Yahnke
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Yahnke
Origin/History
Yahnke originated as a root sprout from a tree killed in 1873, in the orchard of Frank Yahnke, Winona, Minnesota, and was at first called the Winter King. It was one of the candidates for the seedling winter apple prize offered by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. The fruit "has kept in an ordinary cellar through March."
Tree
The original tree is large, spreading, and productive. Budd & Hansen (1914) describe the tree as vigorous, spreading, and productive.
Fruit
Size and Form: Above medium to large, roundish, slightly conical, obscurely angular.
Skin: Surface smooth, clear rich yellow, mostly covered with fine dark crimson, with broad splashes and streaks of carmine, mixed and marbled, nearly solid on the sunny side. A handsome fruit; the broad irregular dark crimson or carmine streaks are characteristic. Dots numerous, very distinct, minute, yellow.
Cavity: Regular, acute, with a little stellate russet.
Stem: Medium.
Basin: Smooth, sometimes obscurely ribbed, very shallow, wide.
Calyx: Open; segments divergent.
Core and Seeds: Core open, barely clasping. Cells ovate, slit. Tube conical. Stamens median. Seeds few (Hansen 1902 notes "not many, long, plump, pointed, some imperfect"; Budd & Hansen 1914 describes them as "few, long, plump, pointed").
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, slightly stained pink next to the skin, juicy, rich, mild, saccharine, pleasant subacid. Quality: very good.
Season
Winter.
Uses
Storage: keeps in an ordinary cellar through March.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Yahnke—Originated as a root-sprout from a tree killed in 1873, in the orchard of Frank Yahnke, Winona, Minnesota. At first called the Winter King. The original tree is large, spreading and productive. One of the candidates for the seedling winter apple prize offered by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Fruit "has kept in an ordinary cellar through March."—Fruit above medium to large, roundish, slightly conical, obscurely angular; surface smooth, clear rich yellow, mostly covered with fine dark crimson, with broad splashes and streaks of carmine, mixed, marbled, nearly solid on sunny side, a handsome fruit, the broad irregular dark crimson or carmine streaks are characteristic; dots numerous, very distinct, minute, yellow; cavity regular, acute, with a little stellate russet; stem medium; basin smooth, sometimes obscurely ribbed, very shallow, wide; calyx open, segments divergent. Core open, barely clasping; cells ovate, slit; tube conical; stamens median; seeds not many, long, plump, pointed, some imperfect; flesh white, slightly stained pink next to the skin, juicy, rich, mild, saccharine pleasant subacid, very good. Winter.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Yahnke. — Originated as a root sprout, from a tree killed in 1873, with Frank Yahnke, Winona, Minnesota; tree vigorous, spreading, productive. One of the candidates for the seedling apple prize offered by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Fruit " has kept in an ordinary cellar through March."
Fruit above medium to large, roundish, slightly conical, obscurely angular; surface smooth, clear rich yellow, mostly covered with fine dark crimson, with broad splashes and streaks of carmine, mixed and marbled, nearly solid on sunny side, a handsome fruit, the broad irregular dark crimson or carmine streaks are characteristic; dots many, very distinct, minute, yellow; cavity regular, acute, with a little stellate russet; stem medium; basin smooth, sometimes obscurely ribbed, very shallow, wide; calyx open; segments divergent. Core open, barely clasping; cells ovate, slit; tube conical; stamens median; seeds few, long, plump, pointed; flesh white, slightly stained pink next to skin, juicy, rich, mild, saccharine, pleasant subacid, very good. Winter.