Summer King
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Summer King
Origin/History
An old variety supposed to have originated in North Carolina. It has been cultivated in Warren and Todd Counties, Kentucky, for many years, where it is highly prized as one of the best and handsomest apples of its season, and is popular in Kentucky (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Tree
Upright, moderate grower, and productive in alternate years (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Young shoots reddish brown, grayish (Downing). Stark Bros. describes it as an early bearer that is not excelled, and very productive.
Fruit
Size
Medium to large (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as medium. Lowther describes it as medium-sized. Stark Bros. describes it as large.
Form
Roundish oblate (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as oblate. Lowther describes the form as flat.
Stem
Short (Downing; Budd & Hansen, who refers to it as "stem"; Downing uses "stalk").
Cavity
Large, deep, russeted (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Calyx
Closed (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Basin
Medium, regular (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Skin
Yellowish green, striped with crimson, red and orange (Downing; Budd & Hansen, who calls it "surface"). Thomas describes it as yellow with a red blush. Lowther describes the skin as yellow-red. Stark Bros. notes that it is red and handsome of its season, with no superior in summer color.
Flesh/Flavor
Whitish, yellow, fine, brittle, juicy, with a mild agreeable subacid flavor (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Thomas and Lowther rate the quality as good.
Core/Seeds
Core small (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Seeds not described in source.
Season
August, September (Downing; Budd & Hansen). Lowther gives the season as summer. Stark Bros. describes it as one of the most valuable summer apples, with no superior in summer keeping, and notes it is a good shipper and good keeper.
Uses
Both kitchen and market (Lowther). Stark Bros. emphasizes its value as a summer market and shipping apple.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther's reporting station data: Northern Division — no reporting stations; Central Division — 2 reporting stations (also reported in another division); Southern Division — 1 reporting station (also reported in another division). Stark Bros. notation: "NCS".
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1896–1913) from Illinois, Missouri
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1896
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Summer King.
King. Puckett. Cheese. Puckett's Summer. Summer Cheese.
An old variety supposed to have originated in North Carolina, and has been cultivated in Warren and Todd Counties, Ky., for many years, where it is highly prized as one of their best and handsomest apples of its season. Tree upright, moderate grower, and productive alternate years; young shoots reddish brown, grayish.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate; skin yellowish green, striped with crimson, red and orange; stalk short; cavity large, deep, russeted; calyx closed; basin medium, regular; flesh whitish, yellow, fine, brittle, juicy, mild agreeable subacid flavor; core small. August, September.—(Western Gardener.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Summer King. Medium, oblate; yellow, red blush; good.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Summer King.—An old variety; supposed origin, North Carolina, popular in Kentucky; tree upright, moderate grower, productive alternate years.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate; surface yellowish green, striped with crimson, red and orange; cavity large, deep, russeted; stem short; basin medium, regular; calyx closed. Core small; flesh whitish, yellow, fine, brittle, juicy, mild agreeable subacid. August, September.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Summer King is a medium-sized apple of flat form with yellow-red skin. Quality is good. Use is both kitchen and market. Season is summer. Northern Division: no reporting stations. Central Division: 2 reporting stations (also reported in another division). Southern Division: 1 reporting station (also reported in another division).
— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)One of the most valuable summer apples. Large, red and handsome of its season. As an early bearer it is not excelled. Very productive. A good shipper and good keeper. Has no superior in summer keeping and color. NCS