Benoni

Origin / History

Benoni is a native American variety that originated in Dedham, Massachusetts. Sources broadly agree on this origin but differ on the date: Hovey (1852) states it originated "upwards of twenty-five years ago" (i.e., c. 1825 or earlier), with the original tree still growing at the time of writing, and that it first came into bearing in 1831 or 1832. Beach (1905) notes the original tree was still standing as of 1848, and that the variety was introduced to notice by Mr. E. M. Richards shortly before 1832. Bunyard (1920) places the raising "about the middle of the eighteenth century" at Dedham, Mass. — this date is markedly earlier than other sources and may be a misstatement for the nineteenth century. Hedrick (1922) places the origin "sometime before 1832, when it was first described."

It was brought to the notice of cultivators by Mr. E. M. Richards of Dedham, "a zealous amateur, who has devoted much attention to apples, and introduced several varieties of merit" (Hovey). Richards gave a brief account of the apple in the Magazine of Horticulture for 1835 (vol. i. p. 343). Its merits soon became known and its cultivation gradually extended until it was found in many of the best collections of apples (Hovey). It was introduced to England about 1870 (Bunyard). It has been "highly esteemed throughout the country" and "generally listed by nurserymen throughout the middle and northern portions of the apple-growing regions of this continent" (Beach). By Hedrick's time (1922) it was "chiefly grown in Illinois, Missouri, and neighboring states." Elliott (1865) notes it "succeeds finely on the Western prairies," though Thomas (1903) cautions it "has not succeeded well in all localities."

Warder (1867) classifies it under Class III (Round Apples), Order II (Irregular), Section 2 (Sour), Sub-section 2 (Striped).

Tree

Sources broadly agree the tree is vigorous and productive, though they differ on size and habit. Hovey (1852) describes the tree as "moderately vigorous, with an erect and upright habit, the branches ascending at an acute angle with the main stem, and forming, when fully grown, a handsome round head," with a "peculiarly erect and handsome habit, — greatly resembling in this respect the Northern Spy, — and, if left to itself, forming a perfect pyramid, with its annual branches shooting up to the height of four or five feet." The foliage is of a deep green, and "a small tree, loaded with its bright red fruit, is, at all times, a fine object." Richards (via Hovey) states "it bears almost to a fault every second year." It comes into fruit rather earlier than most varieties — Hovey reports seeing young trees in nursery rows, "not more than six or eight feet high, bearing several of its handsome apples." As a dwarf on its own stock it is especially desirable; the trees branch low, and from their naturally compact form are easier kept within a convenient size than many other varieties.

Elliott (1865) calls the growth "vigorous, erect, good bearer." Warder (1867) describes it as "small, upright, close, productive, early bearer," with slender brown shoots and thin, long leaves. Downing (1900) describes "vigorous, upright, spreading habit; hardy and productive; light reddish brown." Thomas (1903) says "tree erect, good bearer." Beach (1905) describes the tree as "rather large, vigorous," with form "erect to somewhat roundish, dense"; it "comes into bearing moderately young and yields fair to good crops biennially." Budd-Hansen (1914) calls it "vigorous, upright, spreading, productive." Bunyard (1920) gives "growth, moderate, makes a roundish tree; moderately fertile." Hedrick (1922) summarizes "large, vigorous, erect or round-topped, dense" and notes the trees can be unproductive with biennial bearing. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (1900), at Agassiz BC (planted Spring 1894), records "a vigorous grower."

Wood (Hovey): Dull reddish chestnut, thickly dotted with round russet specks, moderately strong, and very short-jointed; ends of the annual shoots somewhat downy; old wood, dull olive brown.

Twigs (Beach): Moderately long, straight, slender; internodes medium.

Bark (Beach): Olive-green, shaded with light reddish-brown, lightly coated with scarf-skin, pubescent.

Lenticels (Beach): Scattering, medium, oblong, slightly raised.

Buds (Hovey): Small, short, broad, flattened, with rather prominent shoulders, somewhat woolly; flower-buds, medium size. Beach: deeply set in bark, medium size, plump, obtuse, appressed, slightly pubescent.

Leaves (Hovey): Medium size, oblong-oval, largest in the middle, narrowing to the base, terminating rather abruptly in a point at the apex, deep green, somewhat wavy, and regularly serrated; petioles medium length, about three quarters of an inch long, and moderately stout. Warder: thin, long.

