← All varieties

Brabant Bellefleur

Apple

Origin and History

Probably Flemish in origin. Brought to notice at the end of the eighteenth century and imported into England about 1830. Referenced in Ronalds, p. 31.

This English Brabant Bellefleur is distinct from the Brabant Bellefleur of Holland and Belgium, which is known as the Westland Bellefleur.

Tree

Growth: Moderate; fertile.

Leaf: Rather large, oval, curved serrate or crenate, held flat.

Fruit

Size: Fairly large; 3¼ by 3.

Form: Irregular.

Colour: Golden-yellow with orange-red flush and stripes.

Stem: Short, set in a deep russet cavity.

Eye: Open, set in a large wide basin.

Flesh: Crisp, yellow, acid.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Core and Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Till April. A useful late fruit.

Uses

Culinary (cooking).

Subtypes and Variants

Not described in source.

Other

French name: Bellefleur de Brabant. German name: Grosser Brabanter Belle Fleur. English alternate names: Glory of Flanders, Iron Apple, Winter Bellefleur.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1911) from England

  • James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (1)

BRABANT BELLEFLEUR. Ronalds, p. 31. F., Bellefleur de Brabant; G., Grosser Brabanter Belle Fleur. (Glory of Flanders, Iron Apple, Winter Bellefleur.) Culinary, till April, 3¼ by 3, fairly large, irregular. Colour, golden-yellow, orange red flush and stripes. Flesh, crisp, yellow, acid. Eye, open in a large wide basin. Stem, short in a deep russet cavity. Growth, moderate; fertile. Leaf, rather large, oval, curved serrate or crenate, held flat. Origin, probably Flemish. Brought to notice at the end of the eighteenth century, and imported into England about 1830. It is not the Brabant Bellefleur of Holland and Belgium, but is here known as the Westland Bellefleur. A useful late fruit.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
Bellefleur de Brabant Brabansche Belle-Fleur Brabant Belle-Fleur Brabant Belleflower Brabanter Belle-Fleur Glory of Flanders Grosser Brabanter Belle Fleur Iron Apple Westland Bellefleur Winter Bellefleur Brabant Bellflower