[1] A russet type, its flesh is white, dry, and mealy, and it is good for baking, mashing, and french fries (chips).

[3][4] This variety is a mutation (or sport) of the cultivar 'Burbank's Seedling' that was selected by the plant breeder Luther Burbank in 1873.

The known lineage of Russet Burbank began in 1853 when Chauncey E. Goodrich imported the Rough Purple Chili from South America in an attempt to add diversity to American potato stocks which were susceptible to late blight.

Russet Burbank has been widely, but incorrectly, reported to have been selected in 1914 by the Colorado potato grower Lou D. Sweet.

[1] Restaurants such as McDonald's favor russet potatoes for their size, which produce long pieces suitable for french fries.

It is susceptible to fusarium dry rot (F. coeruleum), late blight (Phytophthora infestans), leaf roll, seed-piece decay, tuber net necrosis, verticillium wilt, PVX and PVY.