Black Apple
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Black Apple
Origin / History
Origin unknown (Warder). An old variety, described and put out by Coxe (1817, No. 67), and now found in many sections (Downing). Warder: "This useful little apple is found in many collections where the Jersey Black is cultivated, but it seems to be quite distinct."
Tree
Healthy (Downing); moderate in size and growth, forming medium-sized, spreading, round heads with drooping limbs. A great and constant bearer (Coxe).
Fruit
Size: Medium to small, or below middling (Coxe); Downing gives medium.
Form: Round, flat at the ends, to globular, sometimes nearly oblate; regular. Downing gives roundish oblate.
Stem: Half an inch long (Coxe); long, inclined, red or green (Warder).
Cavity: Acute, sometimes lipped, brown (Warder). Stem planted deep (Coxe).
Calyx: Eye small to medium, closed; segments reflexed (Warder).
Basin: Shallow, abrupt, regular or folded (Warder); crown not much hollowed (Coxe).
Skin: Smooth, deep red, sometimes purplish, striping indistinct. Coxe adds approaching to blackness, with a down that obscures its brightness till rubbed off; Downing gives a bloom.
Dots: Numerous, indented, minute, pink or purple (Warder).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow (Coxe) or yellowish, often pink (Warder); white, sometimes slightly stained with pinkish red (Downing). Tender, fine grained (Warder); crisp, juicy (Coxe). Flavor sub-acid, agreeable (Warder); Coxe calls it "rich" and "well tasted," while Downing says "not of high or rich flavor." Quality good (Warder, Downing).
Core and seeds: Core regular, round, slightly open, clasping the eye. Seeds numerous, plump and angular (Warder).
Season
November to February. Ripens in November and keeps well (Coxe); Warder ends the season in January.
Uses
Dessert (Warder). "Much admired as a fine table fruit" (Coxe); "a pleasant table fruit" (Downing).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1845) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Black American
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 67. BLACK APPLE.
The size is below middling; the form round, but flat at the ends, the stem half an inch long, planted deep, the crown not much hollowed; the skin smooth, of a deep red—approaching to blackness, with a down which obscures its brightness till rubbed off: the flesh is yellow, rich, juicy, crisp, and well tasted—it ripens in November, and is much admired as a fine table fruit, which keeps well—the tree is of moderate size, the growth spreading, with drooping limbs—it is a great and constant bearer.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)SMALL BLACK.
BLACK APPLE of Coxe and Downing— American black.
This useful little apple is found in many collections where the Jersey Black is cultivated, but it seems to be quite distinct. Origin unknown.
Fruit medium to small, globular, sometimes nearly oblate, regular; Surface smooth, deep red, sometimes purplish, striping indistinct; Dots numerous, indented, minute, pink or purple.
Basin shallow, abrupt, regular or folded; Eye small to medium, closed; Segments reflexed.
Cavity acute, sometimes lipped, brown; Stem long, inclined, red or green.
Core regular, round, slightly open, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, plump and angular; Flesh yellowish, often pink, tender, fine grained; Flavor sub-acid, agreeable; Quality good; Use, dessert; Season, November to January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Black Apple.
Small Black. Jersey Black. Black American.
An old variety, described and put out by Coxe, and now found in many sections. The trees are healthy, moderate growers, forming medium-sized, spreading round heads, with drooping limbs. It is a pleasant table fruit, although not of high or rich flavor.
Fruit medium. Form roundish oblate, deep red, with a bloom. Flesh white, sometimes slightly stained with pinkish red. Good. November to February.