Vineuse Rouge
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Vineuse Rouge
Origin/History
Origin Russia. As noted by Hansen (1902), the name "Vineuse Rouge" is evidently a misnomer, as it means "Red Wine Colored" — a description that does not match the fruit's actual appearance. The variety circulated in North American experiment stations under a large number of names; Hansen, fruiting it at the Iowa Experiment Station orchard, found Vineuse Rouge, Red Transparent, Count Orloff, Grand Sultan, Green Transparent, and Aromatic Spike No. 354 to be identical or very similar. Beach similarly notes that, as grown at the New York Station, Count Orloff, Grand Sultan, and Groskoe Selenka Grüner are identical or very similar, adding that none of them is very desirable.
Tree
Strong grower, round topped. A heavy annual bearer.
Fruit
Size and form: Medium to large. Round oblate conic, regular.
Stem: Short, stout, often clubbed.
Cavity: Narrow, abrupt, with an irregular patch of russet.
Calyx: Small, closed.
Basin: Small, shallow.
Skin: Surface greenish-yellow, rarely faintly splashed with red on the sunny side, overlaid with white bloom. Dots large, white, few.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, firm, juicy, fragrant, subacid. Good for table; very good for cooking.
Core and seeds: Core closed or nearly so, clasping. Tube long, funnel-shaped.
Season
Very early — approximately one week before Yellow Transparent. Perishable; should be picked early to prevent watercoring and rotting on the tree.
Uses
Good for table use. Very good for cooking.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The variety's numerous synonyms (Count Orloff, Grand Sultan, Green Transparent, Red Transparent, Groskoe Selenka Grüner, Aromatic Spike No. 354, and others) reflect its wide circulation in 19th-century North American experiment station trials under different names, with multiple observers independently concluding that several of these are identical or indistinguishable as fruited.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Possibly identical with: Orloff
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1886–1894) from Alabama
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886 — listed as Grand Sultan
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Grand Sultan
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)VINEUSE ROUGE.
REFERENCES. 1. Leroy, 1873:230. fig. 2. Ib., 1873:846. fig. 3. Hoskins, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1879:414. 4. Gibb, Ib., 1883:442. 5. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 3:20. 1884. 6. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1885:16. 7. Craig, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 12:102. 1886-87. 8. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:587. 1892. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. 10. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:600. 1893. 11. Ib., 13:581. 1894. 12. Dempsey, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 1:24. 1894. fig. 13. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:110. 1902.
SYNONYMS. Aromatic Spike No. 354 (13). COMPTE ORLOFF (1). COUNT ORLOFF (8). Count Orloff (13). De Revel (2). GRAND SULTAN (3, 7, 9, 10, 12). Grand Sultan (2). Green Transparent (13). GROSKOE SELENKA GRUNER (5, 11). ORLOFF (6). Orloff (4). Orlovskoe (6). ORLOWSKOE (4). Red Transparent (13). Revelstone Pippin (2). TRANSPARENTE JAUNE (2). Transparente Rouge (1). Transparente de Sainte-Leger (2). Transparente Verte (1). VINEUSE ROUGE (13). Vineuse Rouge (1).
Hansen gives the following description of this variety (13): “Origin, Russia; as fruited in the Iowa Experiment Station orchard, this variety and Red Transparent, Count Orloff, Grand Sultan, Green Transparent and Aromatic Spike No. 354 are identical or very similar. Tree a strong grower, round topped, a heavy annual bearer. Fruit medium to large, round oblate conic, regular; surface greenish-yellow, rarely faintly splashed with red on sunny side, overlaid with white bloom; dots large, white, few; cavity narrow, abrupt, with irregular patch of russet, stem short, stout, often clubbed; basin small, shallow; calyx, small, closed. Core closed or nearly so, clasping; tube long, funnel-shaped; flesh white, firm, juicy, fragrant, subacid, good for table, very good for cooking. Season very early, about one week before Yellow Transparent, but perishable and should be picked early to prevent watercoring and rotting on the tree. Evidently the name is a misnomer as it means Red Wine Colored.”
As grown at this Station Count Orloff, Grand Sultan and Groskoe Selenka Grüner are identical or very similar, and none of them is very desirable.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Vineuse Rouge—Origin, Russia; as fruited in the Iowa Experiment Station orchard, this variety and Red Transparent, Count Orloff, Grand Sultan, Green Transparent and Aromatic Spike No. 354 are identical or very similar. Tree a strong grower, round topped, a heavy annual bearer—Fruit medium to large, round oblate conic, regular; surface greenish yellow, rarely faintly splashed red on sunny side, overlaid with white bloom; dots large, white, few; cavity narrow, abrupt, with irregular patch of russet; stem short, stout, often clubbed; basin small, shallow; calyx small, closed. Core closed or nearly so, clasping; tube long, funnel-shaped; flesh white, firm, juicy, fragrant, subacid, good for table, very good for cooking. Season very early, about one week before Yellow Transparent, but perishable and should be picked early to prevent water-coring and rotting on the tree. Evidently the name is a misnomer as it means Red Wine Colored.