Constantine
Apple
Constantine
Origin and Classification
Constantine is of the Aport type and very closely resembles the Alexander variety. Historical references date to Leroy (1873) and are documented in horticultural society reports from Montreal and Iowa (1880s), with the variety known under several names including Grand Duke Constantine, Berry Apple, and Riabinouka.
Tree
The tree is small to below medium size. It is at first moderately vigorous but with age becomes a slow grower. The form is spreading and open, with short, stout, curved branches. Twigs are moderately long, curved, and slender, with long internodes. The bark is brown with some olive-green coloring, lightly streaked with scarf-skin and pubescent near the tips. Lenticels are scattering, medium to small in size, oblong, and not raised. Buds are medium size, plump, obtuse, free, and slightly pubescent.
The trees are not as large as Alexander and may be planted more closely together. The variety is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially or nearly annually.
Fruit
Form and Size: The fruit is large or very large. The form is roundish conic, flat at the base, varying to oblate conic, regular or somewhat ribbed, and symmetrical.
Stem: Below medium to long in length, rather slender to moderately thick.
Cavity: Large, acuminate or acute, very deep, broad, and symmetrical. It is russeted with outspreading rays of greenish-russet.
Calyx: Medium to rather large, usually somewhat open. Lobes are medium in width and length, and acute. The calyx tube is long, wide, and funnel-shaped or conical. Stamens are median or below.
Basin: Narrow to medium in width, moderately deep to deep, abrupt, and smooth or slightly wrinkled.
Skin: Thick, tough, smooth, and waxy. The ground color is clear greenish-yellow or whitish, mottled and marbled with bright red over nearly the whole surface. Wide broken stripes of carmine radiate from the cavity. The skin is overspread with thin bloom. Dots are whitish or pale russet. The prevailing effect is bright red.
Core: Medium size, somewhat abaxile. Cells are open or partly closed. Core lines are somewhat clasping. Carpels are broadly ovate or approaching cordate, and emarginate.
Seeds: Medium or below in size, moderately wide, short, thick, plump, obtuse, and dark brown.
Flesh and Flavor: The flesh is whitish, moderately firm, coarse, tender, and juicy. The flavor is sprightly subacid, fair to good in quality. The fruit is suitable for culinary use and market. Some sources hold that the flavor is rather better than that of Alexander.
Season and Keeping
The season is late September to November. As grown at the New York Station, the fruit begins to ripen about a week later than Alexander and continues longer in season.
Market and Cropping Characteristics
The percentage of marketable fruit is greater than that of Alexander. There are fewer drops, the apples are less apt to show cracks about the calyx and stem, and the skin is less often discolored by chafing against the branches. While Constantine may not be quite as good a variety for commercial planting as Alexander, it appears worthy of testing where a variety of the Alexander type is desired.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1886) from Alabama
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)CONSTANTINE.
REFERENCES. 1. Leroy, 1873:335. fig. 2. Budd, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:524. 3. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:155. 4. Hogg, 1884:95. 5. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886-87:14. 6. Ib., 14:86. 1888. 7. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 51:682. 1892. fig.
SYNONYMS. Berry Apple (7). CONSTANTINE (2, 3). GRAND DUC CONSTANTIN (1). GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE (4, 5, 6, 7). Grand Duke Constantine (2, 3). No. 457 (7). Riabinouka (7).
This fruit is of the Aport type and very closely resembles Alexander. The flesh is rather coarse, subacid and fair to good in quality. Some hold that it is rather better in flavor than Alexander. As grown at this Station, the fruit, as compared with that of Alexander, begins to ripen about a week later and continues longer in season. The trees are not so large and may be planted more closely together than those of Alexander. It is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially or nearly annually. The percentage of marketable fruit is greater than that of Alexander because there are fewer drops, the apples are less apt to show cracks about the calyx and stem and the skin is less often discolored by chafing against the branches. We are not sure that it is as good a variety for commercial planting as Alexander, but it appears to be worthy of testing where a variety of the Alexander type is desired.
TREE. Tree small to below medium size, at first moderately vigorous but with age it becomes a slow grower with short, stout, curved branches. Form spreading, open. Twigs moderately long, curved, slender; internodes long. Bark brown with some olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; pubescent near tips. Lenticels scattering, medium to small, oblong, not raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit large or very large. Form roundish conic flat at the base, varying to oblate conic, regular or somewhat ribbed, symmetrical. Stem below medium to long, rather slender to moderately thick. Cavity large, acuminate or acute, very deep, broad, symmetrical, russeted and with outspreading rays of greenish-russet. Calyx medium to rather large, usually somewhat open; lobes medium in width and length, acute. Basin narrow to medium in width, moderately deep to deep, abrupt, smooth or slightly wrinkled. Skin thick, tough, smooth, waxy, clear greenish-yellow or whitish, mottled, marbled and blushed with bright red over nearly the whole surface with wide broken stripes of carmine radiating from the cavity, overspread with thin bloom. Dots whitish or pale russet. Prevailing effect bright red. Calyx tube long, wide, funnel-shape or conical. Stamens median or below. Core medium size, somewhat abaxile; cells open or partly closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels broadly ovate or approaching cordate, emarginate. Seeds medium or below, moderately wide, short, thick, plump, obtuse, dark brown. Flesh whitish, moderately firm, coarse, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, fair to good; suitable for culinary use and market. Season late September to November.