Black Gilliflower
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Black Gilliflower
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the "Sheepnose" entries appended to Downing and Beach describe other apples (Warder's Sheepnose, called Sheepnose of Mears by Beach; Bullock; a Sheepnose of New Jersey and Pennsylvania), not Black Gilliflower. From them only Beach's statement that Sheepnose is in places a common name for Black Gilliflower is used here.]
Origin / History
Black Gilliflower is supposed to be an American variety (Beach). It was known in Connecticut as early as the latter part of the eighteenth century, on the authority of Bateman in the Ohio Cultivator of August 1, 1846, a citation Warder also gives. Hedrick says it was known in New England as early as the Revolutionary War, and that its culture has spread thence southward to the Carolinas and westward to the Mississippi. Beach records that early settlers brought it into the central and western portions of New York more than a hundred years before his writing.
Manning mentioned it in 1841 under the name Red Gilliflower. Hovey described it in 1850 under the same name, giving Black Gilliflower as a synonym. Beach says it has generally been known under the simple name Gilliflower, which usually appears in the market quotations. He also says that "Black" recognizes the dull purplish, very dark color of highly colored fruit. The name Sheepnose, applied to several conical apples, is in some places a common name for Black Gilliflower (Beach). Thomas holds it "totally distinct from the Red or Cornish Gilliflower."
Beach calls it "very distinct in color, form and flavor," and Hedrick finds that the distinct form, color, flavor, and aroma mark it as "an unusual and attractive fruit." The early verdicts are mixed. Warder calls it "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." Downing reports that "some call it a profitable market fruit," while Thomas writes that it is "rejected by most cultivators on account of its very dry flesh."
Beach found it "fast becoming obsolete in most parts of the state." In some sections, however, its planting in commercial orchards was being extended, because it was profitable to grow in limited quantities for southern markets. Hedrick writes that Black Gilliflower, "threatened with oblivion, is again being planted."
Tree
Tree large, moderately vigorous to vigorous. On good soil it is "a good, vigorous grower and a reliable cropper" (Beach), and Hedrick calls the trees "vigorous, healthy, and fruitful." Form rather upright-spreading, with a moderately open top.
Shoots dark, rather crooked (Thomas). 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.
Very productive. Thomas calls the fruit "always fair," and Hedrick "usually perfect." Beach says the apples grow fair and smooth, with little loss from unmarketable fruit.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large, seldom very large; very uniform in size. Elliott, Warder, and Thomas call it large or rather large, and Downing alone gives medium without large.
Form: Oblong conical to long ovate or oblong-ovate, long conical, regular, obscurely or somewhat ribbed; very uniform in shape. Axis sometimes a little oblique (Beach).
Stem: Medium to long. Warder calls it slender, and Beach calls it moderately thick.
Cavity: Acute, or usually acuminate; moderately deep to deep; brown, with red russet or greenish outspreading rays. Sometimes lipped, but usually symmetrical. Thomas calls it very narrow, and Beach calls it rather wide.
Calyx: Small to medium or below; closed. Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shaped or funnel-form, and stamens median or above (Beach).
Basin: Usually very shallow and obtuse, varying sometimes to moderately deep and abrupt. Often oblique; very small, ribbed, furrowed and much wrinkled, often plaited.
Skin: Thick, tough, nearly smooth. Ground yellow or greenish yellow, the surface inclining to greenish yellow where densely shaded (Thomas). Striped or mostly to nearly covered with red, deepening to very dark, dull red, dull reddish purple, dark purplish red, or almost black. Warder writes that the stripes of very deep red "make it look nearly black." The red is obscurely striped with darker crimson, with streaks of bluish-gray scarf-skin, especially toward the cavity, giving almost the effect of a dull bloom. Prevailing effect in highly colored specimens dull dark purplish. Beach notes the color is often much darker than in his accompanying plate.
Dots: Numerous, gray, rather small, not conspicuous, somewhat rough.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, whitish, or greenish white, or slightly tinged with yellow. Firm, rather tender, rather coarse. At its best only moderately juicy, it soon becomes dry, very dry when ripe; Elliott, Warder, and Downing call it simply dry. Flavor mild or slightly subacid, rich, with a peculiar aroma that Beach finds "pleasing to many." Warder calls the flavor "only sweet," and Hedrick speaks of "a rare, sweet flavor and aroma, most agreeable to many." Most authors rate it good, Thomas writing of "a rich, good, slightly sub-acid flavor." Elliott, however, calls it "poor," and Warder "but an indifferent fruit."
