In France the Lady apple is known as pomme d'Api, or Api. In America we usually call it the Lady apple. According to Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr., author of "Old Southern Apples," it is also known as Lady's Finger, and Wax apple.
It was first documented in 1628 during the French Renaissance. In France it was first grown in the garden of Louis XII. Later Louis XIV felt it was the only apple variety that was worth growing.
Lady apple was grown throughout Europe, and was later introduced to North America. It was of particular importance to European settlers in the Northwestern states. There it became a staple.
During Colonial times people considered Lady apple to be a special Christmas treat. This may have been because the apples ripen late in the season and store very well. They're usually available until March.
William Coxe, the famous American fruit expert, grew these. Apparently he really liked them a lot. His records indicate he had 31 trees of this variety in 1828.
He sold barrels of the apples in Philadelphia. He started his orchard in 1794 on his farm on the Delaware River. In 1828 his inventory shows he had 89 varieties and over a thousand trees.
Over the years so many people requested information from him about apples that he eventually published a book on the subject with his notes and observations on the varieties. It was illustrated with his life size drawings of the fruits.
Apparently Lady apple became naturalized in America. Calhoun quotes a source from 1867 indicating this was the case.
According to Calhoun, Lady apple was widely grown in the South. The fruits were exported from America to England after the Civil War where they brought a tremendous price.
Henry David Thoreau also grew this variety.
Lady apple trees are available from nurseries specializing in heirloom varieties. They require another variety for pollination.
The fruits ripen in late fall. In Michigan this occurs in mid to late October. Various orchards grow these, such as the Obstbaum Orchard in Michigan.
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