Cultivar 317: Dawn

Dawn is a very early prairie apple crab. It is usually described as a Columbia x Melba introduction from the University of Saskatchewan and linked to Dr. C. F. Patterson at Saskatoon. Sources usually give 1959 as the introduction date, though one directory entry also gives 1944 with that later date. [S2] [S3] [S5] [S8]

The fruit is small to medium, about 4 to 4.5 cm across, and round conic. It has a light cream to yellow ground color with a light crimson wash, sometimes almost fully covered. The flesh is white to yellowish or creamy white. It is crisp and juicy at first, mildly acid or sub acid, and pleasant in flavor, though some notes say it softens quickly after ripening. [S1] [S2] [S5] [S6] [S8]

Dawn ripens very early, usually in late July or early August. One University of Saskatchewan source says it ripens about 10 days before Silvia. Sources praise it for fresh eating and kitchen use. It is described as good for eating, cooking, dessert, canning, fresh use, and processing. Storage is short. One table gives about 1 month, while another source says it stores very poorly. [S1] [S2] [S5] [S6] [S8]

The tree is vigorous, well branched, and productive, with reports of heavy annual crops. Its weak points are disease and winter structure. Multiple sources list Dawn as susceptible to fire blight, and older prairie notes report severe crotch injury in some winters. [S1] [S4] [S5] [S6] [S7]

Hardiness evidence is mixed in wording, but it points to a cultivar grown and recommended in prairie conditions. It was recommended for Saskatchewan and was even listed for less favorable prairie zones in one table. Another source describes it as hardy in zones 3B, 4, and 4A, but injured in parts of zones 5 and 6A in some years, while the compiled Dawn sheet also gives a stronger claim of zone 1 hardiness. [S2] [S5] [S6]

Some sources also give Dawn the synonym Early Redbird. A separate older prairie entry records another cultivar named Dawn, attributed to Saunders and described as prunifolia x Simbirsk #9. The name has been used for more than one apple and should be handled carefully in archive records. [S1] [S5]

Summary source basis

• S1: Edible Apples in Prairie Canada
• S2: Tree fruit production for the Prairie Provinces
• S3: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S4: HortFactsAppleCultivars CStushnoff 1985
• S5: Dawn
• S6: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S7: hortfacts stushnoff
• S8: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

This summary currently draws chiefly from Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, with 6 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Anote indicates another cultivar with the same name follows.”
— ^[1]

“Very early to ripen, in early August.”
— ^[1]

“Severe crotch injury occurs some winters.”
— ^[1]

“Hardiness noted as H3.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Listed as prunifolia x Simbirsk #9.
• Listed as Columbia x Melba.
• 'Columbia' x 'Melba'.
• Parentage: Columbia x Melba.
• Parentage given as Columbia x Melba.
• Parentage given as prunifolia x Simbirsk #9.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• Dawn (Columbia X Melba) Patterson 1944 (1959) Fruit 4.5cm, light crimson. Very early to ripen -- early August.Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, p25
• Dawn (Columbia X Melba) Patterson 1944 (1959) Fruit 4.5cm, light crimson. Very early to ripen -- early August.Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, p25
• A55-101 Dawn Columbia x Melba 1959 Very early (10 days earlier than Silvia), light crimsonUniversity of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p2
• Dawn (Columbia X Melba) Patterson 1944 (1959) Fruit 4.5cm, light crimson. Very early to ripen -- early August.Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, p25

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context