Hibernal—Origin, Russia; this variety represents what is probably the hardiest type of the Russian race of apples; there are several sorts closely resembling, or identical with, Hibernal. Tree vigorous, very spreading, productive. The strong spreading growth makes it especially desirable as a stock for top-grafting, probably the best we have at the present time—Fruit large, irregular, oblate to roundish oblate, conical; skin thick; surface greenish yellow, with a dull bronze mixed red on sunny side, with a few dull crimson splashes; dots white, minute, obscure, often some large russet dots; cavity regular, medium deep, with a large patch of russet radiating out irregularly over nearly the entire base, this is a marked characteristic; stem medium, often short; basin narrow, rather shallow, wrinkled; calyx half open or open. Core closed, meeting; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds few; flesh acid, with some astringency, juicy, good for cooking. Early winter.

HIBERNAL GROUP.

Hibernal, No. 378; Lieby or Recumbent, 240; Yellow Arcadian, 327; Juicy Burr, 544 (spurious); Romenskoe, 599 (spurious); Silken Leaf, 75 M.; Recumbent, 41 M.; Zusoff, (spurious); Pendent Ear; Omensk, (spurious); Romna, (spurious); Ostrakoff, United States Department, (spurious).

DESCRIPTION:

Hibernal—siez, 5; form, oblate; color, yellowish green, stripes and splashes of pale red, many white dots; cavity, medium narrow, deep, russeted extending over base; stem, medium; basin, broad, medium deep, corrugated; calyx, half open; flesh, yellowish green, medium fine; flavor, sour; season early winter; origin, Russia.

C. G. Patten: "I find that Pendent Ear is not one-tenth the value of Hibernal with me, because it does not bear, and yet the fruit is the same." (Rus. Nom. Com.)

[Additional entry in this volume: "Recumbent", pp. 90–90]

Recumbent (Lejanka, 41 M)—Origin, Russia; nearly or quite identical with Hibernal and equally valuable, see Hibernal group—Fruit large, roundish oblate, somewhat angular; surface greenish yellow, partially and sparsely covered with broken stripes and splashes of dull red, the color is not solid but somewhat bronzed and mixed; dots russet, rough, scattered, a few white dots; cavity regular, medium, with much russet; the russet in most specimens radiating out all over the base; stem medium, stout, curved; basin wide, shallow, corrugated around the eye; calyx closed, segments erect convergent. Core open; tube long and very broad; stamens median; flesh juicy, acid, good for culinary. Late fall, early winter.

— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

Recumbent. (Lieby.) Large, irregular, oblate; yellow splashed red and crimson; cavity deep, regular, basin wide; skin astringent, good for cooking. Fig. 431. Russian.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

HIBERNAL.

REFERENCES. 1. Budd, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:525. 2. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:156. 3. Tuttle, Ib., 8:136. 1881-82. 4. Ib., 1883:98. 5. Gibb, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:440. 6. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1885:15. 7. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886-87:15. 8. Schroeder, Ib., 1886-87:71. 9. Craig, Ib., 1886-87:103. 10. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1890:20. 11. Can. Hort., 13:216. 1890. 12. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 19:537. 1892. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 14. Taylor, Me. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1892:57, 58. 15. Freeborn, Nat. Nurseryman, 1894:132. 16. Can. Hort., 17:7. 1894. 17. Gard. and For., 8:340. 1895. 18. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1896:74. 19. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 61:30. 1897. 20. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:13. 21. Troop, Ind. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:80. 1899. 22. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:296. 1901. 23. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:39. 1901. 24. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:57. 1902. fig. 25. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 1902:83, 87. 26. Budd-Hansen, 1903:98. fig.

SYNONYMS. HIBERNAL (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26). Hibernal (8). No. 378 (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 25, 26). Orsimus (4, 5, 6). Osimof (8). Romna (23).

A Russian variety which is proving valuable in portions of the Upper Mississippi valley and the Northwest because of its ability to withstand the rigorous climatic conditions of those regions. Hansen says of it: "This variety represents what is probably the hardiest type of the Russian race of apples; there are several sorts closely resembling, or identical with, Hibernal. Tree vigorous, very spreading, productive. The strong spreading growth makes it especially desirable as a stock for top-grafting, probably the best we have at the present time. Fruit large, irregular, oblate to roundish oblate conical; skin thick; surface greenish-yellow, with a dull bronze mixed red on sunny side, with a few dull crimson splashes; dots white, minute, obscure, often some large russet dots; cavity regular, medium deep, with a large patch of russet radiating out irregularly over nearly the entire base, this is a marked characteristic; stem medium, often short; basin narrow, rather shallow, wrinkled; calyx half open or open. Core closed, meeting; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds few; flesh acid, with some astringency, juicy, good for cooking. Early winter" (24, 26).

