Gibb
Crab AppleGibb
Origin/History
Gibb originated with George P. Peffer of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, as a seedling cross of an oblate Yellow Siberian crab with Fall Greening (Fall Green apple), using Fall Greening as the pollen parent (Budd-Hansen). Hedrick notes that Gibb is a cross between the common apple and the crab-apple, with characters that make it somewhat doubtful with which of its parents — Yellow Siberian or Fall Greening — it should be placed. The variety was first described in 1884 (Hedrick). Thomas attributes the variety to Wisconsin.
Tree
Tree vigorous (Thomas, Hedrick), hardy (Thomas), and productive (Thomas). Beach describes the tree as a slow, spreading grower, fairly hardy as far north as Montreal, and very productive. Hedrick describes the tree as upright-spreading, slow in growth, very hardy and very productive, noting that the trees are slow growing but eventually attain large growth, and are very hardy and fruitful.
Fruit
Size
Large.
Form
Roundish oblate (Beach, Hedrick); round oblate (Thomas); roundish oblate, very regular (Budd-Hansen).
Stem
Short to medium length, thick (Beach); short, thick (Thomas, Hedrick); medium long (Budd-Hansen).
Cavity
Wide, deep, regular (Beach, Hedrick, Thomas — Thomas omits "regular"); regular (Budd-Hansen).
Calyx
Medium size, open (Beach, Thomas, Hedrick); open (Budd-Hansen).
Basin
Very wide, shallow, wrinkled (Beach, Hedrick); very wide, shallow, ribbed (Thomas); shallow, wide, often wrinkled around the eye (Budd-Hansen).
Skin
Thin, yellow, blushed with dull red, attractive (Beach); bright orange yellow, flushed in sun (Thomas); rich orange yellow, blushed on sunny side, with a little thin net-veining of russet, a beautiful fruit (Budd-Hansen); thin, yellow, blushed with dull red (Hedrick). Beach notes the skin is thinner and the fruit much less astringent than Hyslop. Dots white, minute (Beach, Budd-Hansen, Hedrick).
Flesh/Flavor
Remarkably yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasantly acid, a little astringent, sprightly (Beach). Deep yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, sub-acid (Thomas). Rich orange yellow, juicy, pleasant acid (Budd-Hansen). Remarkably yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasant acid, astringent, sprightly; fair to good (Hedrick). Hedrick separately describes the flesh as juicy, pleasantly acidulous, and very good. Thomas calls it "One of the best."
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Last half of September (Beach); September (Budd-Hansen); autumn (Thomas); early (Beach, Hedrick).
Uses
Highly esteemed for canning (Beach). Recommended for the home orchard and worthy of trial for commercial planting where a crabapple of its season is desired (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Budd-Hansen also lists the variety as "Gibb Crab."
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 5 catalogs (1891–1913) from Illinois, Missouri
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Cotta Nursery (J.V. Cotta) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1895
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (4)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)GIBB.
REFERENCES. 1. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1884:35. fig. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1885:29. 3. Stark, Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886:233. 4. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1889:22. 5. Craig, Can. Hort., 15:225. 1892. fig. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:11. 7. Thomas, 1897:298. fig. 8. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:47. 1903. 9. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:42. 1903. 10. Budd-Hansen, 1903:219. fig.
SYNONYMS. None.
Fruit large, yellow blushed with dull red. It is thinner skinned and much less astringent than Hyslop with remarkably yellow flesh. It is highly esteemed for canning; season last half of September. It is recommended for the home orchard and is worthy of trial for commercial planting where a crabapple of its season is desired. The tree is a slow, spreading grower, fairly hardy as far north as Montreal, very productive (5).
Historical. Originated with George P. Peffer, Pewaukee, Wis., being a seedling of an oblate Yellow Siberian crab crossed with Fall Greening (5, 10).
FRUIT (5, 7, 10). Fruit large. Form roundish oblate. Stem short to medium length, thick. Cavity wide, deep, regular. Calyx medium size, open. Basin very wide, shallow, wrinkled. Skin thin, yellow, blushed with dull red, attractive. Dots white, minute. Flesh remarkably yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasantly acid, a little astringent, sprightly. Season early.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Gibb. Large, round oblate; bright orange yellow, flushed in sun; stem short, thick; cavity wide, deep; calyx medium, open; basin very wide, shallow, ribbed; flesh deep yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, sub-acid. Tree vigorous, hardy, and productive. One of the best. Autumn. Fig. 482. Wisconsin.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Gibb.—Originated by the late Geo. P. Peffer, Pewaukee, Wisconsin, by crossing an oblate yellow Siberian crab with pollen of the Fall Green apple.
Gibb Crab.
Fruit large, roundish oblate, very regular; surface rich orange yellow, blushed on sunny side, with a little thin net-veining of russet, a beautiful fruit; dots white, minute; cavity regular; stem medium long; basin shallow, wide, often wrinkled around the eye; calyx open; flesh a rich orange yellow, juicy, pleasant acid. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)GIBB.
Gibb is another cross between the common apple and the crab-apple, with characters that make it somewhat doubtful with which of its parents, Yellow Siberian and Fall Greening, it should be placed. The fruits are large, yellow, blushed with dull red, with remarkably yellow flesh, which is juicy, pleasantly acidulous, and very good. The trees are slow growing but eventually attain large growth, and are very hardy and fruitful. Gibb originated with George P. Peffer, Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The variety was first described in 1884.
Tree vigorous, upright-spreading, slow in growth, very hardy and very productive. Fruit large, round-oblate; stem short, thick; cavity wide, deep, regular; calyx of medium size, open; basin very wide, shallow, wrinkled; skin thin, yellow, blushed with dull red; dots white, minute; flesh remarkably yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasant acid, astringent, sprightly; fair to good; early.