← All varieties

Summer Rambo

Apple

Summer Rambo

Origin / History

Summer Rambo is an old French apple. Beach reports it is said to have originated in France, and Hedrick states it probably originated there more than two centuries ago. It has been grown in America since 1800 (Hedrick), and was described by Coxe in 1817 and by Kenrick in 1832. Downing notes it was "pretty freely distributed many years since," and that the old trees everywhere prove hardy and profitable for early marketing. It was listed in the catalogue of the American Pomological Society under the name Rambour Franc from 1862 to 1871, and was still listed by nurserymen at the time of Beach's writing. Elliott (1865) simply identifies it as "Foreign."

At the time of Beach's account, it had not gained much recognition among New York fruit growers, being comparatively little known in that state but more often found in cultivation in Ohio and regions farther west. Hedrick, writing later, confirms it was by then to be found on this side of the Atlantic only in Ohio and states to the West. Beach observes that although it had long been tested in many parts of the United States its cultivation never became extensive, suggesting it has weaknesses not apparent to the casual observer, though he allows it may be worthy of further trial. The fine color and size combined with comparatively good quality recommend it for home use or local market.

Thomas (1903) notes that "Summer Rambo" is a corruption of "Summer Rambour" and cross-references the variety to Western Beauty.

Tree

Tree vigorous (Downing, Beach, Hedrick). Form upright spreading to roundish, open (Beach); upright-spreading, open (Hedrick); spreading, open round head (Downing). It comes into bearing young and bears quite regularly, yielding moderate to good crops (Beach).

Twigs: moderately long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium (Beach).

Bark: brown, tinged with green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent (Beach).

Lenticels: quite numerous, medium size, round, not raised (Beach).

Buds: medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent (Beach).

Fruit

Size: Above medium (Elliott); a little above medium size (Downing); large to very large, uniform in size and shape (Beach); large or very large, uniform in size and shape (Hedrick). Beach notes the variety is "very attractive in size, form and color."

Form: Roundish flattened (Elliott); flat, generally evenly formed, but occasionally a little irregular (Downing); oblate to roundish oblate, sometimes slightly ovate, sometimes faintly ribbed, pretty regular; sides often unequal (Beach); oblate or round-oblate, sometimes ovate, faintly ribbed, regular, sides often unequal (Hedrick).

Stem: Short to medium, rather thick (Beach); short, thick (Hedrick).

Cavity: Nearly acuminate, deep to medium in depth, rather broad, usually symmetrical, sometimes lipped, sometimes slightly russeted close to the stem (Beach); acuminate, deep, broad, usually symmetrical, sometimes lipped, sometimes russeted near the stem (Hedrick).

Calyx: Rather large, closed or sometimes slightly open; lobes medium to short, rather narrow, acute to obtuse (Beach); large, closed or sometimes open; lobes short, narrow, acute (Hedrick).

Basin: Deep to sometimes medium, wide to medium in width, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical (Beach); deep, wide, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical (Hedrick).

Skin: Greenish yellow, streaked with red (Elliott); pale greenish yellow, stained and streaked with red on the sunny side (Downing); large, oblate, yellowish-green considerably striped and splashed with mixed red (Beach summary). Per the detailed Beach and Hedrick descriptions: skin thick, tough, smooth, attractive clear bright yellow or greenish (Beach) / yellow or greenish (Hedrick); in well-colored specimens largely washed and mottled with lively pinkish-red (Beach) / with red (Hedrick), conspicuously marked with many broken stripes and splashes of bright carmine (Beach) / of carmine (Hedrick). Prevailing effect striped.

Dots: Numerous, usually small and submerged, but some are scattering, large, brown or russet (Beach; Hedrick echoes: numerous, usually small and submerged, with some large, brown or russet).

Calyx tube: Medium in length, rather wide (Beach) / wide (Hedrick), broadly conical.

Stamens: Median to marginal (Beach); median (Hedrick).

