Cultivar 283: Fireside

Fireside is a large late keeping apple linked to the Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm. It was long valued in northern orchard regions for dessert quality, winter storage, and dependable crops. Prairie and nursery sources describe it as a high quality red apple from Minnesota under the selection number Minn. 993. [S1] [S3] [S4]

Sources place its introduction in 1943, but one prairie bulletin says it was released in 1927 as Minn. 993. [S1] [S3] A prairie directory gives its parentage as McIntosh x Longfield, while the 1946 prairie orchard bulletin says the parentage record was uncertain. [S1] [S3] Daniels Nursery described it as the latest, and by many accounts the best, of the all winter apples introduced by the Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm. It promoted Fireside as "The New Northern Delicious." [S4]

The fruit is described as large, about 7.5 cm across, roundish conic, and red. Sources range from dull red to bright medium red with darker striping. [S1] [S3] The prairie bulletin describes the flesh as yellowish, medium coarse, medium tender, and juicy, while another prairie source calls it sweet but rather tough and dry. [S1] [S3] Those same sources agree that it keeps a long time, with season or storage from November to April, and that it is useful for processing as well as fresh use. [S1] [S3] Daniels emphasized its rich sub acid flavor, almost sweet character, crisp firm juicy flesh, and all winter keeping quality. [S4]

The tree is described as vigorous, and the 1946 bulletin adds that it is round topped. [S3] [S4] Daniels called it highly productive and a regular annual bearer of large crops, and said the fruit clings well to the tree. [S4] A Daniels note also grouped Fireside with cultivars that would not blow off the tree at picking time. [S4] In prairie comparison, it was noted as less susceptible than Wealthy to fire blight. [S3]

Sources place Fireside clearly in northern growing regions, though not at the coldest edge. Daniels called it extremely hardy for such a high quality apple, but said it was dependable in all but the extreme northern part of Minnesota. [S4] Prairie records also show it was grown and evaluated at Morden, where trees reportedly thrived until some killing in the autumn freeze of 1942. [S3] Its appearance in prairie Canadian apple references and South Dakota nursery listings shows that it circulated widely across the northern plains. [S1] [S2] [S3]

Fireside is part of the Minnesota line of hardy winter apples bred to combine northern survival with true dessert quality. The numbered designation Minn. 993 preserves its breeding program identity, while the later name reflects its commercial life in prairie and upper Midwest orchards. [S3] [S4] Daniels treated it not as a novelty but as one of the essential northern apples, important enough to feature in its multi grafted orchard trees alongside other standard hardy cultivars. [S4]

Summary source basis

• S1: Edible Apples in Prairie Canada
• S2: Nursery Plants Available from South Dakota Nurseries
• S3: TreeFruitsGrownInPrairieOrchards WRLeslie 1946 HQ
• S4: Daniels planting guide, 1950

This summary currently draws chiefly from Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, with 3 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Associated with Excelsior (1943).”
— ^[2]

“Tested as Minn. #993 (1927).”
— ^[2]

“Listed under Apples in the page's 'List of Varieties Described.'”
— ^[4]

“Less susceptible than Wealthy to fire blight.”
— ^[4]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Parentage given as McIntosh X Longfield.
• Called a cross-bred apple with uncertain parentage record.
• Parentage is given as McIntosh x Longfield.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• We have used only the best varieties as Fireside, Minjon, Wealthy, Haralson, Dolgo, Daniels Red Duchess, McIntosh and Erickson.Daniels planting guide, 1950, p22
• We have used only the best varieties as Fireside, Minjon, Wealthy, Haralson, Dolgo, Daniels Red Duchess, McIntosh and Erickson.Daniels planting guide, 1950, p22
• Fireside, Haralson, Northwest Greening, Victory and Prairie Spy, for they won't blow off the tree at picking time.Daniels planting guide, 1950, p21
• Fireside (Minn. No. 993) The New "Northern Delicious"Daniels planting guide, 1950, p20

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context