Sweet Vandervere
Apple
Sweet Vandervere
Origin/History
Origin unknown. Warder (1867) describes it as "another western favorite with the admirers of sweet apples." Known also by the names Sweet Redstreak and Sweet Harvey in historical sources.
Tree
Sources give somewhat differing accounts of the tree. Warder describes it as sufficiently vigorous, healthy, and productive, with twigs slender, like those of the true Vanderveres. Downing and Elliott both describe the tree as of crooked growth and a profuse bearer.
Fruit
Size: Warder gives the size as good, from full medium to large. Downing and Elliott both describe the fruit as medium.
Form: Warder and Downing agree the fruit is oblate — Warder as regular oblate, resembling the Pennsylvania Vandervere; Downing as roundish oblate. Elliott, however, describes it as oblong, slightly conic, obscurely angular, and sometimes nearly cylindric — a substantially different characterization.
Stem: Warder describes the stem as long and slender. Downing and Elliott both describe it as short and rather slender.
Cavity: Downing and Elliott describe the cavity as large and irregular. Warder describes it as sometimes wide and regular, or acute.
Calyx/Eye: Warder describes the eye as small and closed. Downing and Elliott describe the calyx as partially closed.
Basin: Warder describes the basin as abrupt, wide, deep, and regular. Downing and Elliott describe it as broad and open.
Skin: Warder: very smooth, yellow, shaded with mixed red, and striped with dull or dark red. Downing: yellow, shaded and striped with dull red. Elliott: greenish yellow, shaded and striped with dull red. (Warder and Downing give the ground color as yellow; Elliott gives it as greenish yellow.)
Dots: Warder: yellow, scattered, indented. Not described in Downing or Elliott.
Flesh/Flavor: Sources diverge on texture. Warder describes the flesh as firm, breaking, and yellow, with a sweet, pleasant flavor. Downing describes it as tender, juicy, mild, sweet, and aromatic, rating it Good. Elliott describes it as tender, juicy, and almost melting, with an exceedingly saccharine, aromatic flavor.
Core/Seeds: Warder: core regular, heart-shaped, closed; seeds medium to long, angular. Not described in Downing or Elliott.
Season
Warder gives the season as December and January. Downing and Elliott both give November through March.
Uses
Warder notes the quality as not first rate, but valued for baking and for stock. Downing rates it Good with no further qualification.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Sweet Vandervere.
This is another western favorite with the admirers of sweet apples. Tree sufficiently vigorous, healthy, and productive; twigs slender, like those of the true Vanderveres.
Fruit of good size, from full medium to large, regular, oblate, and resembling the Pennsylvania Vandervere; surface very smooth, yellow, shaded with mixed red, and striped with dull or dark red; Dots yellow, scattered, indented.
Basin abrupt, wide, deep, regular; Eye small, closed. Cavity sometimes wide and regular, or acute; Stem long, slender.
Core regular, heart-shaped, closed; Seeds medium to long, angular; Flesh firm, breaking, yellow; Flavor sweet, pleasant; Quality not first rate, valued for baking and for stock; Season December and January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Sweet Vandervere. Sweet Redstreak. Sweet Harvey. Origin unknown. Tree of crooked growth, a profuse bearer. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, yellow, shaded and striped with dull red. Stalk short, rather slender, inserted in a large, irregular cavity. Calyx partially closed, set in a broad, open basin. Flesh tender, juicy, mild, sweet, aromatic. Good. November, March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Sweet Vandervere.
Sweet Redstreak, | Sweet Harvey.
Origin, unknown. Tree, of crooked growth ; a profuse bearer. Fruit, medium size, oblong, slightly conic, obscurely angular, sometimes nearly cylindric ; skin, greenish yellow, shaded and striped with dull red ; stalk, short, rather slender, inserted in a large, irregular cavity ; calyx, partially closed, set in a broad, open basin ; flesh, tender, juicy, almost melting, with an exceedingly saccharine, aromatic flavor. November, March. (Downing.)