Vandevere

Origin & History

The Vandevere is an old American variety, native of Wilmington, Delaware. It took its name from a family there by name of Vandiver, which should by right be the name of the apple; but it has so long been known and grown under the spelling Vandevere that Downing deemed it best not to change it. There is much confusion existing respecting this apple and its sub-varieties (Downing).

Beach notes that the old variety commonly called Vandevere in New York is actually a distinct apple known to pomologists as Newtown Spitzenburg, which originated in Newtown, Long Island. The true Vandevere described here is quite distinct from that Newtown Spitzenburg. The true Vandevere is sometimes called the Vandevere of Delaware or the Vandevere of Pennsylvania. It has never been much cultivated in New York and by 1905 was seldom or never planted there (Beach).

Elliott similarly notes the confusion, directing readers to separate entries for Newtown Spitzenberg, Gray Vandervere, and Smokehouse for other synonyms formerly used in connection with this variety. Elliott states that the true Vandevere has never been grown to any extent east of Pennsylvania. Thomas identifies it as a Western variety from Delaware.

Tree

The tree is of medium size, with moderate horizontal or spreading growth, and moderately vigorous (Downing, Beach). Young shoots are smooth, dark grayish reddish brown, with bold, full, projecting, rounded conical buds (Downing). Elliott describes the young shoots as spotted.

Regarding productivity, Downing and Beach agree the tree is not very productive, while Elliott describes it as a free grower, productive, and early bearer — a notable conflict.

Elliott provides important cultural notes: grown on soils deficient in lime, like many Western bottoms and some prairie soils, the fruit has always more or less dry bitter rot, but when supplied with lime, the rot disappears, the fruit increases in size, and improves in quality. The tree needs good culture.

Downing notes a variant received from Virginia, the young wood of which is slender, with very small inconspicuous buds — in contrast to the bold buds of the typical form.

Fruit

Size: Medium (Downing, Beach). Elliott gives the range as medium to large. Thomas describes it as large. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture lists it as medium. Elliott notes that grown North, the fruit is smaller in size.

Form: Oblate (Downing). Round flattened, sometimes angular (Elliott). Oblate, remotely conic (Thomas). Flat (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture). Elliott notes that grown North, the fruit is much more conical than when grown South.

Skin: Waxen yellow, striped with red, and covered with numerous green dots (Downing). Marked with light red in indistinct streaks over a yellow background; well-colored specimens become deep red; dots numerous, green or light gray (Beach). Orange yellow, striped and stained with yellow red, with a few streaks of deeper red when grown exposed to the sun, dotted at intervals of a quarter to half-inch with large yellow russet specks; when grown North, these specks are more of gray and much smaller, and the fruit is often russeted about the stem; less highly colored when grown North than South (Elliott). Striped and blotched with light red on yellow (Thomas). Yellow with red (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture).

Stem: About an inch long, inserted in a deep cavity (Downing). Projecting about even with the surrounding surface (Elliott). Short, cavity large (Thomas).

Cavity: Deep (Downing). Deep, open, regular (Elliott). Large (Thomas).

Calyx: Small and closed, set in a round, moderate basin (Downing). With small segments (Elliott).

Basin: Round, moderate (Downing). Open, broad, sometimes with slight waves or furrows (Elliott).

Flesh: Yellowish, compact, but tender, with a fine, rich, subacid flavor (Downing). Yellowish, crisp and tender with a rich, sprightly, mild subacid flavor (Beach). Yellowish white, crisp, aromatic, tender, sprightly, mild sub-acid (Elliott). Greenish yellow, firm, crisp, brisk sub-acid (Thomas). Notable variations: Downing says "compact but tender" while Thomas says "firm, crisp" and Beach and Elliott both say "crisp and tender." Elliott alone notes the aromatic quality. Thomas alone describes the flavor as "brisk."

Core & Seeds: Core round, compact; seeds large, ovate pyriform (Elliott).

Quality: Good (Downing, Beach, Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture).

Season

October to January (Downing, Beach). December to February (Elliott). November and December (Thomas). Winter (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture).

Uses

Valuable for culinary purposes (Downing, Beach, Thomas). Elliott does not specify use but his detailed description implies a table and culinary apple. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture lists it for market use.

Subtypes & Variants

Downing notes there is much confusion respecting this apple and its sub-varieties, and that some names given as synonyms may in fact be distinct sub-varieties. He describes a variant received from Virginia with slender young wood and very small inconspicuous buds, contrasting with the typical form's bold, full, projecting buds.

Elliott observes significant regional variation: grown North, the fruit is smaller in size, much more conical in form, and less highly colored than when grown South, with the characteristic skin dots becoming more gray and much smaller rather than the large yellow russet specks seen on Southern-grown specimens.