Gloria Mundi
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Gloria Mundi
Origin / History
The exact place of origin is doubtful, and the honor has been claimed by several localities. Coxe (1817) entered it as the "Monstrous Pippin, or New-York Gloria Mundi" and said it originated on Long Island, New York. Beach quotes Mease, writing in 1804, that "It originated on the farm of Mr. Crooks, near Red Hook in New York," and notes that thirteen years later Coxe credited it with a Long Island origin.
The Herefordshire Pomona believes it to be of American origin. It gives as the general opinion that it originated in the garden of a Mr. Smith in the neighborhood of Baltimore. It also cites the "Allgemeines Teutsches Gartenmagazin" for 1805, which says it was raised by Herr Kunstgartner Maizman of Hanover. If that account is correct, the Pomona reasons, the apple must have been taken to America by Hanoverian emigrants, which would account for the claims of several American localities. The Pomona adds that Dittrich (vol. III, p. 41) confounded the synonyms of Gloria Mundi with Golden Mundi, which he described under the head of Monstrous Pepping. Downing calls the origin unknown. Bunyard calls it American, notes disagreement as to its origin, and says it was first recorded in America in 1804; he cites Ronalds (p. 7), who described it as Mammoth.
Beach says that all that can be stated with certainty is that it is an old variety, known in parts of Eastern New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Hedrick says it was cultivated very generally in the states of the Northeast before 1804, and has since been widely distributed in the United States and Canada. Coxe, Elliott and Thomas enter it under the name Monstrous Pippin.
Comte Lelieur introduced it from America into France in 1804. Captain George Hudson, of the ship Belvidere of Baltimore, brought it to England in 1817 (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard also dates its introduction to England from America to 1817. The George Bunyard & Co. catalog of 1914 says "Introduced in 1817" and calls it "an American variety over 100 years old." It was introduced into Herefordshire.
Hedrick says it is of interest because its fruits are the largest of cultivated apples. Beach says it is seldom cultivated except for exhibition. Coxe judged it not a desirable apple beyond a few trees in a collection.
Tree
Tree large, vigorous, growing freely, hardy and long-lived. Beach calls it spreading; Bunyard calls the growth upright. It forms a large pyramid (Veitch). Leaf large, upcupped, undulating, boldly serrate (Bunyard).
A shy or uncertain bearer in most accounts. Downing calls it "not productive or profitable," Bunyard rates its fertility "very poor" and calls it "too uncertain a cropper in most parts," and the George Bunyard & Co. catalogs of 1901 and 1914 call it a shy bearer. Beach says it has been commonly held to be unproductive, but a few fruit growers in Southeastern New York report that it is a good bearer. The Herefordshire Pomona says it bears abundantly, and Veitch says it bears well as a standard.
The 1901 catalog calls it very fine on cordons or pyramids and of no use for orchards. The 1914 catalog lists it "Paradise only."
Fruit
Size: Immense; of the largest size, very large to large, uniform. The catalogs call it "one of the largest" (1901) and "enormous" (1914). Coxe gives weights of twenty to twenty-seven ounces. The Herefordshire Pomona gives a diameter of sometimes four inches and a half, and Bunyard gives 4 by 3½. The 1901 catalog advises thinning the crop well to obtain exhibition examples.
Form: Roundish to roundish oblate, flattened or truncate at base and apex, slightly conical, ribbed and inclining to be angular on the sides; sides usually unequal. Bunyard calls it square conical. The 1914 Bunyard catalog alone calls it oblong.
Stem: Short to medium, stout or moderately thick.
Cavity: Large, acuminate, moderately deep to deep, broad, wide to very wide, open, furrowed and compressed. The Herefordshire Pomona finds it lined with rough russet, and Bunyard calls it a russet cavity; Beach finds it only sometimes slightly russeted.
Calyx: Eye medium to large, open or partly closed, deeply set; Coxe calls the eye "very deep." Lobes separated at base, short, narrow. Calyx tube very large, long, wide, broadly conical extending to the core, or approaching cylindrical below. Stamens median (Beach).
Basin: Large, wide to rather wide, moderately deep to deep, somewhat abrupt, sometimes compressed, furrowed, ribbed and wrinkled. The ribbing runs from slightly furrowed (Herefordshire Pomona) to boldly ribbed (Bunyard). Thomas gives an obtuse rim.
