Variety Library

Champlain

Sharp · 2 trees planted · confidence low

OriginUSA, northeastern US (Lake Champlain region); origin obscure, described in Beach, The Apples of New York (1905)
HarvestRipens in succession from late August into October; needs more than two pickings
Acidityhigh
Tanninlow
Vigorvigorous
Biennial tendencymoderate

A large greenish-yellow late-summer to fall apple with tender juicy flesh and brisk acidity, good for dessert and excellent for culinary use. The tree is a good grower, hardy, moderately long-lived, bears young and crops reliably. In a cider blend it would act as a sharp - high acid, negligible tannin - rather than as a purpose-bred cider variety.

Disease: Described as hardy and healthy; no specific susceptibilities recorded in any source consulted.

Discrepancies: Identity is the main problem: Beach records Champlain as of obscure origin and possibly identical to Sour Bough, Summer Pippin or Tart Bough, with synonyms Calkins' Pippin, Geneva Pearmain and Walworth - so the name may not map to a single cultivar. The two modern nursery descriptions both trace back to Beach rather than being independent, and it is absent from the WSU database, so there is no PNW trial data. Bearing: Beach says crops biennially or almost annually; recommended moderate as the midpoint.

Sources

  • cumminsnursery.com/buy-trees/product-detail.php?type=scion&i
  • archive.org/details/applesofnewyork01beacrich
  • waldenheightsnursery.com/product/champlain-apple/