Roxbury Russet
The Roxbury Russet is an apple cultivar. It is believed to be the oldest variety of apple bred in the United States, having first been discovered and named in the mid-17th century in the former Town of Roxbury, part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony southwest of (now part of) Boston.[1]
It is a greyish-green russet apple known for its good winter keeping qualities as well as its suitability for making cider and juice. It is not widely grown or commercially available due to general commercial disfavor for russet varieties; the dull and heavily marked face makes it hard to sell now.[1] The yellow-green flesh is firm and coarse-textured, crisp and tart, suited for eating fresh and cooking.[1] It is available in the 21st century from growers that specialize in heirloom plants. Ripens September to October.[2] It is available in autumn in farmer's markets in the Northeast. It contains 12.87% sugar that ferments to 6% alcohol in hard cider production.[3]
Grown in Roxbury, Massachusetts, by Joseph Warren, who died in 1755 of a broken neck after falling from a ladder while picking apples.[4][5] Stores well even without refrigeration; flavor improves in storage.[4]
Propagation wood was taken to Connecticut soon after 1649.[3]
Thomas Jefferson planted a number of 'Roxbury Russet' trees in Monticello's South Orchard in 1778.[6]
It propagates by grafting,[2] and is scab-resistant[7]
Current cultivation
Scionwood
- Maple Valley Orchards & Nursery, Wisconsin
- Trees of Antiquity, Paso Robles, CA
Fruit
The historic Shirley-Eustis House museum in Roxbury, Massachusetts, was planted in 1993 with five Roxbury Russet apple trees.[8]
- The Apple Farm—Bates & Schmitt, Philo, CA
- Black Diamond Farm, Trumansburg NY
- Foggy Ridge Cider, Dugspur, VA
- Greenmantle Nursery, Garberville CA
- Greenwood Farm, Northfield, MA
- Lamb Abbey Orchards, Maine—120 varieties of apple
- Liberty Farm, NJ
- McLeod Brothers Orchard, Milford, NH
- Meadowbrook Orchards, Sterling, MA
- Nashoba Winery, Bolton, MA
- Pavolka Fruit Farm, Michigan City, IN
- Shelburne Orchards, Shelburne, VT
- Steiner Flat Orchard, Douglas City, CA—Trinity Heritage Orchard Project, University of California Cooperative Extension
References
- ^ a b c "UMass Cold Spring Orchard". Coldspringorchard.com. http://www.coldspringorchard.com/page2.htm. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ a b "PlantFiles: Detailed information on Apple Malus 'Roxbury Russet'". Davesgarden.com. 2004-12-15. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/87425/. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ a b "Vintage Virginia Apples". Vintage Virginia Apples. 2006-10-07. http://www.vintagevirginiaapples.com/apples/roxbury.htm. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ a b "Hidden Hollow Orchard Apple Varieties - Roxbury Russet". Hiddenholloworchard.com. http://www.hiddenholloworchard.com/varieties/roxbury_russet.html. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Roxbury Russet". Siloamorchards.com. http://www.siloamorchards.com/roxbury_russet.htm. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Monticello Explorer: Roxbury Russet Apple (Malus cv)". Explorer.monticello.org. http://explorer.monticello.org/text/index.php?id=165&type=13. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Directory of apple varieties starting with R". Allaboutapples.com. http://www.allaboutapples.com/varieties/var_r3.htm#roxburyrusset. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ [1]