Wismer
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Wismer
Origin / History
Of Canadian origin; introduced in 1897 by J. H. Wismer, Port Elgin, Ontario (Beach); Hedrick says it originated with Wismer in 1897. Noticed in 1897 under the name "Wismer's Dessert". In color said to resemble Esopus Spitzenburg (Beach, citing Rural N. Y.). Hedrick says it seems little grown in Canada or the East but is listed by several western nurserymen, and that 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. Beach: "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." Veitch calls it "a fine American fruit".
Tree
Large, vigorous, upright-spreading, round-topped, productive. Said to be very hardy, vigorous and productive (Beach). Veitch gives "excellent habit".
Fruit
Size: Medium to large; Veitch gives medium size.
Form: Oblong-conic, sometimes oblique, strongly ribbed.
Stem: Long, slender.
Cavity: Acute, deep, slightly russeted, sometimes furrowed.
Calyx: Small, closed; calyx tube long, wide, conical.
Basin: Rather deep, wide, abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth, waxen; pale yellow overspread with stripes and splashes of carmine. Beach describes it as yellow shaded and striped with bright red. Handsome in appearance (Hedrick).
Dots: Large, numerous, conspicuous, russet.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, rather dry; mild subacid, aromatic. Beach reports "excellent flavor" and an "exceedingly fine, tender texture". Hedrick rates it "good"; Veitch, "of good flavour".
Core and seeds: Core very large, open, abaxile; core lines clasping. Seeds medium, wide, obtuse.
Season
November to April (Hedrick). Veitch gives December.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 14 catalogs (1901–1918) from England, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918 — listed as Wismer Dessert
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish, Washington (on Yakima Indian Reservation) - [undated; companion to the 1912 "Sixth Edition" descriptive catalogue; same cover design and incorporated 1903 date; dated as c.1912] — listed as Wismer Dessert
View original book sources (3)
— 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.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)medium size, a fine American fruit of good flavour, excellent habit ... December