Wismer
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Wismer
Origin/History
An apple of Canadian origin, introduced in 1897 by J. H. Wismer of Port Elgin, Ontario. Beach (1905) reports the variety without personal acquaintance, noting it had not been tested sufficiently in New York State to indicate whether it had value for that region. Hedrick (1922) observes it was little grown in Canada or the East by that date, though listed by several western nurserymen, and suggests it might well be tried in eastern apple-growing regions on account of its hardiness, productiveness, and the handsome appearance and good flavor of its fruit.
Tree
Large, vigorous, upright-spreading, round-topped, and productive (Hedrick). Beach additionally describes the tree as very hardy. No further description of bark, twigs, lenticels, buds, or leaves in either source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium to large, oblong-conic, sometimes oblique, strongly ribbed (Hedrick).
Stem: Long, slender (Hedrick).
Cavity: Acute, deep, slightly russeted, sometimes furrowed (Hedrick).
Calyx: Small, closed (Hedrick).
Basin: Rather deep, wide, abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled (Hedrick).
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth, waxen, pale yellow overspread with stripes and splashes of carmine (Hedrick). Both sources note the color resembles that of Esopus Spitzenburg. Beach describes the ground color as yellow, shaded and striped with bright red, which aligns with Hedrick's account.
Dots: Large, numerous, conspicuous, russet (Hedrick).
Flesh and Flavor: Yellow, firm, crisp, rather dry, mild subacid, aromatic; rated good (Hedrick). Beach describes the flesh as mild subacid with excellent flavor and exceedingly fine, tender texture — the characterization of texture as "exceedingly fine and tender" is in some tension with Hedrick's "firm, crisp, rather dry," and both accounts are reproduced here as the sources may reflect different specimens or growing conditions.
Core and Seeds: Core very large, open, abaxile; core-lines clasping. Calyx-tube long, wide, conical. Seeds medium, wide, obtuse (Hedrick).
Season
November to April (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WISMER.
REFERENCES. 1. Amer. Gard., 18:142. 1897. fig. 2. Can. Hort., 20:78. 1897. 3. Rural N. Y., 55:54. 1897. 4. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:341. 1905.
SYNONYMS. WISMER'S DESSERT (1, 2, 3). Wismer's Dessert (4). Wisner's Dessert (4).
This is an apple of Canadian origin introduced in 1897 by J. H. Wismer, Port Elgin, Ontario. In color it is said to resemble Esopus Spitzenburg (3). The tree is said to be very hardy, vigorous and productive and the fruit medium to large, yellow shaded and striped with bright red; the flesh mild subacid, of excellent flavor and exceedingly fine, tender texture. We are not acquainted with this apple. It has not yet been tested sufficiently in this state to indicate whether it has any value for this region.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)WISMER. Wismer's Dessert. This apple, of Canadian origin, seems to be little grown in Canada or the East, but is listed by several western nurserymen. According to all reports, it might well be tried out in eastern apple-growing regions, its merits being hardiness of tree, productiveness, and handsome appearance and good flavor of the fruit. In color of fruit, it is said to resemble Esopus Spitzenburg. The variety originated with J. H. Wismer, Port Elgin, Ontario, in 1897. Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, round-topped, productive. Fruit medium to large, oblong-conic, sometimes oblique, strongly ribbed; stem long, slender; cavity acute, deep, slightly russeted, sometimes furrowed; calyx small, closed; basin rather deep, wide, abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thin, tender, smooth, waxen, pale yellow overspread with stripes and splashes of carmine; dots large, numerous, conspicuous, russet; core very large, open, abaxile; core-lines clasping; calyx-tube long, wide, conical; seeds medium, wide, obtuse; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, rather dry, mild subacid, aromatic; good; November to April.