Medium-large, roundish-oblate, beautifully colored with swirls of orange, red, yellow and russet. Very sweet low-acid fruit suitable for cooking, cider, animal feed and fresh eating, if you don’t mind the lack of tartness.

Popular long ago in much of Maine where it was commonly known as Pumpkin Sweet. (Not to be confused with the solid red Pumpkin Sweet of Orland!) We’ve discovered old Pumpkin Russet trees in Penobscot, Kennebec and Waldo counties. We also heard stories of it in York County. First introduced to me by locally famous horticulturalist Roger Luce, who also introduced us to many of what became our favorite lilacs and crabapples.

Our scionwood this year comes from the Tower Hill Botanic Garden collection in Massachusetts. Late blooming. Z4. Maine Grown. (Semi-dwarf: 2½-5' bare-root trees)