Yellow Siberian
Crab AppleYellow Siberian
Origin/History
Yellow Siberian is one of the two principal representatives of the pure Siberian Crab (Pyrus baccata), the other being Red Siberian (Budd-Hansen). It has been recognized in American pomological literature since at least 1826, when Buel referenced it in the New York Board of Agriculture Memoirs. Subsequent references include Kenrick (1832), Downing (1845), Cole (1849), Thomas (1849), Waring (1851), Barry (1851), Gregg (1857), Warder (1867), and Budd-Hansen (1903) (Beach). Budd and Hansen note that trees forty years old in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other parts of the Northwest demonstrate the hardiness of the pure Siberian Crab class.
Tree
Tree of medium size or below, a good grower, upright becoming roundish, and somewhat drooping; very hardy and healthy except that under certain circumstances it suffers from blight (Beach; Hedrick). Thomas describes it as a vigorous grower. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC, planting from Spring 1890, reported the tree as a moderate grower. It comes into bearing rather young and is a reliable cropper, yielding heavy to very heavy crops annually or nearly annually (Beach; Hedrick). The deciduous calyx segments are marked characteristics of the pure Siberian Crab class to which it belongs (Budd-Hansen).
Fruit
Size: Sources differ somewhat on size. Downing describes the fruit as "rather larger" than the common Siberian Crab. Beach describes it as "rather large" compared with Red Siberian, and Hedrick likewise notes the fruits are larger than those of Red Siberian. Thomas describes the fruit as medium. Budd-Hansen describe the fruit as small. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue reports the fruit as below medium size.
Form: Round (Thomas); roundish, flattened at ends, angular, irregular (Budd-Hansen).
Stem: Very long (Budd-Hansen).
Cavity: Regular, obtuse (Budd-Hansen).
Calyx: Closed (Budd-Hansen). The deciduous calyx segments are a marked characteristic of the pure Siberian Crab class (Budd-Hansen).
Basin: Flat, wrinkled (Budd-Hansen).
Skin: Surface smooth, a rich yellow (Budd-Hansen); a fine amber or golden yellow (Downing); golden yellow (Thomas); clear golden-yellow color (Beach; Hedrick). The Central Experimental Farm catalogue reports the skin as pale yellow, with a reddish blush.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellow, juicy, acid (Budd-Hansen).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September (Downing; Beach; Hedrick). Thomas describes it as early. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC, reports the season as November.
Uses
Grown principally for home use, but sometimes a portion of the fruit is disposed of in local markets (Beach). Both the Yellow Siberian and the Red Siberian are beautiful ornaments to the fruit garden in summer and autumn, and are equally esteemed for preserves and jellies (Downing; Budd-Hansen).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Yellow Siberian is similar to or almost identical with Red Siberian except in the color and size of the fruit (Beach; Hedrick); Downing likewise notes it scarcely differs from the common Siberian Crab except in the fruit.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1886–1911) from Alabama, California, England, Illinois, Missouri, Virginia
- W.R. Strong & Co. , Capital and Orange Hill Nurseries (Robert Williamson, prop.), Sacramento , California — 1886
- 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 Golden Beauty
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Golden Beauty
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Golden Beauty
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904 — listed as Golden Beauty
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as Siberian, yellow
View original book sources (6)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Amber Crab.
This scarcely differs from the common Siberian Crab except in its fruit, which is rather larger, and of a fine amber or golden yellow. Both this and the red are beautiful ornaments to the fruit garden in summer and autumn, and are equally esteemed for preserves and jellies. September.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Yellow Siberian Crab", pp. 452–452]
Yellow Siberian Crab.
Amber Crab.
This scarcely differs from the common Siberian Crab except in its fruit, which is rather larger, and of a fine amber or golden yellow. Both this and the red are beautiful ornaments to the fruit garden in summer and autumn, and are equally esteemed for preserves and jellies. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Yellow Siberian.* Medium, round, golden yellow. Vigorous grower. Early.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)YELLOW SIBERIAN.
References. 1. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:177. 2. Kenrick, 1832:58. 3. Downing, 1845:147. 4. Cole, 1849:137. 5. Thomas, 1849:158. 6. Waring, 1851:30. 7. Barry, 1851:287. 8. Gregg, 1857:62. 9. Warder, 1867:732. 10. Budd-Hansen, 1903:228.
Synonyms. Amber Crab (3). Golden Beauty. Siberian Crab (6). Yellow Siberian (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10).
This is sometimes called Golden Beauty. It is similar to Red Siberian except in the color and size of the fruit, it being rather large and of a clear golden-yellow color. Season September. Tree medium size or below, a good grower, upright becoming roundish, and somewhat drooping, very hardy and healthy except that under certain circumstances it suffers from blight. It comes into bearing rather young and is a reliable cropper, yielding heavy to very heavy crops annually or nearly annually. It is grown principally for home use but sometimes a portion of the fruit is disposed of in local markets.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Yellow Siberian. — The Red Siberian and Yellow Siberian are good representatives of the pure Siberian Crab (Pyrus baccata). The deciduous calyx segments are marked characteristics. Trees forty years old in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other parts of the Northwest demonstrate their hardiness.
Fruit small, roundish, flattened at ends, angular, irregular; surface smooth, a rich yellow; cavity regular, obtuse; stem very long; basin flat, wrinkled; calyx closed; flesh yellow, juicy, acid.
Downing wrote concerning the Yellow Siberian: "This scarcely differs from the common Siberian Crab except in its fruit, which is rather larger, and of a fine amber or golden yellow. Both this and the red are beautiful ornaments to the fruit garden in summer and autumn, and are equally esteemed for preserves and jellies. September."
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)YELLOW SIBERIAN.
Golden Beauty. Yellow Siberian is almost identical with Red Siberian, except in color and size of fruit. The fruits are larger than those of Red Siberian and of clear golden-yellow color. The trees come into bearing young and are reliable croppers, yielding very heavy crops annually or almost annually. The trees are very hardy but sometimes suffer from blight. The season is September.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a moderate grower. Fruit below medium size. Skin pale yellow, with a reddish blush. Season November.