Core / Seeds: Core rather small (Beach) / small (Hedrick), axile; cells nearly closed (Beach) / closed (Hedrick); core lines meeting or slightly clasping (Beach) / core-lines meeting (Hedrick). Carpels roundish to roundish ovate approaching elliptical (Beach); round-ovate (Hedrick). Seeds frequently abortive, rather large (Beach) / large (Hedrick), wide, plump, acute, moderately dark brown (Beach) / dark brown (Hedrick).

Flesh / Flavor: Apt to be mealy (Elliott). Rather soft, sprightly subacid; good (Downing). Yellowish-green (Beach) / yellow (Hedrick), firm, breaking, coarse, tender, very juicy, mildly subacid, somewhat aromatic; good (Beach) / good (Hedrick). Beach's summary describes the quality as "good to very good."

Season

August (Elliott). Ripens early in September (Downing). Season September to November (Beach; Hedrick). Season early autumn; begins to ripen about a month earlier than Grosh (Beach; Hedrick echoes the same comparison to Grosh).

Uses

Recommended for home use or local market on account of its fine color and size combined with comparatively good quality (Beach). Downing notes the old trees prove "profitable for early marketing."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Beach characterizes Summer Rambo as being "of the type of Grosh; very attractive in size, form and color," distinguished principally by ripening about a month earlier than Grosh. Hedrick repeats this typing: "of the type of the better-known Grosh, differing chiefly in ripening its crop about a month earlier."

Book Sources

Described in 5 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 4 catalogs (1900–1913) from Arkansas, Illinois

View original book sources (5)

Summer Rambour. Summer Rambo, | Rambour Franc, | Rambour d'Ete. Foreign. Above medium, greenish yellow, streaked with red, roundish flattened, apt to be mealy. August.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Summer Rambo. Rambour Franc. Rambour Gros. Frank Rambour. Summer Rambour. Rambour d'Ete.

This is an old French Apple which was pretty freely distributed many years since, and the old trees of which everywhere prove hardy and profitable for early marketing. Tree vigorous, spreading, open round head.

Fruit a little above medium size, flat, generally evenly formed, but occasionally a little irregular, pale greenish yellow, stained and streaked with red on the sunny side. Flesh rather soft, sprightly subacid. Good. Ripens early in September.

A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Summer Rambo. (A corruption of Summer Rambour.) See Western Beauty.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

SUMMER RAMBO.

REFERENCES. 1. Switzer, 1725 (cited by 7). 2. Duhamel, 1:28. 1768. 3. Forsyth, 1803:49. 4. Coxe, 1817:104. fig. 5. Forsyth, 1824:123. 6. Kenrick, 1832:37. 7. Floy-Lindley, 1833:12. 8. Manning, 1838:47. 9. Downing, 1845:94. 10. Thomas, 1849:141. 11. Elliott, 1854:178. 12. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 13. Warder, 1867:733. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1871:10. 15. Leroy, 1873:598. fig. 16. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:76. 17. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:298. 18. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:250. 19. (?) Revue Horticole, 66:202. 1894. 20. Taylor, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1895:199. 21. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:337. 1896.

SYNONYMS. Cambour des Lorrains (15). Charmant Blanc (15). De Lorraine (15). De Rambourg (15). De Rambure (15). De Notre-Dame (15). FRANK RAMBOUR (1, 7). Frank Rambour (9). Grosh (16). Gros-Rambour d'Ete (15). Herbstbreitling (15). Lothringer Rambour d'Ete (15). Pomme de Notre-Dame (6). RAMBOUR (3). Rambour (15, 17). Rambour Blanc (15). (RAMBOUR D'AMERIQUE, 19)? RAMBOUR D'ETE (4, 8, 15). Rambour d'Ete (6, 9, 10, 11). RAMBOUR FRANC (2, 5, 6, 9, 12). Rambour Franc (4, 7, 10, 11, 15, 21). Rambourg Aigre (15). Rambour Gros (7, of the English 6). Rambour Raye (6, 15). Rambu (15). Remboure d'Ete (15). SUMMER RAMBO (13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21). Summer Rambo (11). SUMMER RAMBOUR (10, 11). Summer Rambour (4, 9).

