Detroit Red
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Detroit Red
Origin / History
Detroit Red is supposed to have been brought to the neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, by early French settlers, and thence disseminated. Elliott, who classes it as "Foreign," states flatly that it was introduced to Detroit by them. Hedrick calls it an "old and unique variety" grown and disseminated by French settlers near Detroit "nearly two centuries ago." The earliest reference Beach cites is the Magazine of Horticulture of 1844, under the name "Detroit." Downing records it as commonly known in Western New York and Michigan as the Detroit. Elliott says it was sometimes grown as the Black Apple. Beach says it was introduced into Ohio and Western New York "before the middle of the last century." He adds that growers in Western New York commonly used the names Detroit Red and Detroit Black interchangeably for this "remarkably variable variety."
Beach, in 1905, wrote that it was still sometimes listed by nurserymen. Its cultivation in New York State was declining, and it was then seldom planted. Hedrick, in 1922, wrote that none of the apples grown as Detroit Red "is of much value" and that all were passing from cultivation.
Tree
Tree medium or eventually large, moderately vigorous to vigorous; Beach also calls it a moderate grower. Form upright-spreading or roundish. Twigs medium to long, moderately slender, dark brown. Comes into bearing rather young. Not a very reliable cropper: some growers report it a shy bearer, others that it yields moderate to full crops biennially (Beach). Considerable loss from premature dropping of the fruit.
Fruit
Size: Medium to very large, commonly averaging about medium size as grown in Western New York (Beach). The earlier authors give medium to large or rather large, and Lowther's table gives medium.
Form: Roundish to roundish oblate, flattened at the ends, somewhat or slightly conical. Beach gives oblate conic varying to roundish oblate, often strongly ribbed, irregular.
Stem: Short, usually rather slender (Beach).
Cavity: Deep. Often very large, acute to nearly acuminate, moderately broad to very broad, frequently compressed, usually thinly russeted (Beach).
Calyx: Variable, usually large, closed or somewhat open; lobes short, broad, rather obtuse. Calyx tube rather short, wide, broadly conical; stamens median to basal (Beach).
Basin: Plaited, medium in width. Shallow (Thomas) to medium in depth. Beach describes it as obtuse to somewhat abrupt, irregularly furrowed and wrinkled, and often with mammiform protuberances.
Skin: Thick, smooth, rather tough. Bright crimson at first (Downing). Beach describes it as dark crimson, largely striped and splashed with purplish carmine. At maturity it becomes very dark crimson or purplish, dark purple, or dark blackish crimson to blackish purple, eventually almost black. A portion of the greenish-yellow ground color is sometimes exposed (Beach). Lowther's table gives simply red. D. D. Stone of Oswego reports that the fruit known to him as Detroit Red cracks badly.
Dots: Numerous, conspicuous, very small, pale or russet (Beach). Elliott and Downing describe the fruit as dotted and marbled with fawn-colored specks on the sunny side.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, snow-white in Beach's words. Elliott and Thomas describe it as often stained with red. Downing says it is sometimes stained with red to the core in exposed specimens. Beach gives sometimes streaked or stained with red, occasionally streaked with rose-pink. Crisp, juicy; Beach calls it rather coarse and tender. Flavor agreeable subacid, which Downing calls "sprightly" and Beach "mild," "pleasant," and "very aromatic." Downing and Lowther give quality "good"; Beach gives "good to very good."
Core and seeds: Core medium to large, axile. Elliott calls it large and hollow; Beach gives the cells as closed, with core lines meeting or clasping. Carpels roundish to elliptical, rather flat, usually tufted. Seeds rather large, plump, obtuse to acute, moderately light brown (Beach).
Season
The recorded season runs from the last of September into February. Elliott and Downing give October to February. Beach gives last of September to December. He says the fruit is quite variable in keeping qualities and commonly in season about with Maiden Blush. Lowther's table gives winter.
Uses
Beach says it is esteemed by many for dessert use because of its mild, pleasant flavor. Lowther gives it for both kitchen and market. Beach reports considerable loss from fruit too small or too ill-shaped for market.
Subtypes / Variants
Beach could not determine whether there are in fact two distinct varieties of this type. He left open whether the observed differences are altogether due to the conditions under which the fruit was produced. Those differences lie in the habit of growth and productiveness of the tree and in the form, size, general appearance, season, and quality of the fruit.