Skin: Smooth; tough (Hedrick). Green changing to yellow as it ripens. The green is whitish green, grass-green, pea-green, or a handsome pale green (Veitch). It becomes whitish yellow, straw-yellow, or a yellowish shade, and is yellow when ripe (Coxe). Between these stages it is pale yellowish green or greenish yellow. The Herefordshire Pomona gives patches of thin delicate russet and sometimes a faint blush of red next the sun. Beach gives sometimes a faint bronze blush. Prevailing effect yellow or greenish.
Dots: White, numerous; Coxe calls the skin "full of white spots." Small to medium, often areolar with russet center, or light colored and submerged (Beach).
Flesh and flavor: White, or slightly tinged with greenish yellow (Beach). Tender to rather tender, juicy, coarse or rather coarse, moderately crisp. Flavor acid to rather mild subacid. Elliott calls it acid, Downing "a pleasant acid flavor," and Coxe calls the flesh "sprightly." The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "not highly flavoured," and Thomas "not rich." Of the cooked fruit, Bunyard says it cooks a brown color "but is very sweet and rich." Quality "good" (Downing) to "fair or nearly good" (Beach); Veitch calls it "one of the best."
Core and seeds: Core medium to rather large, usually decidedly abaxile; cells symmetrical, open; core lines usually clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to somewhat elliptical, slightly tufted. Seeds moderately dark brown, medium to rather small, rather narrow, short, plump, obtuse to acute, sometimes tufted (Beach).
Season
Late autumn and early winter, October into January. Several authors end the season in December, the rest in January.
Uses
A culinary apple. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it an excellent culinary apple, Thomas a good cooking apple, and the 1914 catalog says it cooks well. Beach and Hedrick call it fit only for culinary uses. Coxe calls it "very excellent for cooking," but says it "has not sufficient flavour for a fine table fruit, and is not rich enough for cider." He adds that its uncommon size subjects it to being blown down and stolen.
It is grown for exhibition, and the 1914 catalog classes it under that heading. Downing calls it not profitable. Beach reports that a few growers in Southeastern New York find it a profitable commercial variety.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Elliott (1865) gives a separate "Pound" entry, distinct from his Monstrous Pippin entry, which may describe a different variety: "Large, roundish oblong, yellowish green, coarse, poor. October, January."]
Book Sources
Described in 8 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817) — listed as Monstrous Pippin
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Monstrous Pippin
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Monstrous Pippin
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 29 catalogs (1845–1936) from England, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Belle Dubois
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891 — listed as Mammoth Pippin
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898 — listed as Mammoth Pippin
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Mammoth
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Mammoth Pippin
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- OSU Bulletin 81 — 1904
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912 — listed as Mammoth Pippin
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Baltimore
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1936
View original book sources (11)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 27. MONSTROUS PIPPIN, OR NEW-YORK GLORIA MUNDI.
This apple originated on Long Island, state of New-York; it is of an uncommonly large size, weighing from twenty to twenty-seven ounces: when ripe, the skin is yellow, smooth, and full of white spots; the stalk is short, and grows in a deep cavity, the eye is also very deep; the flesh is juicy, white, tender, and sprightly, and is very excellent for cooking, but has not sufficient flavour for a fine table fruit, and is not rich enough for cider: its uncommon size subjects it to be blown down, and to be stolen: it is not therefore a desirable apple beyond a few trees in a collection.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Monstrous Pippin, Or New-York Gloria Mundi", pp. 142–142]
NO. 27. MONSTROUS PIPPIN, OR NEW-YORK GLORIA MUNDI.
This apple originated on Long Island, state of New-York; it is of an uncommonly large size, weighing from twenty to twenty-seven ounces: when ripe, the skin is yellow, smooth, and full of white spots; the stalk is short, and grows in a deep cavity, the eye is also very deep; the flesh is juicy, white, tender, and sprightly, and is very excellent for cooking, but has not sufficient flavour for a fine table fruit, and is not rich enough for cider: its uncommon size subjects it to be blown down, and to be stolen: it is not therefore a desirable apple beyond a few trees in a collection.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Monstrous Pippin.
Gloria Mundi, | New York Gloria Mundi, | Baltimore Pippin. American Mammoth, | Ox Apple,
Very large, greenish yellow, roundish ; flesh, white, acid. October, December.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Pound", pp. 196–196]
Pound.
Large, roundish oblong, yellowish green, coarse, poor. October, January.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)Plate X.
