Doper botanists, help identify my mystery Apple tree

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Out in our hay fields, we have four old apple trees, and when I say old, we’re talking 120-150 years old, if not older

There are four trees, three Baldwin trees, one really sickly and in need of cloning, as the inner trunk is badly rotted, yet still producing apples, and two relatively healthy trees producing like mad (this season is a phenomenal Apple season in New England)

The fourth tree is amazing, very healthy, and absolutely packed with apples, to the point the branches are drooping under the weight

Apparently the tree is a Yellow Transparent Apple tree, however, based on the flavor description of YT, they are generally described as tart

The apples on this tree are amazingly sweet, an almost honey-like initial burst of sweetness, and a faintly strawberry/banana/blueberry mix of flavored, and this is from apples that aren’t fully ripe yet

The Apple is a light green, almost glowing, a faint yellowish wash, dark gray pores, a couple apples had the start of a faint rosy wash as well

Since they’re not completely ripe yet, the color isn’t final yet, but the flavor description is wrong for Yellow Transparent

The tree is in southern seacoastal York Maine, close to a salt marsh, and has been growing wild and un disturbed for at least 100+ years, you can’t get more organic and pesticide free than that

This is clearly some variety of heirloom Apple, and I’d love to figure out what it is

Here’s a video of the mystery Apple tree

2

We also have a small orchard Dad planted about 45 years ago close to the house

So all told, we have seven Apple trees, all organic, all treated with the high tech farming method known as “Benign Neglect”, no the apples aren’t “pretty”, but they are amazingly tasty, grocery store apples are bland mush by comparison

We have;
Cortland
McIntosh
Red Delicious
Baldwin (3)
And the Mystery Tree

3

Looks and sounds like French Golden Delicious.

4

Hmmm, going by your username and your predicament, could it be a LISA tree?

5

I could not help myself; I just had to stop in here and tell you that, that is a beautiful magnificent stately apple tree, and I really envy you.:slight_smile:

6

Honestly, Unless it’s a common variety, given the age, I’d be surprised if anyone could identify it, at least short of a local expert that’s examined it closely and tastes it. There are literally thousands of named apple varieties and many many more unnamed. Some are only represented by single trees.
That said, have you tried this?

Incidently, according to Wikipedia at least, your age estimate for the tree puts it as slightly older than the Golden Delicious variety.

7

Would you be willing to send a shipment to me in California for taste testing? I’d cover the expenses and any other reasonable charges. I must taste this mystery apple!

8

Once they ripen up, I’m sure I could spare some, it’s still a little early, the tree is a quick tractor ride into the field, or a nice leisurely walk with Cooper, my dog (as long as he doesn’t want to chase the white tailed deer…)

I’m also planning to clone / graft this tree, in fact, I’m contemplating a “Marshview Orchard Special” grafting (we have a salt marsh on the property, and informally refer to our land as Marshview Farm)

I’d clone off a dual-varietal tree, half Mystery Apple, half Baldwin Apple, and if I really wanted to go with a crazy clone, I’d do a Marshview Multiplex, one tree with Baldwin, Cortland, McIntosh, Red Delicious, and the Mystery Tree, a five-in-one tree

I’ll take a run down to the Mystery Tree after work tomorrow, get a couple good examples and post pics of them…

9

From your description of the flavour, I want to suggest that it may be the variety Pitmaston Pineapple.

The appearance in the video is not wholly inconsistent with this, except for the heavy crop, which is not normal for that variety.

Is there evidence of a graft union on the trunk? If not, it may be a seedling of no particular named variety.

10

Definitely it’s grafting time. Do you have county extension agents out your way? Grafting is simple, but maybe s/he could identify it.

11

Okay, here are some facts to add to my research…

Our house is an old New England Colonial, and is at least 230 years old
The house stood for many years unoccupied and in disrepair
The original owners last name was Rogers, and they were the only previous owners
Mom and Dad bought the house around 50 years ago, and did major restorations to bring it back to modern standards, yet retain all of the colonial heritage
The Rogers family had a large orchard in the field, but the only remaining trees are the five there now

Given the age of the house, there is a very real possibility that the Mystery Apple could be a Newtown Pippin, one of the first varietals imported to America from England

Newtown Pippins were planted by Thomas Jefferson in Monticello, Va., and were a very popular variety at the time

There is a remote possibility that the Mystery Tree could be related to those first imports, and be a living piece of early American heritage… Pure speculation on my part, but if it’s true, that’d be amazingly cool!

12

I have no idea what the apple is, but I wanted to pipe in and say that I have major life envy. When I win the lotto, I hope to have a similar set-up. :wink:

13

Agree, call your local cooperative extension office. Contact Us - Cooperative Extension - University of Maine Cooperative Extension

14

Another interesting bit of trivia…

Newtown Pippin apples are still grown in New York, and the biggest consumer of this varietal is the Martenelli sparkling cider company, if you have tasted their cider, you’ve tasted a NP Apple

I’ll hit the grocery store tonight, pick up a bottle of Martinellis cider then grab a mystery Apple and compare them, I’m pretty sure the flavor is the same

15

oooo…so exciting! To eat a piece of American History!

16

Link to Photobucket page of the Mystery Tree

The last pic of the tree (which was the first taken…) had no sense of scale, so I parked my car under it, it’s a Volkswagen Rabbit (Mk. V Golf)

Yes, the tree is HUGE