Black Gilliflower
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin and History
Black Gilliflower is supposed to be an American variety (Beach). Warder calls it "an old variety." It was brought into the central and western portions of New York State more than a hundred years ago by the early settlers. It is evident that it was known in Connecticut as early as the latter part of the eighteenth century. Manning mentions it in 1841 under the name Red Gilliflower, and Hovey described it in 1850 under the same name, giving Black Gilliflower as a synonym. It has generally been known under the simple name Gilliflower, which name usually appears in market quotations of this variety (Beach). Thomas notes it is totally distinct from the Red or Cornish Gilliflower.
Tree
Tree large, moderately vigorous. Form rather upright spreading with moderately open top. Twigs long, slender, pubescent; internodes short to medium. Bark dark olive-green and reddish-brown with thin gray scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small to medium, roundish or elongated, raised. Buds medium, obtuse or acute, quite pubescent, appressed. Leaves rather long, medium to above medium in size (Beach). Thomas describes shoots as dark and rather crooked. On good soil the tree is a good, vigorous grower and a reliable cropper (Beach). Very productive (Warder, Downing, Thomas, Beach). The apples grow fair and smooth and there is little loss from unmarketable fruit (Beach); Thomas likewise notes the fruit is always fair.
Fruit
Size
Medium to large, seldom very large; very uniform in size and shape (Beach). Downing gives medium size; Warder and Thomas say rather large; Elliott says large.
Form
Long ovate to oblong conic, somewhat ribbed; axis sometimes a little oblique (Beach). Warder describes it as oblong-ovate, regular. Downing and Elliott give oblong conical. Thomas describes it as oblong-ovate, long conical, regular, obscurely ribbed.
Stem
Warder describes the stem as long and slender. Beach gives it as medium to long, moderately thick.
Cavity
Usually acuminate, rather wide, moderately deep to deep, sometimes lipped but usually symmetrical with red russet or greenish outspreading rays (Beach). Warder describes the cavity as deep, acute, brown. Thomas gives it as very narrow, acuminate.
Calyx
Medium or below, closed (Beach). Warder describes the eye as small, closed.
Basin
Often oblique, usually very shallow and obtuse, varying sometimes to moderately deep and abrupt, furrowed and much wrinkled (Beach). Warder gives the basin as very shallow, often plaited. Thomas describes it as very small, ribbed.
Skin
Thick, tough, nearly smooth; yellow or greenish-yellow, striped or mostly covered with red, deepening to dark purplish-red or almost black, obscurely striped with darker crimson, and with streaks of bluish-gray scarfskin, especially toward the cavity, giving almost the effect of a dull bloom. Dots numerous, gray, rather small, not conspicuous, somewhat rough. Prevailing effect in highly colored specimens dull dark purplish (Beach). Warder describes the surface as nearly covered with stripes of very deep red that make it look nearly black. Downing gives the skin as very dark, dull red. Elliott says dull reddish purple. Thomas describes the surface as dark, dull, reddish purple, inclining to greenish yellow where densely shaded. The color of the fruit is often much darker than it appears in the accompanying plate (Beach).
Flesh and Flavor
Whitish or slightly tinged with yellow, firm, rather tender, rather coarse, moderately juicy eventually becoming dry, mild subacid, rich, peculiarly aromatic, good for dessert and special markets (Beach). Thomas describes the flesh as greenish white, with a rich, good, slightly subacid flavor, becoming dry when ripe. Elliott gives the flesh as greenish white, dry, subacid, and rates it poor. Downing describes the flesh as white, dry, mild, subacid, and rates it "Good." Warder describes the flesh as whitish and dry, but differs from the other sources on flavor, calling it "only sweet" where all others describe it as subacid or mild subacid. Beach notes the flesh at its best is but moderately juicy and soon becomes dry, but has a peculiar aroma which is pleasing to many. It is not sour enough to be very valuable for cooking, but it is sometimes used for baking (Beach). Thomas calls it a good baking variety. Warder considers it "but an indifferent fruit."
Core and Seeds
Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shape or funnel-form. Stamens median or above. Core large, decidedly axile, closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels very long ovate, tapering both ways, emarginate, much tufted. Seeds often abortive; when well developed they are above medium, acute to acuminate, somewhat tufted (Beach). Warder describes the core as very large, oval, regular, meeting the eye, with seeds numerous, plump or imperfect.
Season
October to January or February (Beach). Warder and Elliott give November to March. Downing gives November to February. Thomas says it keeps through winter and late into spring.
Uses
Considered primarily a market and dessert apple. Warder calls it "essentially market" and notes it may be valuable for stock feed. Downing notes some call it a profitable market fruit. Beach describes it as a dessert apple, fast becoming obsolete in most parts of New York State, but in some sections the planting of it in commercial orchards was being extended because it was found profitable to grow in limited quantities for southern markets. Thomas says it was rejected by most cultivators on account of its very dry flesh, but considered a good baking variety. Warder, despite rating the fruit itself indifferent, considers it profitable for orchard planting on account of its productiveness and keeping properties.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1893)
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Black Gilliflower.