- GLORIA MUNDI.
{Syn: Baltimore; Belle Dubois; Mammoth; Monstrous Pippin; Ox Apple.}
This Apple is believed to be of American origin, but some doubts exist as to where it was first raised, that honour being claimed by several different localities. The general opinion however is, that it originated in the garden of a Mr. Smith in the neighbourhood of Baltimore. It was introduced from America into France by Comte Lelieur, in 1804, and was brought over to this country by Captain George Hudson, of the ship Belvidere, of Baltimore, in 1817.
There is, however, some doubt as to whether it is a native of America. In the volume of the "Allgemeines Teutsches Gartenmagazin" for 1805, it is said to have been raised by Herr Kunstgartner Maizman, of Hanover. If this account is correct, the apple must have been taken to America by some of the Hanoverian emigrants, which would account, moreover, for the claim of its origin by different localities there. Dittrich, vol. III, p. 41, has confounded the synonyms of the Gloria Mundi with Golden Mundi, which he has described under the head of Monstrous Pepping.
Description.—Fruit, immensely large, sometimes measuring four inches and a half in diameter; of a roundish shape, inclining to be angular on the sides, and flattened both at the base and apex. Skin, smooth, pale yellowish green, interspersed with white dots, and patches of thin delicate russet, and tinged sometimes with a faint blush of red next the sun. Eye, large, open, and deeply set in a wide and slightly furrowed basin. Stalk, short and stout, inserted in a deep and open cavity, which is lined with rough russet. Flesh, white, tender, and juicy, but not highly flavoured.
It is an excellent culinary apple, in season from October to December.
The tree grows freely, and bears abundantly. It was introduced into Herefordshire, some
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Gloria Mundi. Monstrous Pippin. Belle Josephine. Baltimore of some. Glazenwood Gloria Mundi. Baltimore Pippin. New York Gloria Mundi. American Mammoth. Mississippi? Ox Apple. Origin unknown. Tree vigorous. Not productive or profitable. Fruit very large, roundish oblate, ribbed, greenish yellow. Flesh coarse, tender, with a pleasant acid flavor. Good. October to January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Monstrous Pippin. (Gloria Mundi, Ox Apple, Baltimore.) Very large, roundish, somewhat flattened at the ends, slightly angular or ribbed; skin smooth whitish green, becoming whitish yellow; stalk stout, short; calyx large; basin wide, deep, somewhat ribbed, with an obtuse rim; flesh white, tender, rather coarse, sub-acid, not rich. Late autumn and early winter. A good cooking apple.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)GLORIA MUNDI.
References. 1. Dom. Encyc., 1804 (cited by 4). 2. Am. Gard. Cal., 1806:585. 3. Coxe, 1817:117. fig. 4. Thacher, 1822:131. 5. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 6. Fessenden, 1828:129. 7. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 447. 8. Kenrick, 1832:49. 9. Floy-Lindley, 1833:86. 10. Downing, 1845:110. fig. 11. Cole, 1849:122. 12. Thomas, 1849:182. 13. Phoenix. Horticulturist, 4:470. 1850. 14. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:41. 1851. col. pl. No. 35 and fig. 15. Elliott, 1854:174. 16. Mag. Hort., 23:83. 1857. 17. Hooper, 1857:39. 18. Warder, 1867:719, 725. 19. Downing, 1869:191. 20. Fitz, 1872:168. 21. Leroy, 1873:407. fig. 22. Downing, 1881:11 index, app. 23. Hogg, 1884:85. 24. Wickson, 1889:245. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 26. Green, Rural N. Y., 49:604. 1890. 27. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. 28. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:354. 29. Can. Hort., 23:75. 1900. 30. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:20. 1903.
Synonyms. American Gloria Mundi (4, 7, 21). American Mammoth (7, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21). Baltimore (10, 12, 14, 21, 23, 26, of some 19). Baltimore Pippin (15, 17, 19). Belle Dubois (23). Belle Josephine (19, 21). Copp's Mammoth (22). Glasenwood (10). Glazenwood Gloria Mundi (19, 21, 23). Gloria Mundi (1, 7, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30). Gloria Mundi (5, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 21, 26). Imperatrice Josephine (21). Josephine (21). Kinderhook Pippin (14). Mammoth (21, 23). Mammoth Pippin (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 26). Mammoth Pippin (7, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21). Melon (21). Mississippi? (19). Monstreuse Pippin (21). Monstrous Pippin (23). Mountain Flora (22). N. Y. Gloria Mundi (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 19, 21). Ox Apple (10, 12, 14, 15, 19, 23, 26). Pound (17). Vandyne Apple (9).
