Arkansas Black
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Arkansas Black
Origin and History
The Arkansas Black originated in Benton County, Arkansas, and bore its first fruit about 1870. The first published description was given by Van Deman in 1886 (U.S. Agr. Rpt., 1885:268, with color plate and figure).
Arkansas Black is a distinct variety, entirely separate from the Arkansas (also called Mammoth Black Twig), with which it has sometimes been confused. The Arkansas belongs to the Winesap family; although both varieties originated in Arkansas, they differ in color and quality. The synonym "Arkansas Black Twig" is sometimes applied to this variety, and "Mammoth Black Twig" has also been used, though erroneously.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright spreading, rather open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish-brown, mottled with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to below medium, round. Buds large, broad, acute, appressed, pubescent. Leaves medium in size.
The tree is unproductive and not considered desirable for general planting, nor is it a heavy bearer.
Fruit
Size and Form: Fruit size varies by region. As grown in the Middle or Eastern states, medium or rather below medium, rarely large; as grown in the Pacific Northwest (Lowther), medium or above medium. Pretty uniform in size and shape. Form nearly round (Beach); Lowther adds slightly elongated.
Stem: Medium.
Cavity: Acute, rather small, sometimes lipped, not deep, partly russeted.
Calyx: Rather small, closed.
Basin: Obtuse, very shallow, slightly furrowed, faintly corrugated.
Skin: Smooth, somewhat waxy. Ground color yellow, covered with a lively red deepening on the exposed side to purplish-red or almost black. Dots small, inconspicuous. Prevailing effect bright, very dark red. Arkansas Black is considered the most deeply colored, most polished, and most beautiful of apples grown in this country.
Calyx tube: Conical, approaching funnel-form. Stamens marginal.
Core: Medium to small, abaxile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels concave, roundish, emarginate.
Seeds: Plump, rather short, obtuse, moderately dark brown.
Flesh and Flavor: Decidedly tinged with yellow, very firm, rather fine-grained, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly subacid. Beach rates it good to very good. Lowther notes that some consider it good to very good but qualifies this: in his observation it is not a good apple for dessert purposes, and its quality may be underappreciated because it is seldom offered for sale in its proper season (see below).
Season and Storage
The two sources disagree on season. Beach gives December to April or later, noting that in cold storage it keeps well through the storage season. Lowther takes a more restrictive view: in his observation the apple is never fit for use until April, and its proper season is April to May, not the full December–April window commonly cited. Both agree it is a late-keeping variety with superior keeping and shipping qualities.
Uses and Market
On account of its very dark red color, solid flesh, and superior keeping and shipping qualities, it is considered commercially desirable. It looks well on exhibition and commands good prices in market. It is valued primarily as a market and shipping apple rather than a dessert fruit.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 49 catalogs (1890–1936) from Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1896
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Hood River Valley Nursery Co. , Hood River , Oregon — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Ornamental & Fruit Nursery Company , Wapato, County of Yakima , Washington — 1915
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Holsinger Bros. Nurseries (Holsinger Brothers Nursery) , Rosedale , Kansas — 1916
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1936
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)ARKANSAS BLACK.
References. 1. Van Deman, U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1885:268. col. pl. & fig. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 3. Stinson, Ark. Sta. Bul., 43:103. 1896. 4. Ib. Bul., 49:7. 1898. 5. Ib. Bul., 60:126. 1899. 6. Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:51. 1902. 7. Budd-Hansen, 1903:40. 8. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:36. 1903. 9. Thomas, 1897:272. fig. Ib., 1903:322, 690, 708.
Synonyms. Arkansas Black Twig (9). Mammoth Black Twig (9) but erroneously.
The Arkansas Black is one of the most beautiful of apples. It is a good keeper and commands a good price in market. The color is a lively red deepening on the exposed side to purplish-red or nearly black. The tree is unproductive and not desirable for general planting.
Arkansas Black is distinct from the Arkansas or Mammoth Blacktwig.
Historical. According to Stinson (4) the Arkansas Black originated in Benton county, Arkansas, and bore its first fruit about 1870. The first description of it which I find, is that given by Van Deman (1) in 1886.
Tree.
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright spreading, rather open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish-brown, mottled with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to below medium, round. Buds large, broad, acute, appressed, pubescent. Leaves medium in size.
Fruit.
Fruit as grown here is medium or below, rarely large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form nearly round. Stem medium. Cavity acute, rather small, sometimes lipped, not deep, partly russeted. Calyx rather small, closed. Basin obtuse, very shallow, slightly furrowed, faintly corrugated.
Skin smooth, somewhat waxy; yellow covered with a lively red deepening to purplish-red or almost black on the exposed side. Dots small, inconspicuous. Prevailing effect bright very dark red.
Calyx tube conical, approaching funnel-form. Stamens marginal.
Core medium to small, abaxile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels concave, roundish, emarginate. Seeds plump, rather short, obtuse, moderately dark brown.
Flesh decidedly tinged with yellow, very firm, rather fine-grained, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
Season December to April or later. In cold storage (7) it keeps well through the storage season.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Arkansas Black
The Arkansas Black has sometimes been called the Arkansas, but the two varieties are unlike, and should not be identified with each other. The Arkansas belongs to the Winesap family. Both originated
Arkansas Black. Photo by Maxted.
in Arkansas, but they are differently colored and of different quality. The Arkansas Black is the most deeply colored, most polished and most beautiful of the apples grown in this country. On account of its dark red color, its solid flesh and superior keeping and shipping qualities, it is desirable. It looks well on exhibition, and sells for good prices; yet it is not a good apple for dessert purposes nor is it a heavy bearer.
It originated in Benton county, Arkansas, about 1870; the first description is given by Van Deman in 1886.
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright, spreading, rather open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish brown, mottled with scarf skin, pubescent. Fruit as grown in the Middle or Eastern states medium or rather below medium; but as grown in the Pacific Northwest, it is medium or above medium. Form nearly round, slightly elongated. Calyx tube conical, approaching funnel form. Stamens marginal.
Flesh decidedly tinged with yellow, very firm, rather fine grained, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly subacid, and by some considered good to very good. In this particular we would differ somewhat from these statements. We have already said 'it is not a good apple for dessert purposes.' Perhaps this may be a little overstated, inasmuch as the apple is so late in maturing that it is seldom offered for sale in its proper season. Its season is said to be "December to April," but our observation is that it is never fit for use until April, and that its proper season is April to May.