Cultivar 6: Dolgo

Dolgo is a hardy crabapple of Russian seedling origin. It was introduced at the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in Brookings in 1917 from material brought from Russia in 1897. Sources describe it as a Siberian crab or baccata seedling. One later source suggests it may instead have been an open pollinated robusta seedling. Its long, bright red fruit gave it its name: "dolgo" is Russian for "long." [S1] [S2] [S5] [S6]

The cultivar was selected in N. E. Hansen's hardy fruit work for the northern plains and prairie region. Early accounts say it drew repeated attention at South Dakota State Fair exhibits because of its unusually long, conical fruit. Later prairie references show that it spread widely as a practical crabapple for cold districts. One Prairie Provinces guide recommended it for all zones. Another listed it for both favorable and less favorable prairie zones. It was also recommended across all three South Dakota home fruit zones as a jelly crab. [S1] [S4] [S5] [S8]

Dolgo bears small fruit, usually about 3 to 3.5 cm across, elongated to long conic or pointed. Descriptions of the color vary. Sources describe it as intensely bright red, bright red, or purple red with heavy blue bloom. Another prairie table describes pale yellow skin almost fully washed bright red. The flesh is described as yellow to creamy, crisp, juicy, and somewhat astringent or slightly acid. It is best known for jelly. Multiple sources call it excellent for jelly, with rich ruby red color and fine flavor. One early account also praises it for cider. It was not considered a good keeper. The season is usually given as late August to early September. [S1] [S2] [S5] [S7] [S9] [S10]

The tree is usually described as vigorous, upright to spreading, productive, and attractive enough for ornamental use. Hansen wrote that young nursery trees had wide forks and strongly shouldered limbs that resisted splitting. Prairie sources also note early and heavy bearing, regular value as a pollinator, and use as a rootstock as well as an ornamental planting. One source notes susceptibility to chlorosis. [S1] [S2] [S5] [S9]

Hardiness is one of Dolgo's defining traits. Prairie references call it very hardy or recommend it for the full prairie region, and Saskatchewan hardiness tables place it in the "Very Hardy" class. Some older South Dakota and Hansen era sources also praise it for freedom from fire blight. Later Saskatchewan tables rate it susceptible, and one Saskatchewan note reports moderate to severe injury in the two northern zones in one year. [S1] [S3] [S5] [S7] [S10] [S11]

In the broader archive, Dolgo belongs to the Siberian crabapple and prairie crabapple tradition rather than to standard dessert apples. It mattered not only as a fruiting crabapple but also as breeding and orchard material. Sources explicitly note its use as a rootstock and pollinator. Lineage links in the packet show that Dolgo was later used as a parent in other crosses, but those descendant records should not be read as Dolgo's own parentage. [S1] [S2] [S8]

Summary source basis

• S1: New Hardy Fruits for the Northwest
• S2: Edible Apples in Prairie Canada
• S3: South Dakota Fruit Garden
• S4: Nursery Plants Available from South Dakota Nurseries
• S5: Tree fruit production for the Prairie Provinces
• S6: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S7: HortFactsAppleCultivars CStushnoff 1985
• S8: Plant Introductions

This summary currently draws chiefly from New Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, with 13 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Dolgo was selected from one-year-old Pyrus baccata seedlings brought from Russia by the author in 1897.”
— ^[2]

“The name Dolgo is identified as the Russian word for "long," in recognition of the long conical, intensely bright red crabs.”
— ^[2]

“The Dolgo is said to be winning favor over a wide area for its freedom from fire-blight and for its early and heavy bearing.”
— ^[2]

“Listed in the table of contents under "IMPROVING THE SIBERIAN CRABAPPLE" with entry page 8.”
— ^[2]

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

• Mcintosh (lineage link)
• Haralson (lineage link)

Source-story quotations

• The best one was named Dolgo (the Russian word for "long"), so named in recognition of the long conical, intensely bright red crabs about which many inquired at the annual exhibits of this Department at the South Dakota State FairNew Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p9
• Always plant two different varieties (ex: Rescue and Dolgo) of crabapples because all apple species need cross-pollination to achieve good fruit production.Fruit Crops for Northern Manitoba, p11
• In the 1940 List of Fruits recommended for planting by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, the Dolgo crab is listed as a leading commercial variety for all parts of MinnesotaNew Hardy Fruits for the Northwest, p9
• We have used only the best varieties as Fireside, Minjon, Wealthy, Haralson, Dolgo, Daniels Red Duchess, McIntosh and Erickson.Daniels planting guide, 1950, p22

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context