days after gathering, the flesh becomes soft and mealy (Lindley).

Uses

A summer apple. Bunyard classes it as culinary.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Lindley says it is very like the Siebenschlafer Apple of Christ in form and color, but that variety does not ripen till November.