Cultivar 316: Park

Park is an apple introduced by the University of Saskatchewan in 1960 from the cross Osman x Wealthy.[S2] [S4] It was listed as selection A58-302 and was named for J. E. Park.[S4] [S1]

University of Saskatchewan introduction records place Park in the 1959-1960 release group and describe it under Saskatoon field conditions without irrigation.[S4] Later prairie apple directories repeat the same parentage and 1960 date and tie it to Patterson's 1960 introduction record.[S1] [S2]

The fruit is medium sized, about 6 cm, or about 2 1/2 by 2 inches in the Saskatoon notes. It is oblate, with medium to bright red skin and conspicuous dots or lenticels.[S1] [S4] The flesh is described through quality notes rather than color. It is mildly acid, poor when first picked, but mellows later and becomes acceptable.[S1] [S4] One prairie index table lists it for fresh use.[S2]

Its season and keeping quality are less favorable. The University of Saskatchewan release note places it in mid September.[S4] A later prairie directory says it does not keep.[S1]

Hardiness is the main uncertainty in Park's value on the prairies. A Saskatchewan Hortfacts note says it apparently lacks sufficient hardiness.[S3] The cultivar was still introduced and described from Saskatoon, but the surviving packet does not give a stronger direct hardiness rating than that caution.[S3] [S4]

Park is a University of Saskatchewan apple from the Osman x Wealthy line and reflects prairie breeding efforts to combine established hardy material with better fruit quality.[S2] [S4] The surviving record suggests a respectable red fall apple with some eating quality after mellowing, but it was limited by poor keeping ability and questionable hardiness.[S1] [S3]

Summary source basis

• S1: Edible Apples in Prairie Canada
• S2: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S3: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S4: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

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

Featured source descriptions

“University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan.”
— ^[3]

“Named for J.E. Park.”
— ^[1]

“Table row 358 appears to describe Park as medium, green with red, for fresh use.”
— ^[3]

“Fruit has conspicuous lenticels.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Parentage is Osman x Wealthy.
• 'Osman' x 'Wealthy'.
• Parentage: Osman x Wealthy.
• Parentage given as Osman x Wealthy.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• A58-302 Park Osman x Wealthy 1960 Mid-Sept. oblate, med-red with conspicuous dotsUniversity of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p2
• A58-302 Park Osman x Wealthy 1960 Mid-Sept. oblate, med-red with conspicuous dotsUniversity of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p2
• A58-302 Park Osman x Wealthy 1960 Mid-Sept. oblate, med-red with conspicuous dotsUniversity of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p2
• A58-302 Park Osman x Wealthy 1960 Mid-Sept. oblate, med-red with conspicuous dotsUniversity of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p2

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context