Winter Sweet Paradise
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Winter Sweet Paradise
Origin / History
A native American apple originating in Pennsylvania, believed to have come from Lancaster County (Warder), and specifically credited to a Mr. Garber of Columbia, Pennsylvania (Hedrick; Elliott names "Columbia Co., Pa."). It was received by Downing some years prior to 1845 along with the Summer Sweet Paradise from Mr. Garber, who considered it a native fruit. Downing first described it in 1845. From Pennsylvania it was carried into Ohio and its cultivation was later extended into other portions of the Middle West (Beach). Thomas notes it "succeeds well at the West." Beach (1905) records that although it is an old variety, it was but little known in New York and was still propagated to a considerable extent by nurserymen. Hedrick (1922) notes that it is seldom found in orchards but is still offered by nurserymen, and expresses doubt as to whether it has characters sufficiently good to make its cultivation worthwhile. It originated, per Hedrick, nearly a century before his 1922 writing.
Tree
Hardy, upright, vigorous in growth, and productive, but not an early bearer (Downing; Beach; Hedrick). Young shoots reddish gray (Downing). It is described as a productive and excellent orchard fruit, always fair, and of fine appearance (Downing). Elliott also notes the tree is productive.
Fruit
Size: Large (Warder; Beach; Hedrick; Elliott; Lowther), or rather large (Downing; Thomas).
Form: Roundish oblate (Downing; Beach; Lowther; Hedrick); globular, often unequal (Warder); roundish flattened (Elliott); roundish (Thomas); regularly formed (Downing); round (Hedrick).
Stem / Stalk: Long and slender (Warder); short (Downing; Elliott; Thomas).
Cavity: Deep, acute, brown (Warder); round, often russeted (Downing); rather deep (Elliott).
Calyx / Eye: Small and closed (Warder; Downing); medium (Elliott); small (Thomas).
Basin: Abrupt, regular (Warder); rather deep, slightly corrugated (Downing); not deep (Elliott); small (Thomas).
Skin / Surface: Smooth, yellowish-white with scattered, minute dots (Warder); dull green when picked, with a brownish blush, becoming a little paler at maturity (Downing); dull green with a brownish-red blush (Beach); dull green with a pale brownish blush (Elliott); pale greenish yellow with a brown blush (Thomas); greenish yellow (Lowther); dull green with a reddish-brown blush (Hedrick).
Flesh / Flavor: White, tender, breaking, juicy; flavor very sweet; quality good (Warder). White, fine-grained, juicy, sweet, sprightly, and very good (Downing). Fine-grained, juicy, sweet (Beach; Hedrick). White, fine grained, juicy, sweet; "very good"; quality a little variable (Elliott). White, with a sweet, "very good" flavor (Thomas). Quality very good (Lowther).
Core / Seeds: Core large, wide, open, clasping; seeds plump and dark (Warder). Core rather small (Downing). Core medium; seeds ovate pyriform (Elliott).
Season
December to March (Warder); November to March (Downing; Elliott); early winter and midwinter (Beach; Hedrick); ripens through winter (Thomas); winter (Lowther).
Uses
Baking and stock (Warder); family use (Lowther). Described by Downing as a productive and excellent orchard fruit.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Warder includes Fig. 187.—PARADISE WINTER SWEET. Lowther's regional reporting figures: Northern Division reports 3* (cross-division reporting); Central Division reports 10* (cross-division reporting); Southern Division blank.
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) — listed as Winter S. Paradise
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1894–1918) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, Washington
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918 — listed as Paradise Winter Sweet
View original book sources (7)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Paradise Winter Sweet.
Origin believed to be similar to its predecessor—Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Fruit large, globular, often unequal; Surface smooth, yellowish-white; Dots scattered, minute. Basin abrupt, regular; Eye small, closed. Cavity deep, acute, brown; Stem long, slender. Core large, wide, open, clasping; Seeds plump and dark; Flesh white, tender, breaking, juicy; Flavor very sweet; Quality good; Use, baking and stock; Season, December to March.
Fig. 187.—PARADISE WINTER SWEET.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Winter Sweet Paradise.
Paradise Winter Sweet. Grandmother.
From Pennsylvania. The Winter Sweet Paradise is a productive and excellent orchard fruit, always fair, and of fine appearance. Tree hardy, upright, vigorous, not an early bearer. Young shoots reddish gray. Fruit rather large, regularly formed, roundish oblate. Color dull green when picked, with a brownish blush, becoming a little paler at maturity. Stalk short, set in a round cavity, often russeted. Calyx closed, small. Basin rather deep, slightly corrugated. Flesh white, fine-grained, juicy, sweet, sprightly, and very good. Core rather small. November to March.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WINTER SWEET PARADISE.
References. 1. Downing, 1845:124. 2. Cole, 1849:130. 3. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:85. 1851. 4. Elliott, 1854:150. fig. 5. Hooper, 1857:102. 6. Mag. Hort., 27:99. 1861. 7. Kirtland, Ib., 33:53. 1867. 8. Warder, 1867:737. 9. Fitz, 1872:143, 156. 10. Downing, 1872:10 index, app. 11. Thomas, 1875:212. 12. Barry, 1883:357. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:253. 14. Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:346. 1896.
Synonyms. Honey Sweet of some (4). Paradise Winter (8). Paradise Winter Sweet (4). White Robinson (14). Wine Sweet (10).
Fruit large, roundish oblate, dull green with brownish-red blush, fine-grained, juicy, sweet; in season during early winter and midwinter. Tree a vigorous, upright grower and productive, but it is not an early bearer (12).
Historical. In 1845 Downing made the following observation concerning this variety. "We received it some years ago along with the Summer Sweet Paradise from Mr. Garber of Columbia, Pa., and consider it a native fruit" (1). From Pennsylvania it was carried into Ohio and later its cultivation was extended into other portions of the Middle West. Although an old variety it is but little known in New York. It is still propagated to a considerable extent by nurserymen.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Winter S. Paradise: size large; form roundish (oblate); color greenish yellow; quality very good; use family; season winter; Northern Division reports 3* (cross-division reporting); Central Division reports 10* (cross-division reporting); Southern Division blank.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Paradise Winter Sweet.
Honey Sweet, of some.
From Columbia Co., Pa. Tree, productive. Fruit, large, roundish flattened; dull green, with a pale brownish blush; stem, short; cavity, rather deep; calyx, medium; basin, not deep; core, medium; seeds, ovate pyriform; flesh, white, fine grained, juicy, sweet; "very good." November to March. Quality a little variable.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Winter Sweet Paradise. Rather large, roundish; skin pale greenish yellow with a brown blush; stalk short; calyx and basin small; flesh white, with a sweet, "very good" flavor. Ripens through winter. Origin, Pennsylvania. Succeeds well at the West.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)WINTER SWEET PARADISE. Winter Paradise. Honey Sweet. Paradise Winter. Seldom found in orchards, this old variety is still offered by nurserymen. It is doubtful whether it has characters sufficiently good to make its cultivation worth while. It originated with a Mr. Garber, Columbia, Pennsylvania, nearly a century ago. The tree is described as vigorous, upright, very productive, but not an early bearer. The fruit is large, round, oblate, dull green with a reddish-brown blush. The flesh is fine-grained, juicy, and sweet. The season is early winter and midwinter.