Waxen Apple

Apple

Waxen Apple

Origin/History

American in origin, supposed to be Virginia (Downing). Formerly much grown and esteemed in Virginia (Coxe, Elliott). At the Central Experimental Farm in Agassiz, BC, trees were planted in the spring of 1890. Elliott cautions that this variety must not be confounded with "Belmont," which is sometimes grown under the erroneous name of Waxen.

Tree

Thrifty (Downing); a vigorous grower and regular bearer (Central Experimental Farm). Young wood dark (Downing).

Fruit

Size and Form

Sources differ on size: Coxe describes it as a large apple, while Elliott calls it above medium and Downing and the Central Experimental Farm call it medium. Coxe describes the shape as flat, with a transverse shape rather elliptical, like the Pennock. Elliott describes it as oblate; Downing as roundish, slightly oblate; and the Central Experimental Farm as roundish, slightly conical.

Stem

Short (Coxe); slender (Elliott, Downing), set in a narrow, deep cavity (Elliott) — Downing simply describes the cavity as deep.

Cavity

Narrow and deep (Elliott); deep (Downing). Not specifically described by Coxe or the Central Experimental Farm.

Calyx

Closed (Elliott, Downing). Not described by Coxe or the Central Experimental Farm.

Basin

Eye deep (Coxe); basin shallow (Elliott, Downing). Not described by the Central Experimental Farm.

Skin

Yellow (Coxe, Central Experimental Farm) — pale yellow per Elliott and Downing — and oily (Elliott, Downing), sprinkled with a few dots (Elliott, Downing, Central Experimental Farm). Coxe notes the skin has much the appearance of a large Newton Pippin.

Flesh and Flavor

Rich, sprightly, juicy, firm, and yet breaking (Coxe); whitish yellow, crisp, tender, juicy, mild sub-acid (Elliott); whitish yellow, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, mild subacid (Downing); whitish, crisp, juicy, sprightly (Central Experimental Farm). Quality rated "good," or "very good" (Elliott); "Good" (Downing); "quality good" (Central Experimental Farm).

Core/Seeds

Core small (Elliott). Not described by other sources.

Season

Ripens in December and is much esteemed in Virginia (Coxe). November, December (Elliott, Downing). Season November (Central Experimental Farm).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 20 catalogs (1892–1920) from Oregon, Washington

Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
OSU Bulletin 81 — 1904
Henderson Luelling / Traveling Nursery (historical recall) , Oregon — 1904
Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920

View original book sources (4)

NO. 131. WAXEN APPLE.

Is a large, flat, yellow apple; its transverse shape rather eliptical, like the Pennock: the skin has much the appearance of a large Newton Pippin—the stem short; the eye deep; the flesh rich, sprightly, juicy, firm, and yet breaking—ripens in December; much esteemed in Virginia.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

Waxen.

American. Fruit, above medium, oblate, pale yellow, oily skin, sprinkled with a few dots; stem, slender ; cavity, narrow, deep; calyx, closed; basin, shallow; flesh, whitish yellow, crisp, tender juicy, mild sub-acid; core, small; "good," or "very good." November, December. Formerly much grown and esteemed in Virginia. This must not be confounded with "Belmont," which is sometimes grown under the erroneous name of Waxen.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Waxen.

Origin, supposed to be Virginia. Tree thrifty. Young wood dark.

Fruit medium, roundish, slightly oblate, pale yellow, oily, sprinkled with a few dots. Stalk slender, in a deep cavity. Calyx closed. Basin shallow. Flesh whitish yellow, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, mild subacid. Good. November, December.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous grower, and regular bearer. Fruit of medium size, roundish, slightly conical. Skin yellow, with a few dots. Flesh whitish, crisp, juicy, sprightly, quality good. Season November.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)