Ford was of unknown origin until a 2005 pedigree study estimated that it was a seedling of
Tommy Atkins. The cultivar never gained popularity either as a commercial variety or a dooryard tree due to a high tendency of the fruit to split open while still on the tree, as well as lacking great eating quality. Ford trees are planted in the collections of the USDA's germplasm repository in
Miami, Florida, the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in
Homestead, Florida, and the Miami-Dade
Fruit and Spice Park, also in Homestead. == Description ==