Macoun reports "Flesh yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, acid; core small; quality above medium; season September to November. Tree very hardy, a strong, spreading grower, and very productive. Although not a good dessert fruit this is a fine cooking apple and on account of its great hardiness and productiveness is one of the best of the Russian apples" (23).

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Hibernal (No. 378). — Origin, Russia. This variety represents what is probably the hardiest type of the Russian race of apples; there are several sorts closely resembling, or identical with, Hibernal; tree vigorous, very spreading, productive. The strong spreading growth makes it desirable as a stock for top-grafting. Fruit large, irregular, roundish, often oblate, conical, skin thick; surface greenish yellow, with a dull bronze mixed red on sunny side with a few dull crimson splashes; dots white, minute, obscure, often some large russet dots; cavity regular, medium deep, with a large patch of russet radiating out irregularly over nearly the entire base, this is a marked characteristic; stem medium, often short; basin narrow, rather shallow, wrinkled; calyx half open or open. Core closed, meeting; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds few; flesh acid with some astringency, juicy, good for cooking. Late fall and early winter. Hibernal.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

Hibernal

The Hibernal is a Russian variety that is proving valuable in the Upper Mississippi valley and the Middle Northwest, because of its ability to withstand the rigorous climatic conditions of those regions. Hansen says of it: "This variety represents what is probably the hardiest type of the Russian race of apples. There are several sorts closely resembling or almost identical with the Hibernal. Tree vigorous, very spreading, productive. The strong spreading growth makes it especially desirable as a stock for top-grafting probably the best we have at the present time. Fruit large, irregular, oblate to roundish oblate conical; surface greenish yellow, with a dull bronze mixed red on the sunny side, with a few dull crimson splashes; dots white, minute, obscure, often some large russet dots; cavity large, regular, medium, deep, with a large patch of russet radiating out irregularly nearly over the entire base; this is a marked characteristic. Stem medium, often short, basin narrow, rather shallow, wrinkled; calyx half open or open. Core closed, meeting; tube funnel shaped, stamens median. Seeds few; flesh acid with some astringency, juicy, good for cooking. Early winter."

Macoun reports: "Flesh yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, acid; core small, quality above medium; season September to November. Tree very hardy, a strong spreading grower, and very productive. Although not a good dessert apple, it is fine for cooking; on account of its great hardiness and productiveness it is one of the best of the Russian apples."

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

HIBERNAL. Romna.

Hibernal ranks among the best of the Russian apples—one of the most valuable in rigorous climates in the United States and Canada. The fruit is but mediocre for dessert or cooking, but the tree commends the variety most highly. The tree is not only one of the hardiest of its type, but also one of the most vigorous, healthy, and productive, making an excellent orchard plant either to produce its own fruit or upon which to graft less hardy or less vigorous varieties. The variety was imported from Russia between 1870 and 1880.

Tree vigorous, spreading, drooping; branches short, stout, curved, crooked and drooping. Fruit large, not uniform in shape or size, usually oblate-conic, often with sides unequal; stem short and stout, pubescent; cavity large, acute, deep, wide, furrowed, occasionally lipped, russeted; calyx large, open or partly closed; lobes often separated at the base, broad, acute; basin large, often oblique, narrow, abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thick, tough, smooth or roughened with flecks of russet; color pale yellow, with thin bloom, blushed and striped with bright carmine; dots small, numerous, pale yellow or gray, conspicuous; calyx-tube long, wide, funnel-shape; stamens median; core small, axile; cells closed; core-lines meeting; carpels round-ovate, emarginate, tufted; seeds small, short, plump, obtuse, dark brown; flesh yellow, firm, coarse, juicy, brisk subacid; astringent; fair to good; September to January.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Planted Spring 1896. Tree a strong grower. Fruit large, broadly conical. Skin greenish yellow with a pale red cheek. Flesh white, brisk, pleasantly acid, quality good. Season October.

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit large, oblong, conical. Skin greenish, with a faint blush on the sunny side. Flesh white, moderately juicy, a little coarse, sub-acid, quality poor. Season late Autumn.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)