Cultivar 368: Battleford

Battleford is a prairie apple from Russian seedling stock. It was found near North Battleford, Saskatchewan and was long treated as a standard hardy western apple. Sources describe it as medium to large, usually about 6 to 7.5 cm across, pale yellow to greenish yellow, with dull red striping, mottling, or wash, often with bloom. The flesh is white to greenish white or yellowish, somewhat coarse, crisp, rather dry, and subacid to slightly tart. It has fair to good dessert quality and consistent value for cooking. [S1] [S2] [S5] [S8] [S9]

Its origin is linked to Murray Somerville of North Battleford. Sources agree it came from Russian seedling material, but they differ on the date and path of introduction. Some place it with Somerville in 1934. Some say Boughen Nursery introduced it in 1934. Others list 1945 or say Lloyd released it in 1940 as Battleford No. 1. One source says it was one of three seedlings. [S1] [S2] [S3] [S5]

Battleford ripens from late August to mid September, depending on the source and region. It was used fresh and for cooking. Several sources call it fair to good for dessert or fresh eating. Others rate its eating quality lower and stress cooking and processing instead. Reports on storage also differ. Some sources call it fair or poor keeper, and one gives about four weeks. A later Manitoba guide says it stores well. [S2] [S5] [S6] [S7] [S8] [S9]

The tree is described as moderately vigorous to very hardy, upright, and round, but with narrow weak crotch angles and uneven crops. Sources call it only moderately productive or not reliably productive, and note that the fruit bruises from early summer hail. Disease comments vary in emphasis but point in the same direction. Saskatchewan ratings list Battleford as moderately resistant to fire blight, but older descriptive sources also call it subject or susceptible to fire blight, and one profile notes strong susceptibility to bud moth. [S1] [S5] [S6] [S7] [S8]

Its hardiness record is mixed. One profile lists Battleford as hardy to zone 2a. Saskatchewan tables rate it moderately hardy, and prairie recommendation tables include it for less favorable zones and for all Prairie provinces. But other sources say it lacks hardiness, was dropped from a recommended list for that reason, and should be planted only in sheltered sites, though still satisfactory in zone 3B and possibly in sheltered zone 4. Later northern Manitoba guidance lists it among zone 2 apples worth trying. Battleford remained important less because it was flawless than because it was an early prairie standard, useful for judging newer apples and notable enough that even critics still called it a good breeder. [S2] [S5] [S7] [S8] [S9]

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: Battleford
• S6: TreeFruitsGrownInPrairieOrchards WRLeslie 1946 HQ
• S7: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S8: hortfacts stushnoff

This summary currently draws chiefly from Battleford, with 8 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Battleford is described as of Russian origin.”
— ^[1]

“Hardiness/status code shown at right: ST.”
— ^[1]

“Flesh is white, coarse, crisp, and slightly tart.”
— ^[1]

“Moderate yield; not dependably productive.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• Battleford – green and red striped apple with green-yellow fruit that ripens mid to late August – good eaten fresh or cooked – stores wellFruit Crops for Northern Manitoba, p13
• Battleford – green and red striped apple with green-yellow fruit that ripens mid to late August – good eaten fresh or cooked – stores wellFruit Crops for Northern Manitoba, p13
• Battleford – green and red striped apple with green-yellow fruit that ripens mid to late August – good eaten fresh or cooked – stores wellFruit Crops for Northern Manitoba, p13
• Battleford – green and red striped apple with green-yellow fruit that ripens mid to late August – good eaten fresh or cooked – stores wellFruit Crops for Northern Manitoba, p13

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context