Detroit Black
Apple
Detroit Black
Origin/History
Supposed to be of Canadian origin, in the neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan (Warder). Warder groups it with Detroit Red/Grand Sachem, noting that fruits presented under both names are "so very much alike in all respects that it is not worth while to consider them distinct," though he allows the Red variety may be distinct, as it keeps later. Downing associates it with the additional names Crimson Pippin, Black Detroit, and Washington Pearmain. Downing characterizes it as a showy fruit but rather coarse and scarcely worth cultivation.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Large to very large (Warder); very large (Downing). Sources agree on large size.
Form: Conic, angular (Warder). Roundish, distinctly ribbed, and irregular in its outline (Downing). Sources conflict on shape: Warder gives a conic and angular form while Downing describes it as roundish and ribbed.
Stem: Very short (Warder).
Cavity: Wide, wavy (Warder).
Calyx/Eye: Eye small, open (Warder).
Basin: Deep, abrupt, folded (Warder).
Skin: Very smooth and shining (Warder); smooth (Downing). Color deep red shaded, almost black in some specimens, with no striping (Warder); deep, dingy blood-red over the whole surface (Downing). Sources agree on smooth texture and deep red ground color; Warder notes near-black intensity in some specimens while Downing describes the red as dingy.
Dots: Numerous, minute, indented, gray (Warder).
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh whitish, tender, breaking, juicy; flavor acid, poor; quality second to third rate (Warder). Flesh white, rather dry, and without much flavor; quality Good (Downing). Sources conflict on flesh texture — Warder gives it as tender, breaking, and juicy while Downing calls it rather dry — and on quality, with Warder rating it second to third rate and Downing rating it Good.
Core/Seeds: Core wide, closed or open, clasping the eye; seeds numerous, angular, brown (Warder).
Season
September and October (Warder); September (Downing).
Uses
Kitchen and drying (Warder).
Subtypes/Variants
Warder treats Detroit Black and Detroit Red as effectively the same variety on account of their close resemblance, but notes the Red may be a distinct variety on account of its later keeping season.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Leading name changed from Detroit Black.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1894) from Oregon
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Detroit Black. DETROIT RED?—GRAND SACHEM.
Supposed to be of Canadian origin, in the neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. I have put these two names together, because the fruits presented as Black and as Red Detroit are so very much alike in all respects that it is not worth while to consider them distinct.
Fruit large to very large, conic, angular; Surface very smooth, shining, deep red shaded, almost black in some specimens, no striping; Dots, numerous, minute, indented, gray.
Basin deep, abrupt, folded; Eye small, open.
Cavity wide, wavy; stem very short.
Core wide, closed or open, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, angular, brown; Flesh whitish, tender, breaking, juicy; Flavor acid, poor; Quality second to third rate; Use, kitchen and drying; Season, September and October.
The Red variety may be distinct, as it keeps later.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Detroit Black.
Crimson Pippin. Grand Sachem. Black Detroit. Washington Pearmain.
A showy, large, dark, blood-red fruit, but rather coarse, and scarcely worth cultivation.
Fruit very large, roundish, distinctly ribbed, and irregular in its outline. Skin smooth, deep, dingy red over the whole surface. Flesh white, rather dry, and without much flavor. Good. September.