Knobbed Russet
Also known as: Knobby Russet, Old Maid’s Winter, Winter Russet, Winter Apple
There’s only one way to adequately describe this apple – it’s just plain ugly! Often said to look more like a potato than an apple, Knobbed Russet originated in Sussex, England in 1819. It was preserved after WW II when the National Fruit Trials collections were first assembled in England. Described in Burford’s, Apples – A Catalog of International Varieties, as being green and yellow with occasional scarlet streaks on the sunny side. Its irregular, uneven surface is overlaid with rough gray and black russet and distinctive welts and knobs. The soft and sweet creamy flesh is fine-grained with a sweet flavor. Ripens in October.
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I’m getting up in years, and thinking of adding disease resistant apples to my orchard, that will survive, when I’m gone, ones that resist fire-blight, cedar apple rust … but most of all no summer rots. Jonagold is the best in my orchard for that. Have you any fabulous apples that don’t get summer rots? I’m hoping Knobbed Russet and Claygate Pearmain are resistant. (Ohio Valley humidity is wretched for summer rot.)
Helen
PS I’m planning to order scion wood from you soon. (Can’t order little trees. Deer eat them all. But I can top work useless old red delicious trees.)
2 PS I wonder if it is climate or different cultivars that make a single variety apple appear/taste completely different when they come from different sources. Indian Creek Farm sent me Yellow Newtown Pippins that had a good deal of pink on them and didn’t taste nearly as wonderful as my homely lopsided chartreuse ones.