I think you’re right. The Hollow Log that’s circulating I don’t think is Hollow Log at all. It looks very similar to Tarbutton. I tried to see if Horne Creek or Big Horse had a picture but no luck. Salt Spring seems to have the true Hollow Log. Much different large green apple. Thanks for pointing that out. There has been two apples circulating as Hollow Log for some time now. I always thought the striped one was it but after fruiting it last year it’s impossible. I got 3 trees I’ll probably remove. Yates is a better apple here for sure.
3 Likes
Horne Creek has no picture of Hollow Log. But reports in their description it is a large Yellow Apple.
1 Like
I agree, read the same thing. That is why I bought the apple tree. When I contacted Century Farm Orchards David said it is a small apple from what knew. So it was a huge disappointment for me when it started fruiting. So, next year I am taking that tree out and putting another apple variety in that would be a lot more useful.
Looked back in a few nursery sales catalog pre-1900 and they all say a large yellow apple too.
4 Likes
That is what I had read as well. Strange the differences we are seeing here.
That’s also where I sourced my Hollow log trees. I think Danny is right. Upon closer inspection I’m nearly certain it’s Tarbutton we’ve got.
1 Like
Thanks to everyone that has responded. Now I believe no it is a Tarbutton apple. WAY too small of an apple for anything useful, unfortunately.
Tarbuttons are small but usually very tasty. A good lunch box apple or something to shove in your pocket going hunting. A good cider and jelly apple as well.
2 Likes
I have a hollow log tree from David as well. No apples yet. As I recall, it was an early apple and I was hoping for some early harvest.
1 Like
Yes, Late June through August they say. I wanted to include it in my collection of “everbearing apple trees”; but now I wonder if I’d get true to type now.
It is an earlier apple. Very pretty apple and it is a tasty apple. JUST very, very small. I was shocked when they all are so small. I wish I could justify finding a good use for all the small apples. Just too small for my liking. Glad to find finally out this is normal size for this apple variety.
Too small to feed my horses, too small to give to smaller children. More like a bigger crab apple size.
1 Like
Not sure what is was with Georgia and very small tasty apples. Tarbutton and Yates are what I call “Applecrabs”. Terry Winter is medium to small as well. Hall and Little Benny are a lot like Terry Winter in great taste but small size. I am going to have them as kids apples along with Beachemwell and Vixen. Pionier might be my small mid-season apple; but I keep reading it grows a lot larger out of it’s Romanian home. 140 grams versus 200 here. There is also Georgia’s hapless old small “Bart”. But I’m going to pass on that one.
1 Like
I think they used these applecrabs for making hard cider.
1 Like
@Rosdonald @greyphase Any updates from either of you on Hollow Log this year? I’d love to hear how it does with disease resistance and eating quality. Thanks!
I commented last year that mine barely grew in 2024 from a fall 2023 planting. I pruned it back to a whip this past spring and it put out three scaffolds that are about 3 feet long this year. So it stays in until it fruits.
Now the only runt in the orchard is Ruby Limbertwig. It didn’t grow enough in 24 or 25 to not wonder what’s going on with roots.
Every description I see of Hollow Log (Hocking Hills, BHCF) says its a large apple but Century Farms photos above make it look like a crab. Anyone have any ideas about that?
@derekamills I am wondering if you can tell us more about this apple? Do you have any pictures or can you tell us its color etc?
1 Like
Historic Nursery Catalogs confirm it is a large Yellow Apple.
3 Likes
1927 Valdesian Nursery. Bostic, NC
4 Likes
I can attest that the Hollow Log that Century Farm sells is like a crabapple in size. I had read the same thing that it is a large early apple, exactly what I was looking for. However, in reality the apple is very small. It is early ripening tasty apple but very small in size. David Vernon confirmed that for me. I am not blaming David but I guess I should have confirmed the size of the apple first before I bought one. In fact I was going to take it out this year but the branching is very nice and the size of the tree on the M-111 is perfect enough to graft over that tree.
That is what I am planning on doing starting next spring. If not I will take it out.
The apples are tasty but too small for any other purpose for me to use. Except if you have a cider press to press the juice out of them. Once you peal them and core them there is hardly anything left. I would feed them to my horses I was afraid they would get them stuck in their throat. It is just the right size for that.
So definitely NOT a large apple. It is a nice reddish colored very small apple.
I am convinced Century has Tarbutton mislabeled as Hollow Log. Looks dead like it. Season is right to. Late Summer. Like late August, early September in the hills.
3 Likes