Warder, in 1867, wrote: "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. * * * The Red variety may be distinct, as it keeps later."
Lyon, in 1890, recognized two or more varieties of this type, distinguished as Detroit Black and Detroit Red. Of Detroit Red he wrote: "There are probably several varieties grown under this name, none of them valuable." Of The Detroit Black he said: "Unproductive, showy, valueless; it is probably the Detroit Red of Downing."
D. D. Stone of Oswego wrote in 1904: "It seems to me that the two are not the same. Detroit Black seems to be more of a scrubby grower, the shape, size, firmness and color seem to be more constant and it does not crack so badly as the one we know as Detroit Red, but the season appears to be 'the same.'"
Thomas describes the Black Detroit, or Grand Sachem, as a larger apple, more irregular, and "rather dry fruit of inferior quality."
Hedrick states that several apples have been grown under the name Detroit Red. He judged it not worth while to straighten out the "nomenclatorial tangle," and held that his description "makes the identification of the true Detroit Red an easy task."
Other
Lowther's station table records Detroit Red at one Northern Division station, two Central Division stations, and one Southern Division station. The Northern and Central entries are also reported in another division. Beach cites a figure and colored plate in Emmons's Natural History of New York (1851) and a figure in Warder (1867).
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Detroit
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Detroit
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1904) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Red Detroit
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
View original book sources (6)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Detroit. Foreign. Red Detroit, | Jacksonia, Black Detroit, | Crimson Pippin. Foreign. Introduced to Detroit, Michigan, by early French settlers. Fruit, medium to large, roundish flattened, dark, blackish crimson, dotted and marbled with fawn specks in sun ; cavity, deep ; calyx, closed ; basin, plaited ; core, large, hollow ; flesh, white, often stained with red to the core, crisp, juicy, sub-acid. October to February. This is sometimes grown as the Black Apple.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Detroit Red.
Detroit. Black Apple of some. Large Black.
This fruit, commonly known in Western New York and Michigan as the Detroit, is supposed to have been brought to the neighborhood of Detroit by early French settlers, and thence disseminated.
Fruit of medium or rather large size, roundish, somewhat conical, bright crimson at first, but becoming dark blackish purple at maturity, somewhat dotted and marbled with specks of fawn color on the sunny side. Flesh white (sometimes stained with red to the core in exposed specimens), crisp, juicy, of agreeable, sprightly subacid flavor. Good. October to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Detroit. (Red Detroit.) Medium or rather large, roundish or slightly conical; skin thick, smooth, dark purple when mature; cavity deep; basin shallow, plaited; flesh white, often stained with red, crisp, of an agreeable sub-acid flavor.
The Black Detroit, or Grand Sachem, is a larger apple, more irregular; rather dry fruit of inferior quality.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)DETROIT RED.
REFERENCES. 1. Mag. Hort., 10:167. 1844. 2. Downing, 1845:106. 3. Horticulturist, 1:361. 1846. 4. N. Y. Agr. Soc. Trans., 1846:192. 5. Thomas, 1849:164. 6. Cole, 1849:115. 7. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:65. 1851. fig., col. pl. 8. Elliott, 1854:130. 9. Downing, 1857:134. 10. Warder, 1867:532. fig. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1873. 12. Wickson, 1889:245. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:290. 14. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 15. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:291. 1901.
SYNONYMS. Black Apple of some (2, 9). BLACK DETROIT (5, 7). Black Detroit (2, 8). Crimson Pippin (6, 8, of some 2). DETROIT (1, 2, 4, 6, 8). Detroit (9). DETROIT BLACK (10). DETROIT RED (3, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15). Detroit Red? (10).
Fruit growers in Western New York have commonly used the names Detroit Red and Detroit Black interchangeably for the remarkably variable variety which we are here describing as Detroit Red. We have been unable to determine whether there are in fact two distinct varieties of this type, or whether the differences which have been observed in the habit of growth and productiveness of the tree and in the form, size, general appearance, season and quality of the fruit, are altogether due to differences in the conditions under which the fruit has been produced. Speaking of these two names, Warder, in 1867, wrote, "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. * * * The Red variety may be distinct, as it keeps later." Lyon (13) recognized two or more varieties of this type and distinguished them by the names Detroit Black and Detroit Red. Speaking of Detroit Red, he remarks: "There are probably several varieties grown under this name, none of them valuable;" and of The Detroit Black he says: "Unproductive, showy, valueless; it is probably the Detroit Red of Downing."
