Wellford's Yellow

Apple

Origin/History

Origin, Essex County, Virginia. Cultivated in Maryland and Virginia (Thomas, 1903).

Tree

A rapid grower and a great bearer.

Fruit

Size: Rather small.

Form: Roundish flattened. Thomas (1903) describes the form as "roundish oblate."

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Pale yellow, with faint red streaks on one side.

Flesh/Flavor: Yellow, fine-grained. Downing (1900) describes the flesh as "juicy, subacid, aromatic." Elliott (1865) describes it as "very juicy, with a rich aromatic flavor." Thomas (1903) describes it as "juicy, with a rich, aromatic flavor." Downing is the only source to note the subacid character; Elliott is the only source to specify "very juicy" rather than "juicy."

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

A long keeper. Keeps well until June, retaining its flavor (Elliott, 1865).

Uses

Not described in source.

Other

The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) lists Wellford's Yellow in a variety-characteristic table:

Wellford's Yellow............. rob | gy | G | m | W | . | 2*

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Wellford's Yellow.

Origin, Essex Co., Virginia. A rapid grower and a great bearer. Fruit rather small, roundish flattened, pale yellow, with faint red streaks on one side. Flesh yellow, fine-grained, juicy, subacid, aromatic. Keeps well until June.

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

Wellford's Yellow............. rob | gy | G | m | W | . | 2*

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Wellford's Yellow. Origin, Essex Co., Virginia. A rapid grower and a great bearer. Fruit, rather small, roundish flattened ; skin, pale yellow, with faint red streaks on one side ; flesh, yellow, fine-grained, very juicy, with a rich aromatic flavor. Keeps well until June, retaining its flavor.

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

Wellford's Yellow. Rather small, roundish oblate; faintly streaked with red on pale yellow; flesh yellow, fine-grained, juicy, with a rich, aromatic flavor. Rapid grower, great bearer, and long keeper. Cultivated in Maryland and Virginia.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)