William Penn
AppleWilliam Penn
Origin/History
A native of Columbia, Pennsylvania.
Tree
Vigorous, upright spreading (Downing). Represented as being an abundant bearer (Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Sources disagree. Downing gives the fruit as medium; Elliott and Thomas describe it as rather large.
Form: Roundish oblate, inclining to conic (Downing; Elliott: slightly conical; Thomas: round oblate).
Stem: Short. Elliott adds: not very stout, sometimes fleshy.
Cavity: Rather deep, russeted (Elliott: open, rather deep, russeted; Downing: considerably russeted).
Calyx: Closed (Downing). Not described in Elliott or Thomas.
Basin: Sources disagree. Downing gives it as large, deep, and slightly corrugated. Elliott describes it as variable — sometimes wide and shallow, but usually narrow, rather deep, and furrowed.
Skin: Sources describe the coloring differently. Downing: yellow ground, shaded, splashed, striped, and mottled with bright red, with many light dots. Elliott: grayish, delicately mottled and striped with red on a greenish yellow ground, with numerous white specks, each centered with a minute russet dot. Thomas: grayish stripes on greenish-yellow.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish to greenish yellow (Downing: yellowish; Elliott: greenish yellow), crisp, juicy. Downing describes the flavor as a pleasant subacid, slightly aromatic. Elliott describes a delicious Spitzenburg aroma and rates the quality as "very good," if not "best." Thomas: juicy, rich, aromatic, very good.
Core/Seeds: Core small (Downing). Not described in other sources.
Season
December to March (Downing). Thomas gives February.
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Elliott's description is attributed to W. D. B.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)William Penn. From Columbia, Pa. Tree vigorous, upright spreading. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, inclining to conic, yellow, shaded, splashed, striped, and mottled with bright red, many light dots. Stalk very short. Cavity considerably russeted. Calyx closed. Basin large, deep, slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, pleasant subacid, slightly aromatic. Good to very good. Core small. December to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)William Penn.
A native of Columbia, Pennsylvania. Rather large, roundish oblate, slightly conical; color, grayish, delicately mottled, and striped with red on a greenish yellow ground, with numerous white specks, in the centre of which is a minute russet dot; stem, short, not very stout, sometimes fleshy, inserted in an open, rather deep, russeted cavity; basin, sometimes wide and shallow, usually narrow, rather deep and furrowed; flesh, greenish yellow, juicy, with a delicious Spitzenberg aroma; quality, "very good," if not "best:" represented as being an abundant bearer. (W. D. B.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)William Penn. Rather large, round oblate, grayish stripes on greenish-yellow; juicy, rich, aromatic, very good. February. Pa.