Flowers (Hovey): Medium size, cupped, and tinged with blush.

Fruit

Size: Sources broadly describe the fruit as medium to small, though they differ. Hovey (1852): "Medium size, about two and a half inches broad, and two and a half deep." Elliott (1865): "medium." Warder (1867): "small to medium." Downing (1900): "rather below medium size." Thomas (1903): "medium in size." Beach (1905): "medium to rather small." Budd-Hansen (1914): "medium." Bunyard (1920): "small, 2¼ by 2¼." Hedrick (1922): "medium or small." Central Experimental Farm (1900): "small to medium." Beach and Hedrick note the smallness of the fruit makes it less suitable as a market variety.

Form: Roundish, narrowing toward the crown or eye, with the crown described as angular (Hovey). Elliott: "roundish, narrowing towards the eye." Warder: "round, truncated, somewhat angular, irregular." Downing: "roundish oblate conical." Thomas: "roundish, sometimes obscurely conical." Beach: "roundish inclined to conic, faintly ribbed toward the apex; sides unequal." Budd-Hansen: "roundish oblate, somewhat conical, obscurely angular." Bunyard: "oval, regular." Hedrick: "round-conic, faintly ribbed toward the apex, sides unequal." Central Experimental Farm: "roundish, conical."

Stem / Stalk: Short and slender across sources. Hovey: "very short, scarcely half an inch in length, slender." Elliott: "short, slender." Warder: "medium, green, often stout." Downing: "short, slender." Thomas: "half an inch long." Beach: "short to very short, slender." Budd-Hansen: "short, slender." Bunyard: "short and rather slender." Hedrick: "short or very short, slender." (Warder is the outlier in calling the stem "stout.")

Cavity: Hovey: "deeply inserted in a rather contracted cavity." Elliott: "narrow." Warder: "acute, wavy, brown." Downing: "deep russeted." Beach: "acute, rather narrow, moderately deep, wavy, greenish-russet." Budd-Hansen: "regular, acute, deep, slightly russeted." Bunyard: "deep even cavity." Hedrick: "acute, narrow, deep, wavy, greenish-russet."

Calyx / Eye: Hovey: "Eye, rather large, partially open, and considerably sunk in a deep, open, furrowed basin; segments of the calyx medium length." Elliott: "calyx, large, open." Warder: "Eye large, open or closed." Downing: "Calyx closed. Segments persistent, sometimes a little recurved." Beach: "Calyx rather small to above medium, partly open, slightly pubescent." Budd-Hansen: "calyx closed; segments divergent." Bunyard: "Eye, small, a little open." Hedrick: "calyx small, partly open, pubescent." Stamens are basal (Beach, Hedrick); Budd-Hansen describes stamens as median.

Basin: Hovey: "deep, open, furrowed." Elliott: "furrowed." Warder: "wide, abrupt." Downing: "abrupt, quite deep, somewhat uneven." Thomas: "small." Beach: "medium in width and depth, abrupt, somewhat wrinkled." Budd-Hansen: "quite deep, abrupt, nearly smooth." Bunyard: "fairly deep even basin." Hedrick: "medium in width and depth, abrupt, wrinkled."

Skin / Color: Hovey: "fair, smooth, with a deep yellow or orange ground, nearly covered with red, distinctly striped with dark crimson, and covered with scattered, whitish specks." Elliott: "deep yellow, striped with crimson, dotted with white specks." Warder: "Surface smooth, yellow, covered mixed red, striped scarlet and carmine; Dots minute." Downing: "pale yellow, shaded, striped, and marbled with dark crimson, and thinly sprinkled with bright dots." Thomas: "deep red on rich yellow, in distinct broken stripes and dots." Beach: "smooth, orange-yellow partly covered with lively red striped with deep carmine. Dots scattering, minute, whitish." Budd-Hansen: "rich yellow with a crimson cheek, with distinct broken dark crimson stripes and splashes, marbled and shaded on sunny side; dots distinct, bright, numerous, minute, white." Bunyard: "pale yellow, with crimson flush, and stripes." Hedrick: "smooth, orange-yellow, partly covered with red striped with carmine; dots scattering, minute, white." Central Experimental Farm: "yellow, striped and spotted with red and sprinkled with dots."

