Henwood
Apple
Origin & History: A seedling originated in Indiana, believed to be a seedling of the Ortley. Brought into notice by Lewis Jones of Wayne County, who frequently exhibited the fruit and distributed grafts of this excellent apple, which Warder noted "may compensate for the failure of its reputed parent, the Ortley."
Tree: In growth and appearance much resembling Yellow Bellflower (Downing).
Fruit: Large, oblong, conical or ovate, often angular or ribbed (Warder); Downing describes it simply as oblong conical. Surface smooth, clear pale yellow, rarely with a blush in the sun. Dots scattered, dark (Warder).
Stem: Long, slender.
Cavity: Deep, acute, wavy (Warder).
Calyx & Eye: Small, closed (Warder describes the eye as small and closed; Downing notes the calyx as small).
Basin: Shallow, often abrupt, folded or plaited (Warder); corrugated (Downing).
Flesh: Warder describes the flesh as yellow, tender, fine-grained, and juicy; Downing describes it as yellowish white, crisp, tender, and juicy. Both agree on tenderness and juiciness; Downing adds crispness while Warder specifies fine grain, and they differ slightly on color — yellow (Warder) versus yellowish white (Downing).
Flavor: Acid to sub-acid, rich (Warder); sharp subacid (Downing).
Core & Seeds: Core rather small, round, regular, open, meeting the eye. Seeds numerous, long, angular (Warder).
Quality: Very good to best (Warder); very good (Downing).
Season: December to February (Warder); January to April (Downing) — suggesting the fruit keeps well into spring in good storage conditions.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Henwood.*
A seedling of Indiana. Brought into notice by Lewis Jones, of Wayne County, who has frequently exhibited the fruit, and distributed grafts of this excellent apple, which may compensate for the failure of its reputed parent, the Ortley.
Fruit large, oblong, conic or ovate, often angular or ribbed; Surface smooth, pale yellow, rarely blushed; Dots scattered, dark.
Basin shallow, often abrupt, folded or plaited; Eye small, closed. Cavity deep, acute, wavy; Stem long, slender.
Core rather small, round, regular, open, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, long, angular; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor acid to sub-acid, rich; Quality very good to best; Season, December to February.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Henwood. Originated in Indiana. Tree in growth and appearance much resembling Yellow Belleflower. Fruit large, oblong conical, clear smooth yellow, with rarely a blush in the sun. Stalk long, slender. Calyx small. Basin corrugated. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy, sharp subacid. Very good January to April.