Fruit of largest size; seldom cultivated except for exhibition; suitable only for culinary purposes. The tree is large, vigorous, spreading, hardy and long-lived. It has been commonly held to be unproductive, but a few fruit growers in Southeastern New York report that it is a good bearer and a profitable commercial variety. Season October to January.
Historical. The exact place of origin of this apple seems doubtful. In 1804 Mease stated, "It originated on the farm of Mr. Crooks, near Red Hook in New York" (1). Thirteen years later Coxe credited it with a Long Island origin (3). All that can be stated with certainty is that it is an old variety known in parts of Eastern New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the beginning of the last century.
Fruit. Fruit very large or large, uniform. Form roundish with truncate ends, slightly conical, ribbed; sides usually unequal. Stem medium to short, moderately thick. Cavity large, acuminate, moderately deep to deep, broad, furrowed and compressed, sometimes slightly russeted. Calyx medium to large, open or partly closed; lobes separated at base, short, narrow. Basin large, moderately deep to deep, rather wide, somewhat abrupt, sometimes compressed, furrowed and wrinkled. Skin greenish-yellow sometimes with faint bronze blush. Dots small to medium, often areolar with russet center, or light colored and submerged. Prevailing effect yellow or greenish. Calyx tube very large, long, wide, broadly conical extending to core or approaching cylindrical below. Stamens median. Core medium to rather large, usually decidedly abaxile; cells symmetrical, open; core lines usually clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to somewhat elliptical, slightly tufted. Seeds moderately dark brown, medium to rather small, rather narrow, short, plump, obtuse to acute, sometimes tufted. Flesh slightly tinged with greenish-yellow, coarse, moderately crisp, rather tender, juicy, rather mild subacid, fair or nearly good in quality. Season October to January.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)GLORIA MUNDI. Ronalds, p. 7. (as Mammoth). F., Josephine; G., Gloria Mundi. (Baltimore, Belle du Bois (error), Monstrous Pippin, Ox Apple, Grosse de St. Clement.) Culinary, till January, immense, 4 by 3½, square conical, angular. Colour, grass-green, changing to straw-yellow. Flesh, tender, white, sub-acid. Eye open, in a deep wide, boldly ribbed basin. Stem, short, in a very wide and deep russet cavity. Growth, vigorous, upright; fertility very poor. Leaf, large, upcupped, undulating, boldly serrate. Origin, American. Introduced to England from America in 1817. There is some disagreement as to the origin of this apple. It was first recorded in America in 1804. Too uncertain a cropper in most parts. It cooks a brown colour, but is very sweet and rich.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)GLORIA MUNDI. American Mammoth. Pound. Gloria Mundi is of interest because its fruits are the largest of cultivated apples, fit, however, only for culinary uses. All that is known of its history is that it was cultivated in the states of the Northeast very generally before 1804, since which time it has been widely distributed in the United States and Canada.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, hardy, long-lived, but not very productive. Fruit large, uniform, round with truncate ends, conical, ribbed, sides usually unequal; stem short, thick; cavity large, acuminate, deep, broad, furrowed and compressed, sometimes russeted; calyx large, open or partly closed; lobes separated at base, short, narrow; basin large, deep, wide, abrupt; skin tough, smooth, greenish-yellow or yellow, sometimes with faint bronze blush; dots small, often areolar with russet center, or light colored and submerged; prevailing effect yellow; calyx-tube very large, long, wide, broadly conical extending to core; stamens median; core large, usually abaxile; cells symmetrical, open; core-lines usually clasping; carpels broadly roundish to elliptical, tufted; seeds dark brown, small, narrow, short, plump, obtuse, sometimes tufted; flesh yellow, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; fair or good in quality; October to January.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)One of the largest; very fine on Cordons or Pyramids, should be well thinned to obtain exhibition examples; shy bearer; no use for Orchards.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)very large, of a handsome pale green colour, flesh tender and juicy, one of the best, it forms a large pyramid and bears well as a standard
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Exhibition; Oct.-Dec. Enormous oblong, pea-green changing to a yellowish shade; sub-acid, cooks well, shy bearer. An American variety over 100 years old. Introduced in 1817. Paradise only.