Defiance
AppleDefiance
Origin/History
Originated with H. N. Gillett of Ohio, from seed of Pryor's Red (Downing).
Tree
The fruit sets readily (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size
Medium (Downing; Bunyard).
Form
Oblate conical (Downing). Distinctly ribbed (Bunyard).
Stem
Not described in source.
Cavity
Not described in source.
Calyx
Not described in source.
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Yellow, nearly overspread, shaded, splashed, and striped with rich red (Downing).
Flesh/Flavor
Flesh white, tender, not juicy, with a rich, peculiar aroma (Downing). Sub-acid (Bunyard).
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Conflicting between sources. Downing gives the season as August–September. Bunyard gives October–April. These accounts may refer to two distinct varieties sharing the name "Defiance," or Bunyard's range may describe a storage/dessert window rather than harvest time; the discrepancy is unresolved.
Uses
Good (Downing). Dessert; a good culinary sort (Bunyard).
Other
Bunyard's entry carries the notations (H, B.T., P.), which refer to tree or commercial characteristics per that catalog's key, reproduced here without interpretation.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Defiance.
Originated with H. N. Gillett, Ohio, from seed of Pryor's Red.
Fruit medium, oblate conical, yellow, nearly overspread, shaded, splashed, and striped with rich red. Flesh white, tender, not juicy, rich peculiar aroma. Good. August, September.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Dessert; Oct.-April. Medium-sized, distinctly ribbed; sub-acid; a good culinary sort. The fruit sets readily. (H, B.T., P.)