Whitney Russet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Whitney Russet
Origin / History
The two sources conflict on origin. Warder (1867) identifies the variety as of uncertain or accidental origin in the extensive nurseries and orchards of A. R. Whitney, of Franklin Grove, Lee County, Illinois, where Warder's specimens and trees were procured. Downing (1900) lists the origin as unknown, supposed Canadian.
Tree
Downing describes the tree as a vigorous grower and productive. Young shoots reddish brown, grayish. Not further described in Warder.
Fruit
Size: Warder gives medium or small; Downing gives small.
Form: Both sources agree on oblate. Warder further describes the fruit as roundish-oblate, truncated, and angular. Downing characterizes it as oblate, slightly inclining to conic.
Stem: Warder: medium to long, slender. Downing: long, often with bracts.
Cavity: Warder: acute, deep, wavy. Downing: large, deep.
Calyx / Eye: Both sources agree the calyx (eye) is closed. Warder describes the eye as medium.
Basin: Warder: abrupt, regular, green. Downing: slightly corrugated.
Skin: Surface smooth (Warder). Yellow, rather thinly russeted (Warder); yellow, mostly covered with thin light russet, sometimes a shade of crimson in the sun (Downing).
Dots: Minute, prominent (Warder). Not described in Downing.
Flesh / Flavor: Warder: flesh greenish-yellow, breaking, very fine-grained, juicy; flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich, spicy; quality best; especially a dessert apple. Downing: flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, rich, mild subacid; quality very good.
Core / Seeds: The sources conflict on core size: Warder gives medium, regular, heart-shaped, rarely open, meeting the eye; Downing gives small. Seeds very numerous, medium, plump (Warder only).
Season
December to February (Warder); December to April (Downing).
Uses
Especially a dessert apple (Warder).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Whitney Russet.
Of uncertain or accidental origin in the extensive nurseries and orchards of my friend A. R. Whitney, of Franklin Grove, Lee County, Illinois, where my specimens and trees were procured.
Fruit medium or small, roundish-oblate, truncated, angular; Surface smooth, yellow, rather thinly russeted; Dots minute, prominent.
Basin abrupt, regular, green; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity acute, deep, wavy; Stem medium to long, slender.
Core medium, regular, heart-shaped, rarely open, meeting the eye; Seeds very numerous, medium, plump; Flesh greenish-yellow, breaking, very fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich, spicy; Quality best; especially a dessert apple; Season, December to February.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Whitney Russet.
Origin unknown. Supposed Canadian. Tree a vigorous grower, productive. Young shoots reddish brown, grayish.
Fruit small, oblate, slightly inclining to conic, yellow, mostly covered with thin light russet, sometimes a shade of crimson in the sun. Stalk long, often with bracts. Cavity large, deep. Calyx closed. Basin slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, rich, mild subacid. Very good. Core small. December to April.