Core and seeds: Core large to very large, oval, regular, decidedly axile, closed, meeting the eye; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels very long ovate, tapering both ways, emarginate, much tufted (Beach). Seeds numerous, plump or imperfect, often abortive. When well developed they are above medium, acute to acuminate, somewhat tufted.
Season
The recorded season runs from October into late spring. Most authors give November to February or March. Beach begins it in October and ends it in January or February, while Thomas has it keeping through winter and late into spring. A good keeper, noted by Warder for its "keeping properties." Hedrick says the apples keep very well in either cold storage or the cellar.
Uses
A dessert apple, good for dessert and special markets, eaten out of hand or cooked. For cookery, Beach finds it "not sour enough to be very valuable for cooking," though sometimes used for baking. Thomas, by contrast, calls it "a good baking variety," and Hedrick "excellent for cookery." Warder gives its use as "essentially market," adding that it "may be valuable for stock."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1855–1913) from Illinois, Massachusetts
- Joseph Breck & Co. , Boston , Massachusetts — 1855
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (6)
— 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 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.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Sheepnose", pp. 376–376]
Sheepnose.
There are several Apples to which this name has been applied : some are proved identical with well-known varieties ; others, of which no origin can be traced, may yet prove only synonyms of well-known kinds. Warder describes a Sheepnose as : Fruit medium, round, slightly conic, irregular, greenish yellow, white striae about the base. Dots minute. Flesh yellowish white, breaking, tender, juicy, subacid. Good. December, February. Another Sheepnose is grown in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which is medium size, roundish conical, yellow, sometimes a blush in sun. Calyx closed. Flesh yellow, rather firm, juicy, subacid. Good. November, December.
— 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.
— 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.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Sheepnose", pp. 522–523]
SHEEPNOSE.
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:125. 2. Warder, 1857:645. 3. Downing, 1869:351.
This name has been applied to several different varieties of apples having a conical shape. In some localities Yellow Bellflower is known by this name. In other places it is a common name for the Black Gilliflower. Warder (2) describes Sheepnose of Mears as a medium, roundish, slightly conic apple, smooth, greenish-yellow, in some respects resembling White Pearmain; flesh juicy, subacid, good; season December to February.
In the time of Coxe, Bullock was commonly known in New Jersey by the name of Sheepnose (1). Downing (3) describes another Sheepnose as grown in New Jersey and Pennsylvania the fruit of which is of medium size, roundish conical, yellow, sometimes blushed; flesh subacid, good; season November and December.
There are also other varieties which are known under the name Sheepnose.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)BLACK GILLIFLOWER. Fig. 11. Gilliflower. Red Gilliflower.
Black Gilliflower, threatened with oblivion, is again being planted. The distinct form, color, flavor, and aroma of the apples, as pictured in the technical description, mark it as an unusual and attractive fruit, fit for dessert, and excellent for cookery. The apples, eaten out of hand or however cooked, have a rare, sweet flavor and aroma, most agreeable to many. They are, also, usually perfect, uniform in size and shape, and keep very well in either coldstorage or the cellar. The trees are vigorous, healthy, and fruitful. Black Gilliflower was known in New England as early as the Revolutionary War; thence its culture has spread southward to the Carolinas and westward to the Mississippi.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading. Leaves long. Fruit medium to large, uniform in size and shape, oblong-conic, ribbed, axis sometimes oblique; stem long, thick; cavity acuminate, wide, lipped but usually symmetrical, with red-russet or greenish outspreading rays; calyx closed; basin often oblique, shallow and obtuse to deep and abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thick, tough, smooth, yellow, striped or covered with red, deepening to almost black, obscurely striped with darker crimson and with streaks of scarf-skin, giving the effect of dull bloom; dots numerous, gray, small, rough; prevailing effect dull gray-purple; calyx-tube large, wide, cone-shape; stamens median; core large, axile, closed; core-lines clasping; carpels long-ovate, tapering both ways, emarginate, tufted; seeds often abortive, when developed of medium size, acuminate, tufted; flesh yellow, firm, tender, coarse, juicy becoming dry, mild subacid, rich, peculiarly aromatic, good; October to January or February.