White Spanish Reinette
Apple
Origin/History
A very celebrated old Spanish variety whose early history is quite lost. It is said to be the national apple of Spain under the name "Camussar," and has been known there from great antiquity. It has long been cultivated in Spain, France, and England. The date of its introduction to England is not known, but it was exhibited at the Horticultural Society by Mr. John Darby in 1829, from some very ancient trees then growing in Sussex. It is figured by Lindley, Pl. no. 110. It was early imported into the United States and is perhaps the parent of the Fall Pippin and Holland Pippin (Downing, Beach, Elliott). This variety belongs in the group with Fall Pippin and Holland Pippin, resembling Fall Pippin in the growth of the tree as well as in the color and character of the fruit, but is less regular in shape and keeps later; it is quite distinct from Fall Pippin (Beach, Downing). According to Lyon it is seldom seen under its own name (Beach). It appears to be but little cultivated in New York, having been superseded by other varieties (Beach). The general appreciation of this apple is shown by the wide extent of its growth and the great variety of its synonyms; "Its principal defect," says Dr. Lindley, "is its gigantic size" (Herefordshire Pomona).
Tree
The tree is healthy and vigorous in growth and an excellent bearer, with the same wood, foliage, and vigorous habit as the Fall Pippin. It does best in a dry, warm, and loamy soil, a characteristic which its Spanish origin at once suggests. It is better adapted for dwarf or espalier growth from the size and weight of the fruit (Herefordshire Pomona).
Fruit
Size: Very large. The Herefordshire Pomona gives dimensions of three inches and a half wide and three inches and three quarters high.
Form: Roundish oblate or inclined to oblong, angular on the sides, with broad ribs, uneven at the crown where it is nearly as broad as at the base. Thomas describes it as roundish, oblong, slightly conical, somewhat angular, ribbed. Elliott describes it as roundish oblong, sometimes ribbed.
Stem: Half an inch long (Herefordshire Pomona, Downing, Elliott); short (Beach, Thomas).
Cavity: Narrow, rather small, even and regular.
Calyx: Large and open.
Basin: Very deeply sunk, deep, broadly angular, irregular, oblique (Downing, Beach). The Herefordshire Pomona describes it as deep, angular, and irregular.
Skin: Smooth and unctuous to the touch (Herefordshire Pomona); smooth, waxy (Beach). Yellowish green in the shade, orange tinged with brownish red next the sun. Thomas describes the sun side as rich brownish red. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the dots as dark; Downing describes them as grayish. Beach mentions a brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek but does not mention dots.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the flavor as sugary, while Downing, Beach, Thomas, and Elliott all describe it as subacid — Downing and Thomas specifying rich subacid, Elliott specifying sharp subacid. Very good (Downing, Beach).
Core/Seeds: Calyx tube conical. Stamens marginal. Cells open, obovate (Beach). Not described in other sources.
Season
October to January or February (Beach). November to February (Elliott). In England, December to March or even April (Herefordshire Pomona); Hogg gives its season in England as December to April (Beach). Lyon gives its season in Michigan as October to January (Beach). The fruit keeps a month longer than the Fall Pippin (Downing).
Uses
An apple of first-rate quality, very good for either dessert or culinary purposes, but more especially valued for cooking (Herefordshire Pomona, Beach, Elliott).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- WHITE SPANISH REINETTE.
[Syn: Camussar; Reinette blanche d'Espagne; Reinette d'Espagne; Reinette tendre; Josephine; Belle Josephine; De Rattecm; Concombre ancien.]
The history of this valuable old variety is quite lost. It is said to be the national apple of Spain with the name "Camussar," and has been known there from great antiquity. The date of its introduction to England is not known, but it was exhibited at the Horticultural Society by Mr. John Darby in 1829, from some very ancient trees then growing in Sussex. It is figured by Lindley, Pl. no. 110.
Description.—Fruit: very large, three inches and a half wide, and three inches and three quarters high; oblato-oblong, angular on the sides and uneven at the crown, where it is nearly as broad as at the base. Skin: smooth and unctuous to the touch; yellowish green in the shade, but orange tinted with brownish red next the sun, and strewed with dark dots. Eye: large and open, set in a deep, angular and irregular basin. Stalk: half an inch long, inserted in a narrow and even cavity. Flesh: yellowish white, tender, juicy and sugary.
