Summer Sweet Paradise
AppleSummer Sweet Paradise
Origin/History
Originated in Pennsylvania. Elliott specifies Columbia County, Pennsylvania as the place of origin. Thomas notes that this variety is totally distinct from the Dwarf Paradise used for stocks, which bears a small, poor, sweet, summer fruit — the name similarity being a source of potential confusion.
Tree
Very vigorous (Downing), an abundant and early bearer (Elliott). Habit spreading; all three sources agree on the spreading character of the shoots. Leaves sharply serrate (Thomas).
Fruit
Size and Form: Quite large to large. The form is described with some variation across sources: Downing characterizes it as round and regular, a little flattened at both ends; Elliott as roundish oblong, flattened at ends; Thomas as roundish, sometimes remotely oblong, and slightly flattened at the ends, regular. The consensus is a roundish form, occasionally tending toward oblong, with flattening at both poles.
Stem: Described variously. Elliott calls the stem short; Thomas describes it as rather thick and three-quarters of an inch long; Downing calls it strong. The cavity in which it is set is described by Downing as even and moderately deep, and by Elliott as deep and often russeted.
Cavity: Deep and often russeted (Elliott). Even, moderately deep (Downing).
Calyx: Coarse segments, partially closed (Elliott). Not described in other sources.
Basin: Deep (Elliott); large and distinct (Thomas). Not described in Downing.
Skin: Pale green, sometimes faintly tinged with yellow in the sun (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Downing and Elliott both note gray dots; Downing specifies them as numerous and large dark gray dots; Elliott additionally notes dark russet marblings alongside the gray dots, a detail not mentioned by Downing.
Flesh and Flavor: Tender, crisp (Downing, Elliott), very juicy (Downing, Elliott), sweet, rich, aromatic (Downing, Thomas). Elliott specifies the flesh color as yellowish white. Quality rated good to very good (Downing) and "very good" (Elliott).
Core and Seeds: Core small; seeds ovate and pointed (Elliott). Not described in other sources.
Season
Ripe in August and September (Downing); September (Elliott); ripens at the first of autumn (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Thomas explicitly distinguishes this variety from the Dwarf Paradise, a stock-rootstock apple that also bears a small, sweet summer fruit but is otherwise entirely unrelated despite the name similarity.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1864–1894) from Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Summer Sweet Paradise.
Originated in Pennsylvania. Tree very vigorous, spreading, productive.
Fruit quite large, round and regular in its form, a little flattened at both ends. Skin rather thick, pale green, sometimes faintly tinged with yellow in the sun, and very distinctly marked with numerous large dark gray dots. Stalk strong, and set in an even, moderately deep hollow. Flesh tender, crisp, very juicy, sweet, rich, aromatic. Good to very good. Ripe in August and September.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Summer Sweet Paradise.
From Columbia Co., Pa. Tree, abundant, early bearer, spreading shoots. Fruit, large, roundish oblong, flattened at ends ; pale green, yellow in sun, dark russet marblings and gray dots ; stem, short ; cavity, deep, oft russeted ; calyx, with coarse segments partially closed ; basin, deep ; core, small ; seeds, ovate pointed ; flesh, yellowish white, crisp, juicy, sweet ; "very good." September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Summer Sweet Paradise. Large, roundish, sometimes remotely oblong, and slightly flattened at the ends, regular; pale green; stalk rather thick, three-quarters of an inch long; basin large, distinct; flesh tender, sweet, rich, aromatic. Ripens first of autumn. Shoots spreading, leaves sharply serrate. Origin, Pennsylvania. This is totally distinct from the Dwarf Paradise, used for stocks, which bears a small, poor, sweet, summer fruit.