An old variety, which cannot be very highly praised, for it is but an indifferent fruit, and yet, on account of its productiveness and keeping properties, it is considered profitable for orchard planting.
Fruit rather large, oblong-ovate, regular; Surface nearly covered with stripes of very deep red that make it look nearly black.
Basin very shallow, often plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity deep, acute, brown; Stem long, slender.
Core very large, oval, regular, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, plump or imperfect; Flesh whitish, dry; Flavor only sweet; Use, essentially market, may be valuable for stock; Season, November to March.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Black Gilliflower.
Medium size, oblong conical. Skin very dark, dull red. Flesh white, dry, mild, subacid. Good. November to February. Very productive, and some call it a profitable market fruit.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BLACK GILLIFLOWER.
References. 1. Manning, Mag. Hort., 7:49. 1841. 2. Mag. Hort., 13:106. 1847. 3. Thomas, 1849:164. 4. Cole, 1849:126. 5. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 16:64, 198. 1850. fig. 6. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:61. 1851. col. pl. & fig. 7. Downing, 1857:208. 8. Hooper, 1857:18, 76. 9. Elliott, 1858:167. 10. Warder, 1867:662. fig. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 13. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:289. 1901. 14. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:38. 1903. 15. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:113. 1904.
Synonyms. Black Gilliflower (5). Black Spitz (13). Gilliflower (14, 15). Red Gilliflower (1, 5).
A dessert apple which is very distinct in color, form and flavor. The color is yellowish or greenish, sometimes almost completely covered with red, which in highly colored specimens becomes dull purplish and very dark, as recognized in the name “Black” Gilliflower. The color of the fruit is often much darker than it appears in the accompanying plate. The flesh at its best is but moderately juicy and soon becomes dry, but it has a peculiar aroma which is pleasing to many. It is not sour enough to be very valuable for cooking, but it is sometimes used for baking. It is fast becoming obsolete in most parts of the state, but in some sections the planting of it in commercial orchards is being extended because it is found profitable to grow it in limited quantities for southern markets. On good soil the tree is a good, vigorous grower and a reliable cropper. The apples grow fair and smooth and there is little loss from unmarketable fruit.
Historical. Black Gilliflower is supposed to be an American variety. It was brought into the central and western portions of the state more than a hundred years ago by the early settlers. It is evident that it was known in Connecticut as early as the latter part of the eighteenth century (2).¹ Manning (1) mentions it in 1841 under the name Red Gilliflower and Hovey (5) described it in 1850 under the same name, giving Black Gilliflower as a synonym. It has generally been known under the simple name Gilliflower, which name usually appears in the market quotations of this variety.
Tree.
Tree large, moderately vigorous. Form rather upright spreading with moderately open top. Twigs long, slender, pubescent; internodes short to medium. Bark dark olive-green and reddish-brown with thin gray scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small to medium, roundish or elongated, raised. Buds medium, obtuse or acute, quite pubescent, appressed. Leaves rather long, medium to above medium in size.
Fruit.
Fruit medium to large, seldom very large; very uniform in size and shape. Form long ovate to oblong conic, somewhat ribbed; axis sometimes a little oblique. Stem medium to long, moderately thick. Cavity usually acuminate, rather wide, moderately deep to deep, sometimes lipped but usually symmetrical with red russet or greenish outspreading rays. Calyx medium or below, closed. Basin often oblique, usually very shallow and obtuse, varying sometimes to moderately deep and abrupt, furrowed and much wrinkled. Skin thick, tough, nearly smooth; yellow or greenish-yellow, striped or mostly covered with red, deepening to dark purplish-red or almost black, obscurely striped with darker crimson, and with streaks of bluish-gray scarfskin, especially toward the cavity, giving almost the effect of a dull bloom. Dots numerous, gray, rather small, not conspicuous, somewhat rough. Prevailing effect in highly colored specimens dull dark purplish. Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shape or funnel-form. Stamens median or above. Core large, decidedly axile, closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels very long ovate, tapering both ways, emarginate, much tufted. Seeds often abortive; when well developed they are above medium, acute to acuminate, somewhat tufted. Flesh whitish or slightly tinged with yellow, firm, rather tender, rather coarse, moderately juicy eventually becoming dry, mild subacid, rich, peculiarly aromatic, good for dessert and special markets. Season October to January or February.
¹ Cited from Bateman, Ohio Cultivator, Aug. 1, 1846. Warder gives same citation, 1847:25.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Black Gilliflower.
Large, oblong conical, dull reddish purple ; flesh, greenish white, dry, sub-acid, poor. November to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Black Gilliflower. Rather large, oblong-ovate, long conical, regular, obscurely ribbed; surface dark, dull, reddish purple, inclining to greenish yellow where densely shaded; cavity very narrow, acuminate; basin very small, ribbed; flesh greenish white, with a rich, good, slightly sub-acid flavor, becoming dry when ripe. Keeps through winter and late into spring. Shoots dark, rather crooked, fruit always fair; very productive. Rejected by most cultivators on account of its very dry flesh, but a good baking variety. Totally distinct from the Red or Cornish Gilliflower.