Flesh / Flavor: Sources agree the flesh is yellow, tender, juicy, and of a rich subacid character. Hovey: "Flesh, yellow, fine, crisp and tender: Juice, abundant, rich, vinous, high flavored and excellent." Elliott: "yellow, crisp, tender, juicy, vinous; 'very good.'" Warder: "yellow, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor rich, subacid, spicy; Quality best." Downing: "yellow, juicy, tender, pleasant, subacid. Very good." Thomas: "yellow, tender, rich; mild sub-acid, 'very good.'" Beach: "yellow, firm, crisp, fine-grained, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid, good to very good." Budd-Hansen: "very yellow with orange veinings, tender, delicate, juicy, pleasant, spicy subacid, perfumed, very good." Bunyard: "tender, yellow, aromatic." Hedrick: "yellow, firm, crisp, fine-grained, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid; good to very good." Central Experimental Farm: "yellow, tender, juicy, sub-acid." Hovey adds the overall character is "a firm and crisp flesh, and a rich, pleasant, subacid and sprightly flavor."

Core / Seeds: Hovey: "Core, medium size, rather close: Seeds, medium size, pale brown." Elliott: "core, close; seeds, pale brown." Warder: "Core small, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds angular, dark." Downing: "Core small." Beach: "Core small to medium, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting. Carpels roundish, slightly elongated, emarginate. Seeds few, dark brown, medium in size, plump, obtuse." Budd-Hansen: "Core closed, small, meeting; cells obovate, axile, slit; tube funnel-shaped; seeds plump, some abortive." Hedrick: "core small, axile; cells closed; core-lines meeting; carpels round, elongated, emarginate; seeds few, dark brown, medium in size, plump, obtuse." (Sources differ on seed color: Hovey and Elliott say pale brown, Warder says dark/angular, Beach and Hedrick say dark brown.)

Season

Sources broadly agree the season is August through early September, sometimes extending into September. Hovey (1852): "Ripe in August and September, and keeps well." Elliott (1865): "August and September." Warder (1867): "July and August." Downing (1900): "August." Thomas (1903): "Late summer." Beach (1905): "Season August and early September"; "begins to ripen early in August and its season extends into September." Budd-Hansen (1914): "August." Bunyard (1920): "mid-September." Hedrick (1922): "August and early September." Central Experimental Farm (1900): "August." (Bunyard's "mid-September" likely reflects ripening under English conditions following its 1870 introduction to England.)

Uses

A summer apple of superior quality, fully equal to the Williams in quality though not so large and not as showy (Hovey). Warder: "Use, dessert, kitchen and market; ... Delicious and profitable." Downing: "a valuable variety for market or table use." Beach: "a fine dessert apple, very attractive in appearance and excellent in quality but not large enough to be a good market variety." Bunyard: "A very good early fruit." Hedrick: "When well grown it is a beautiful and delicious dessert apple," though it falls short of being a most excellent market and home apple due to the smallness of the fruits and the unproductiveness and biennial bearing habit of the trees. Hovey notes the variety is "indispensable to the amateur" and claims "a prominent place in every fruit garden or orchard."

Hovey adds it keeps well. Warder calls it "indispensable to the amateur" for the dessert especially.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Beach (1905) records the synonyms entry as "None." Beach also lists extensive references documenting the variety's prominence in 19th-century pomological literature, including N. E. Farmer (1830), Kenrick (1832), Magazine of Horticulture (1835, 1840, 1841, 1848, 1855), Manning (1838), Downing (1845), Thomas (1849), Cole (1849), Emmons / Nat. Hist. N. Y. (1851), Hovey (1851, col. pl. and fig.), Barry (1851), the American Pomological Society Catalogue (1854), Elliott (1854), Gregg (1857), Hooper (1857), Horticulturist (1859), Warder (1867), Fitz (1872), Hogg (1884), Lyon / Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt. (1890), Bailey's Annual Horticulture (1892), Woolverton / Ont. Fr. Stas. (1894), Burrill and McCluer / Ill. Sta. Bul. (1896), Dickens and Greene / Kan. Sta. Bul. (1902), and Budd-Hansen (1903).

Warder (1867) and Thomas (1903) include a figure (Fig. 259 and Fig. 364, respectively); Hovey (1852) provides a colored plate and figure; Budd-Hansen (1903) includes a figure.

The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC, planted Benoni in Spring 1894 as part of its catalogue of fruit trees under test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900).