D. D. Stone, of Oswego, writes¹: "It seems to me that the two are not the same. Detroit Black seems to be more of a scrubby grower, the shape, size, firmness and color seem to be more constant and it does not crack so badly as the one we know as Detroit Red, but the season appears to be 'the same.'"
Detroit Red, or as it is often called, Detroit Black, as usually grown in Western New York, varies from medium to very large, commonly averaging about medium size. It is flattened at the ends, very dark crimson or purplish, becoming almost black, with snow-white flesh occasionally streaked with rosepink. It is esteemed by many for dessert use because of its mild, pleasant flavor. There is considerable loss from premature dropping of the fruit and from fruit that is too small or too illshapen for market. It is quite variable in keeping qualities, being commonly in season about with Maiden Blush. The tree is a moderate grower, comes into bearing rather young, and is not a very reliable cropper. Some report that it is a shy bearer; others that it yields moderate to full crops biennially.
Historical. This is supposed to have been brought into the neighborhood of Detroit by the early French settlers and thence disseminated (1, 2, 4, 8). It was introduced into Ohio and Western New York before the middle of the last century. The variety is still sometimes listed by nurserymen (14). Its cultivation in New York state is declining and it is now seldom planted.
TREE. Tree medium or eventually large, moderately vigorous to vigorous. Form upright spreading or roundish. Twigs medium to long, moderately slender, dark brown.
FRUIT. Fruit very large to medium. Form oblate conic varying to roundish oblate, often strongly ribbed, irregular. Stem short, usually rather slender. Cavity often very large, acute to nearly acuminate, deep, moderately broad to very broad, frequently compressed, usually thinly russeted. Calyx variable, usually large, closed or somewhat open; lobes short, broad, rather obtuse. Basin medium in width and depth, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, irregularly furrowed and wrinkled and often with mammiform protuberances.
¹ Letter, 1904.
Skin thick, rather tough, dark crimson, largely striped and splashed with purplish-carmine eventually becoming almost black, sometimes having a portion of the greenish-yellow ground color exposed. Dots numerous, conspicuous, very small, pale or russet. Calyx tube rather short, wide, broadly conical. Stamens median to basal. Core medium to large, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting or clasping. Carpels roundish to elliptical, rather flat, usually tufted. Seeds rather large, plump, obtuse to acute, moderately light brown. Flesh white, sometimes streaked or stained with red, rather coarse, tender, juicy, agreeable mild subacid, very aromatic, good to very good.
Season last of September to December.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Detroit Red. Size: medium. Form: roundish oblate. Color: red. Quality: good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division stations reporting: 1 (also reported in another division); Central Division stations reporting: 2 (also reported in another division); Southern Division stations reporting: 1.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)DETROIT RED. Detroit Black. Several apples have been grown under the name Detroit Red, but since none is of much value, and all are passing from cultivation, it is not worth while to attempt to straighten out the nomenclatorial tangle. The description below makes the identification of the true Detroit Red an easy task. This old and unique variety is supposed to have been grown and disseminated by French settlers near Detroit nearly two centuries ago.
Tree large, upright-spreading or roundish. Fruit large, oblate-conic to round-oblate, often strongly ribbed, irregular; stem short, slender; cavity very large, acute, deep, broad to very broad, frequently compressed, usually thinly russeted; calyx variable, large, closed or open; lobes short, broad, obtuse; basin medium in width and depth, obtuse, irregularly furrowed and wrinkled and often with mammiform protuberances; skin thick, tough, dark crimson, striped and splashed with carmine becoming almost black, sometimes having a portion of the greenish-yellow ground color exposed; dots numerous, conspicuous, very small, pale or russet; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; stamens median; core round, flat, tufted; seeds large, plump, obtuse, light brown; flesh white, streaked or stained with red, coarse, tender, juicy, mild subacid, very aromatic; good to very good; last of September to December.