Gibb
Crab AppleGibb
Origin/History
Originated with George P. Peffer of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, as a seedling of an oblate Yellow Siberian crab crossed with Fall Greening. Listed in the American Pomological Society Catalog (1897).
Tree
The two sources conflict on vigor: Beach (citing Craig) describes the tree as a slow, spreading grower, while Thomas characterizes it as vigorous. Both sources agree it is hardy and very productive. Beach notes it is fairly hardy as far north as Montreal.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Beach describes it as roundish oblate; Thomas as round oblate.
Stem: Short to medium length (Beach) / short (Thomas); both sources agree it is thick.
Cavity: Wide, deep, regular (Beach) / wide, deep (Thomas).
Calyx: Medium size, open.
Basin: Very wide, shallow. Beach describes the surface as wrinkled; Thomas describes it as ribbed.
Skin: Thin (Beach). The two sources describe the ground color and blush differently: Beach gives yellow blushed with dull red, attractive; Thomas gives bright orange yellow, flushed in sun. Beach notes the skin is thinner and much less astringent than Hyslop.
Dots: White, minute (Beach only).
Flesh/Flavor: Both sources describe the flesh as yellow (Beach: "remarkably yellow"; Thomas: "deep yellow"), firm, crisp, and juicy. The flavor characterizations conflict: Beach describes it as pleasantly acid, a little astringent, and sprightly; Thomas gives sub-acid.
Season
Last half of September (Beach). Thomas gives Autumn generally.
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). Thomas calls it "one of the best."
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1891–1901) 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
View original book sources (2)
— 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.