Banks
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Banks
Origin / History
Banks is a bud sport of Gravenstein, first noticed and propagated by C. E. Banks, of Berwick, Kings County, Nova Scotia. Beach says it appears to have first come into bearing about 1880; Hedrick gives about 1880 for its first notice and propagation. In 1903 R. W. Starr, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, reported to the American Pomological Society: "A bud sport from Gravenstein, much the same in season and flavor, but bright red, less ribbed, more regular in shape, and generally a little smaller in size. First noticed and propagated by C. E. Banks, of Berwick, Kings Co., N. S. It is well liked and is being quite largely planted." In 1899 Sears remarked, "The Banks or Red Gravenstein is gaining in popularity because it combines with the superior quality of the ordinary Gravenstein the bright red color which people demand who judge the apple by its appearance alone." Hedrick calls it a bright red Gravenstein, differing in no other important particular than color. Beach finds it identical with Gravenstein except in the points of difference noted, and not yet planted to any considerable extent in New York.
Tree
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, open (Hedrick). Except in the points of difference noted, the tree appears identical with Gravenstein (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Large, uniform in size (Hedrick). Starr says generally a little smaller than Gravenstein.
Form: Oblate or round, somewhat irregular, broad at the base, angular; uniform in size but not in shape. Less ribbed and more regular in shape than Gravenstein (Starr).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Narrow to broad, irregularly russeted.
Calyx: Large, open or closed, with lobes large, long, very broad, acute; calyx tube large, conical; stamens median.
Basin: Irregular, wide, obtuse to abrupt, wrinkled.
Skin: Thin, tender, rough; greenish yellow or orange-yellow overlaid with broken stripes of light and dark red; prevailing effect yellow striped (Hedrick). Bright red, the character that distinguishes it from Gravenstein (Starr, Sears).
Dots: Few, small, light.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow, firm, fine, crisp, tender, juicy; sprightly subacid, aromatic. Much the same in flavor as Gravenstein (Starr). Sears says it combines the superior quality of the ordinary Gravenstein with the bright red color. Hedrick rates it very good to best.
Core and seeds: Core medium in size, strongly abaxile; cells open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels broad-ovate, emarginate; seeds large, long, plump, acute, brown.
Season
Late September to early November (Hedrick). Much the same in season as Gravenstein (Starr).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
A sport of Gravenstein?
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1906–1918) from Illinois, Missouri
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906 — listed as Banks Red Gravenstein
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910 — listed as Banks Red Gravenstein
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911 — listed as Banks Red Gravenstein
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912 — listed as Banks Red Gravenstein
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Banks Gravenstein
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918 — listed as Banks Red Gravenstein
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)BANKS.
REFERENCES. 1. Craig and Allen, Can. Hort., 16:420. 1893. fig. 2. Nova Scotia Fr. Gr. Assn. Rpt., 1894:81, 129. 3. Sears, Can. Hort., 22:476. 1899. 4. Caston, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 9:55. 1902. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1903:166.
SYNONYMS. BANKS (2, 3, 4, 5). BANKS GRAVENSTEIN (2). BANKS RED GRAVENSTEIN (1). Banks Red Gravenstein (4). Red Gravenstein (3).
In 1903 R. W. Starr, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, presented to the American Pomological Society the following report concerning this variety (5). "A bud sport from Gravenstein, much the same in season and flavor, but bright red, less ribbed, more regular in shape, and generally a little smaller in size. First noticed and propagated by C. E. Banks, of Berwick, Kings Co., N. S. It is well liked and is being quite largely planted."
It appears that this sport first came into bearing about 1880 (1). In 1899 Sears (3) remarked, "The Banks or Red Gravenstein is gaining in popularity because it combines with the superior quality of the ordinary Gravenstein the bright red color which people demand who judge the apple by its appearance alone."
Except in the points of difference above noted Banks appears to be identical with Gravenstein and the reader is referred to the description of that variety for a technical account of the tree and fruit. So far as we can learn this variety is not yet planted to any considerable extent in New York.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)BANKS. Banks Gravenstein. Banks is a bright red Gravenstein, differing in no other important particular than color. Some say that the apples are smaller, less ribbed, and more regular in shape. Banks is a bud-variation of Gravenstein, first noticed and propagated by C. E. Banks, Berwick, Kings County, Nova Scotia, about 1880. Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, open. Fruit large, uniform in size but not in shape, oblate or round, somewhat irregular, broad at the base, angular, narrow to broad, irregularly russeted; calyx large, open or closed, with lobes large, long, very broad, acute; basin irregular, wide, obtuse to abrupt, wrinkled; skin thin, tender, rough, greenish-yellow or orange-yellow overlaid with broken stripes of light and dark red; dots few, small, light; prevailing effect yellow striped; calyx tube large, conical; stamens median; core medium in size, strongly abaxile; cells open; core-lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels broad-ovate, emarginate; seeds large, long, plump, acute, brown; flesh yellow, firm, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, aromatic; very good to best; late September to early November.