Wabash Red
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
WABASH RED
Origin/History
Received in 1892 and 1894 from Downing and Morris, Clinton, Indiana, for testing at the New York State Station. Originally known as Wabash Red Winter. Distinct from Wabash or Wabash Bellflower.
Tree
Tree vigorous, form upright to roundish, rather dense. Twigs short to above medium, straight or somewhat curved, stout with large terminal buds; internodes medium to short. Bark brownish-red mingled with olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels conspicuous, quite numerous, small to medium, roundish or a little elongated, slightly raised. Buds medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent. Good grower, not slow in coming into bearing, yields moderate to good crops nearly annually.
Fruit
Size and Form: Large to medium, quite uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate, a little inclined to conic, usually regular; sides sometimes unequal.
Stem: Short to above medium, rather thick.
Cavity: Small to medium, acuminate to nearly obtuse, moderately deep to deep, rather narrow to moderately broad, sometimes lipped, usually russeted with outspreading russet.
Calyx: Small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes sometimes separated at the base. Calyx tube cone-shaped to truncate funnel-form. Stamens median.
Basin: Medium size, usually shallow and obtuse but varying to moderately deep and somewhat abrupt, wide, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin: Moderately thick, tough, nearly smooth. Bright clear yellow, in highly colored specimens largely overspread with bright red or orange-red obscurely striped with darker red. Dots numerous, rather conspicuous, small to medium, whitish or pale yellow and russet. Prevailing effect red.
Flesh: Whitish slightly tinged with yellow, very firm, a little coarse, crisp, not tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid, pleasant, sprightly, good.
Core: Rather small, axile or nearly so; cells symmetrical, usually closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish, smooth or nearly so. Seeds compactly filling the cells, medium or above, rather wide, somewhat obtuse, tufted; often some are abortive.
Season
December to May.
Uses
Good dessert quality for a late-keeping apple. Rather too mild in flavor for most culinary uses. Retains texture and flavor well until very late in the season.
Other
As grown at the New York State Station, Wabash Red is a fairly attractive apple with bright color and smooth, uniform appearance. The fruit shows a tendency to be deficient in size. Sufficiently promising to be worthy of further testing.
Source: S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905), references: N.Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:223 (1892); 13:170 (1894).
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WABASH RED.
References. 1. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:223. 1892. 2. Ib., 13:170. 1894.
Synonym. Wabash Red Winter (2).
As grown at this Station, Wabash Red is a rather attractive apple of fairly good size, bright color, smooth and uniform appearance and good dessert quality for a late-keeping apple, but rather too mild in flavor for most culinary uses. It has the merit of retaining its texture and flavor well till very late in the season. As tested here the fruit shows a tendency to be deficient in size. The tree is a good grower, is not slow in coming into bearing and yields moderate to good crops nearly annually. It is sufficiently promising to be worthy of further testing.
This is distinct from Wabash or Wabash Bellflower.
Historical. Received in 1892 and 1894 from Downing and Morris, Clinton, Ind., for testing at this Station (1, 2).
TREE.
Tree vigorous. Form upright to roundish, rather dense. Twigs short to above medium, straight or somewhat curved, stout and with large terminal buds; internodes medium to short. Bark brownish-red mingled with olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels conspicuous, quite numerous, small to medium, roundish or a little elongated, slightly raised. Buds medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to medium, quite uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate, a little inclined to conic, usually regular; sides sometimes unequal. Stem short to above medium, rather thick. Cavity small to medium, acuminate to nearly obtuse, moderately deep to deep, rather narrow to moderately broad, sometimes lipped, usually russeted and with outspreading russet. Calyx small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes sometimes separated at the base. Basin medium size, usually shallow and obtuse but varying to moderately deep and somewhat abrupt, wide, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin moderately thick, tough, nearly smooth, bright clear yellow, in highly colored specimens largely overspread with bright red or orange-red obscurely striped with darker red. Dots numerous, rather conspicuous, small to medium, whitish or pale yellow and russet. Prevailing effect red.
Calyx tube cone-shape to truncate funnel-form. Stamens median.
Core rather small, axile or nearly so; cells symmetrical, usually closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish, smooth or nearly so. Seeds compactly filling the cells, medium or above, rather wide, somewhat obtuse, tufted; often some are abortive.
Flesh whitish slightly tinged with yellow, very firm, a little coarse, crisp, not tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid, pleasant, sprightly, good.
Season December to May.