You are here: Wiki Home > Knowledge Bases > Fruit Facts > Pome Fruit > Apple > Apple Varieties > Birnapple
Fruit Fact: Birnapple, a variety of apples
Birnapple is an obscure apple out of Botner's collection. The word 'Birn' stands for pear in German, so this is most likely an apple that features either a pear shape or a pear flavor. See research notes below for possible matches.
Variety Background:
| Most Common Name: | Birnapple |
|---|---|
| Species: | malus domestica |
| Synonyms: | Unknown |
| Origin: | Unknown |
| Patents or Trademarks: | None |
Fruit:
Description: Unknown
Flavor and tasting notes: Unknown
Adaptation:
Unknown
Bloom Time Rating:
Growth Habit:
Unknown
Vigor:
Harvest, storage and consumption:
Unknown
Begin of Harvest:
End of Harvest:
Stores Until:
Usage:
Unknown
Eating: No
Cooking: No
Cider: No
Diseases:
Unknown
Scab Susceptibility:
Fire Blight Susceptibility:
Powdery Mildew Susceptibility:
Cedar Apple Rust Susceptibility:
Black Rot Susceptibility:
Phytopthera Rots Susceptibility:
Fly Speck Susceptibility:
Coddling Moth Susceptibility:
Nurseries that carry this variety:
Research notes
Research reveals the existence of only a handful of apples named "Birnapfel", i.e. pear apple:
1) The Minnesota horticulturist refers to a 'Summer Birn Apfel', described as: 'A white apple, rather small, very conic, with wrinkled skin. It seems not the same as Pear apple No. 267.' In addition, there are several 'pear apples' references.
2) there is a 'Birnapfel' in the Swiss gene bank obtained from Fructus. Genetic evaluations from Fructus have identified this apples as 'Mother'. See
Fructus Genetic Analysis Results
3) The German Wikipedia refers to two distinct 'Birnapfel': 'Rigaer Birnapfel' and 'Revalscher Birnapfel' written up in Engelbrecht Deutschlands Apfelsorten (1889), See [1]
4) Der sichere Führer in der Obstkunde auf botanisch-pomologischem Wege Refers to yet another 'Birnapfel' in Switzerland: Schweizerschlotterapfel, also known as Schweitzer Birnapfel, medium size, shiny yellow-green background with dark red stripes, odorless, skin greacy when fully ripe, doesn't tolerate any pruning.
5) Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society refers to a 'Revalische Birnapfel': (of Russian origin) medium, short conic, pale yellowish green, streaked with rosy red. Table apple, second quality, ripens beginning August.
Chances are that the apple in Botner's list is 1) ans 5), both seem to describe the same apple.