An apple of first rate quality suitable for dessert, but more especially for culinary purposes. It is in season from December to March or even April. The tree is healthy and vigorous in growth and an excellent bearer. It does best in a dry, warm and loamy soil, a characteristic which its name at once suggests. It is better adapted for dwarf, or espalier growth from the size and weight of the fruit. The general appreciation of this apple is shown by the wide extent of its growth and the great variety of its synonyms. "Its principal defect" says Dr. Lindley is its gigantic size.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)White Spanish Reinette. D'Espagne. Reinette Blanche d'Espagne. Fall Pippin, erroneously. Reinette d'Espagne. Large Fall Pippin. Camnesar. Cobbett's Fall Pippin. Elgin Pippin ?
A very celebrated old Spanish variety.
Fruit very large, roundish oblate, with broad ribs on its sides, terminating in an uneven crown, where it is nearly as broad as at the base. Calyx large, open, very deeply sunk in a broad-angled, oblique, irregular basin. Stalk half an inch long, set in a rather small, even cavity. Skin smooth, yellowish green on the shaded side, orange, tinged with brownish red next the sun, and sprinkled with grayish dots. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, rich subacid. Very good. The tree has the same wood, foliage, and vigorous habit as our Fall Pippin, and the fruit keeps a month longer. This is quite distinct from Fall Pippin.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)WHITE SPANISH REINETTE.
REFERENCES. 1. Pom. Mag., 5:No. 110. 1830. col. pl. 2. Floy-Lindley, 1833:61. 3. Downing, 1845:130. 4. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:88. 1851. 5. Elliott, 1854:162. 6. Downing, 1869:404. 7. Leroy, 1873:669. fig. 8. Thomas, 1875:231. 9. Hogg, 1884:190. 10. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:300.
SYNONYMS. American Fall Pippin (9). Belle Josephine (9). Blanche (7). Blanche d'Espagne (7). Camuesar (1, 6, 9). Camoisas du roi d'Espagne (7). Campise Blanche (7). Camoisce Blanche (7). Camuezas (7). Camusar (7). Cobbett's Fall (1) err. Cobbett's Fall Pippin (2, 3, 6, 7) err. Concombre Ancien (1, 2, 5, 7, 9). De Ratteau (1, 2, 5, 7, 9). D'Espagne (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7). Elgin Pippin? (6). Episcopate (7). Fall Pippin (1, 2, 3, 7, err. 6) err. Josephine (9). Large Fall (1). Large Fall Pippin (2, 3, 6, 7). Philadelphia Pippin (7). Reinette A Gobelet (7). Reinette Blanche (7). REINETTE BLANCHE D'ESPAGNE (3, 9). Reinette Blanche d'Espagne (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8). REINETTE D'ESPAGNE (7). Reinette d'Espagne (1, 6, 9). Reinette Tendre (7). Saint-Germain (7). WHITE SPANISH REINETTE (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10). White Spanish Reinette (3, 7, 9). York Pippin (7).
This variety belongs in the group with Fall Pippin and Holland Pippin. It resembles Fall Pippin in the growth of the tree as well as in the color and character of the fruit, but is less regular in shape and keeps later (3, 6). Season here October to January or February; Hogg gives its season in England as December to April (9). Lyon gives its season in Michigan as October to January (10).
Historical. This is an old European variety which has long been cultivated in Spain, France and England (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9). It was early imported into this country and is perhaps the parent of our Fall Pippin and Holland Pippin (6). According to Lyon (10) it is seldom seen under its own name. It appears to be but little cultivated in New York having been superseded by other varieties.
FRUIT. Fruit very large. Form roundish oblate or inclined to oblong, angular, uneven at the crown where it is nearly as broad as at the base (3, 6, 9). Stem short. Cavity narrow, rather small, regular. Calyx large, open. Basin deep, broadly angular, irregular, oblique. Skin smooth, waxy, yellowish-green, with orange tinge and brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek. Calyx tube conical. Stamens marginal. Cells open, obovate. Flesh yellowish-white, crisp, tender, juicy, subacid, very good for either dessert or culinary purposes. Season October to January or February.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)White Spanish Reinette.
Reinette Blanche d'Espagne, | D'Espagne, De Ratteau, | Concombre Ancien.
Foreign. Probably the parent of Fall Pippin, Fruit, large, roundish oblong, sometimes ribbed ; calyx, large, open ; basin, deep, irregular ; stem, half inch long; cavity, even: color, yellowish green; flesh, yellowish white, crisp, sharp sub-acid ; valued for cooking. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)White Spanish Reinette. (Reinette Blanche d'Espagne.) Very large, roundish, oblong, slightly conical, somewhat angular, ribbed; yellowish green in the shade, rich brownish red next the sun; stalk short, cavity small and even; calyx large, open; basin deep, angular; flesh yellowish white, crisp, flavor rich sub-acid. Growth of tree and fruit resemble that of Fall Pippin, but it keeps longer.