Fruit of the type of Grosh; very attractive in size, form and color; large, oblate, yellowish-green considerably striped and splashed with mixed red, good to very good. Season early autumn. Begins to ripen about a month earlier than Grosh. The tree is a strong grower, comes into bearing young and bears quite regularly yielding moderate to good crops. Although it has long been known in cultivation in this country it has not gained much recognition among New York fruit growers. The fine color and size of this variety combined with its comparatively good quality recommend it for home use or local market. It is an old variety and has been tested in many parts of the United States but its cultivation has never become extensive. These facts would indicate that it has weaknesses not apparent to the casual observer. Possibly it is worthy of further trial in this state.

Historical. This variety is said to have originated in France (15). It has long been known in this country having been described by Coxe in 1817 and Kenrick in 1832 (4, 6). It was listed in the catalogue of the American Pomological Society under the name Rambour Franc from 1862 to 1871 (12, 14, 20). It is still listed by nurserymen (18). It is comparatively little known in New York state but is more often found in cultivation in Ohio and regions farther west.

TREE. Tree vigorous. Form upright spreading to roundish, open. Twigs moderately long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium. Bark brown, tinged with green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit large to very large, uniform in size and shape. Form oblate to roundish oblate, sometimes slightly ovate, sometimes faintly ribbed, pretty regular; sides often unequal. Stem short to medium, rather thick. Cavity nearly acuminate, deep to medium in depth, rather broad, usually symmetrical, sometimes lipped, sometimes slightly russeted close to the stem. Calyx rather large, closed or sometimes slightly open; lobes medium to short, rather narrow, acute to obtuse. Basin deep to sometimes medium, wide to medium in width, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical. Skin thick, tough, smooth, attractive clear bright yellow or greenish, in well colored specimens largely washed and mottled with lively pinkish-red, conspicuously marked with many broken stripes and splashes of bright carmine. Dots numerous, usually small and submerged, but some are scattering, large, brown or russet. Prevailing effect striped. Calyx tube medium in length, rather wide, broadly conical. Stamens median to marginal. Core rather small, axile; cells nearly closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish to roundish ovate approaching elliptical. Seeds frequently abortive, rather large, wide, plump, acute, moderately dark brown. Flesh yellowish-green, firm, breaking, coarse, tender, very juicy, mildly subacid, somewhat aromatic, good. Season September to November.

S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

SUMMER RAMBO. Rambour. Summer Rambour. This apple is of the type of the better-known Grosh, differing chiefly in ripening its crop about a month earlier. The variety probably originated in France more than two centuries ago, and has been grown in America since 1800. It is now to be found, on this side of the Atlantic, only in Ohio and states to the West.

Tree vigorous, upright-spreading, open. Fruit large or very large, uniform in size and shape, oblate or round-oblate, sometimes ovate, faintly ribbed, regular, sides often unequal; stem short, thick; cavity acuminate, deep, broad, usually symmetrical, sometimes lipped, sometimes russeted near the stem; calyx large, closed or sometimes open; lobes short, narrow, acute; basin deep, wide, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical; skin thick, tough, smooth, yellow or greenish, in well-colored specimens largely washed and mottled with red, conspicuously marked with many broken stripes and splashes of carmine; dots numerous, usually small and submerged, with some large, brown or russet; prevailing effect striped; calyx-tube medium in length, wide, broadly conical; stamens median; core small, axile; cells closed; core-lines meeting; carpels round-ovate; seeds frequently abortive, or large, wide, plump, acute, dark brown; flesh yellow, firm, breaking, coarse, tender, very juicy, mild subacid, somewhat aromatic; good; September to November.

U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
Cambour des Lorrains Charmant Blanc De Lorraine De Notre-Dame De Rambourg De Rambure Frank Rambour Gros-Rambour d'Ete Grosh Herbstbreitling Lothringer Rambour d'Ete No. 8. Rambour D'Ete Pomme de Notre-Dame Rambour Rambour Blanc Rambour Franc Rambour Gros Rambour Raye Rambour d'Amerique Rambour d'Ete Rambourg Aigre Rambu Remboure d'Ete Summer Rambour Western Beauty Western Beauty Western Beauty