Haute Bonté

Apple

Haute Bonté

Origin/History

An old French dessert apple, known under the synonyms Reinette grise haute bonté and Blandilalie (Downing).

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size: Middling / medium (both sources agree).

Form: Of singular form, growing in ridges like a melon (Coxe); roundish, ribbed (Downing).

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Yellow (both sources agree); faint tinge of red in the sun (Downing).

Flesh/Flavor: The two sources conflict on flesh color and texture. Coxe describes the flesh as yellow, firm, rich, and sprightly, but without any uncommon excellence to recommend it. Downing describes the flesh as greenish white, tender, and juicy, with a brisk subacid flavor.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Ripens in October (Coxe). Keeps from December to February (Downing). The two accounts are consistent with an October harvest and an extended storage season through midwinter.

Uses

Dessert apple (Downing).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

NO. 118. HAUTE BONTE.

An apple of singular form, growing in ridges like a Melon—the size is middling; the skin and flesh yellow, firm, rich, and sprightly; but without any uncommon excellence to recommend it—it ripens in October.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

Haute Bonté. Reinette grise haute bonté. Blandilalie. An old French dessert Apple. Fruit medium, roundish, ribbed, yellow, with faint tinge of red in the sun. Flesh greenish white, tender, juicy, brisk subacid. December to February.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Blandilalie Reinette grise haute bonté Golden Reinette Orleans Reinette Court Pendu de Tournay Yellow Foster English Pippin Longfield Golden Rennet