Greenville
AppleGreenville
Origin / History
Originated from seed of Maiden Blush in 1874 by Jason Downing, on his farm in Darke County, Ohio. E. M. Buechly, Greenville, Ohio, introduced it under the name Downing's Winter Maiden Blush but afterwards changed the name to Greenville. Hedrick calls it a seedling of the well-known Maiden Blush, which it much resembles, differing chiefly in bearing winter instead of fall apples; he calls it "a good winter apple, but quite destitute of any characters that would make it stand forth preeminently," and says its culture is confined to its native state. Beach says it has not yet become generally disseminated in New York, and that it does not excel in quality.
Tree
Tree vigorous, upright becoming rather spreading (upright-spreading, Hedrick). Twigs below medium, rather slender to moderately stout, nearly straight; internodes medium or below. Bark clear reddish-brown or olive-green, somewhat pubescent. Lenticels rather conspicuous, moderately numerous, small to medium, usually elongated, raised. Buds below medium, generally roundish, slightly pubescent, acute, appressed. Satisfactorily productive (Beach); a heavy bearer (Hedrick). Usually an annual bearer, alternating light with heavier crops.
Fruit
Size: Large to medium.
Form: Roundish oblate to roundish oblong, usually symmetrical but sometimes slightly irregular or obscurely ribbed, uniform in shape.
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Acute to acuminate, rather deep (deep, Hedrick), moderately wide (wide, Hedrick), symmetrical or nearly so, sometimes slightly furrowed, sometimes lipped, often a little russeted.
Calyx: Medium, closed or somewhat open; lobes often long, acuminate. Calyx tube rather narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median.
Basin: Shallow to moderately deep, usually furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin: Tough, waxen, clear pale yellow with a handsome red or pinkish blush; in appearance somewhat resembling the Maiden Blush. Fruit attractive on account of its desirable size and clear bright color (Beach).
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Whitish slightly tinged with yellow (yellow, Hedrick); firm, crisp, moderately fine, moderately tender, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid, sometimes a little astringent. Quality good.
Core and seeds: Core medium, abaxile; cells closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish. Seeds medium or above (large, Hedrick), rather light brown, rather narrow, acute.
Season
November to February, sometimes extending into April. Commercial limit January or, in cold storage, February (Beach).
Uses
Suitable for general market and culinary purposes. The tough skin withstands rough handling pretty well for a yellow apple (Beach).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
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
These are probably the same.
Probably Winter Maiden Blush. Pomologist
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois, Washington
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)GREENVILLE.
REFERENCES. 1. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:587. 1894. 2. Buechly, E. M., Greenville, Ohio, Cat., 1895. fig. 3. Amer. Gard., 17:162. 1896. fig. 4. Can. Hort., 19:86. 1896. fig. 5. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 15:280. 1896. 6. Ib., Western N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:35. 7. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:43. 1903. 8. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:42. 1903. 9. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:123. 1904.
SYNONYM. DOWNING WINTER MAIDEN BLUSH (1, 2, 3, 4). Downing Winter Maiden Blush (5, 6, 7, 9).
Fruit attractive on account of its desirable size and clear bright color. The skin is tough and withstands rough handling pretty well for a yellow apple. Suitable for general market and culinary purposes but it does not excel in quality. The tree is satisfactorily productive, being usually an annual bearer alternating light with heavier crops.
Historical. Originated from seed of Maiden Blush in 1874 by Jason Downing, Darke county, Ohio. E. M. Buechly, Greenville, Ohio, introduced it under the name Downing's Winter Maiden Blush but afterwards changed the name to Greenville. It has not yet become generally disseminated in New York.
TREE.
Tree vigorous, upright becoming rather spreading. Twigs below medium, rather slender to moderately stout, nearly straight; internodes medium or below. Bark clear reddish-brown or olive-green, somewhat pubescent. Lenticels rather conspicuous, moderately numerous, small to medium, usually elongated, raised. Buds below medium, generally roundish, slightly pubescent, acute, appressed.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to medium. Form roundish oblate to roundish oblong, usually symmetrical but sometimes slightly irregular or obscurely ribbed, uniform in shape. Stem short. Cavity acute to acuminate, rather deep, moderately wide, symmetrical or nearly so, sometimes slightly furrowed, sometimes lipped, often a little russeted. Calyx medium, closed or somewhat open; lobes often long, acuminate. Basin shallow, to moderately deep, usually furrowed and wrinkled. Skin tough, waxen, clear pale yellow with handsome red or pinkish blush, in appearance somewhat resembling the Maiden Blush. Calyx tube rather narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median. Core medium, abaxile; cells closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish. Seeds medium or above, rather light brown, rather narrow, acute. Flesh whitish slightly tinged with yellow, firm, crisp, moderately fine, moderately tender, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid, sometimes a little astringent, good. Season November to February, sometimes extending into April. Commercial limit January or, in cold storage, February.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)GREENVILLE. Winter Maiden Blush. Greenville is a seedling of the well-known Maiden Blush, which it much resembles, differing chiefly in bearing winter instead of fall apples. The tree is a heavy and an annual bearer, a light crop usually alternating with a heavy one. It is a good winter apple, but quite destitute of any characters that would make it stand forth preeminently. The variety originated on the farm of Jason Downing, Darke County, Ohio, in 1874, and its culture is confined to its native state.
Tree vigorous, upright-spreading. Fruit medium to large, round-oblate to round-oblong, symmetrical but sometimes irregular or obscurely ribbed, uniform in shape; stem short; cavity acute, deep, wide, symmetrical, sometimes furrowed, sometimes lipped, often russeted; calyx closed or open; lobes often long, acuminate; basin shallow, usually furrowed and wrinkled; skin tough, waxen, pale yellow with a red blush; calyx-tube narrow, funnel-form; stamens median; core medium, abaxile; cells closed or partly open; core-lines clasping; carpels broadly roundish; seeds large, light brown, narrow, acute; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, fine, tender, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid, sometimes astringent; good; November to February, sometimes extending into April.