Brier (Brier Sweet)
Crab AppleBrier (Brier Sweet)
Origin and History
Originated with B. B. Brier of Baraboo, Wisconsin. The variety resulted from a cross-fertilization of the Siberian crab with the Bailey Sweet apple.
Tree
Tree is hardy, vigorous, and productive.
Fruit
Size and Form: Fruit is as large as Transcendent, roundish, regular, and flattened at the ends.
Color and Surface: Yellow, mostly covered thinly with dotted and mixed red, obscurely splashed and striped, and overlaid with whitish. Dots are obscure, few, minute, and whitish.
Stem: Medium to long.
Cavity: Wide, regular, obtuse, with some stellate russet.
Basin: Flat and corrugated.
Calyx: Open; segments long and divergent.
Core and Seeds: Core closed. Tube wide, long, and funnel-shaped. Stamens marginal.
Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, crisp, juicy, very sweet. Quality is very good to best for dessert or preserves.
Season
September and October.
Uses
Suitable for dessert or preserves.
Subtypes and Variants
Brier Crab — A related variety or strain. Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1894–1900) from Alabama
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Briar's Sweet
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Briar's Sweet
View original book sources (1)
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Brier (Brier Sweet). — Originated with B. B. Brier, Baraboo, Wisconsin; is the result of a fertilization of the Siberian crab with the Bailey Sweet apple. Tree hardy, vigorous, and productive. Fruit as large as Transcendent, roundish, regular, flattened at ends, yellow, mostly covered thinly with dotted and mixed red, obscurely splashed and striped and overlaid with whitish; dots obscure, few, minute, whitish; cavity wide, regular, obtuse, with some stellate russet; stem medium to long; basin flat, corrugated; calyx open; segments long, divergent. Core closed; tube wide, long, funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; flesh whitish, crisp, juicy, very sweet, very good to best for dessert or preserves. September, October.
Brier Crab.