Hoary Morning

Apple

Origin / History

An English variety, probably originating in Somersetshire and first recorded about 1819 (Bunyard). A favourite in the West of England (Bunyard). Foreign in origin (Elliott). Referenced in Ronalds, p. 28; known on the Continent as Brouillard (French) and Morgendust (German) (Bunyard).

Tree

Growth moderate; fertility moderate (Bunyard). Leaf roundish, rather dark, down hanging, upfolded, undulating, serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size and form: Sources disagree on size — Downing and Elliott describe it as large, while Bunyard describes it as small to medium, measuring 3½ by 2¼ inches. Thomas calls it large. Form is oblate conic (Downing, Thomas), roundish (Elliott), or flattened conical (Bunyard).

Stem / Cavity: Stem short and thick, set in a wide deep cavity (Bunyard). Not described in the other sources.

Calyx / Basin: Eye closed, in a very shallow ribbed basin (Bunyard). Not described in the other sources.

Skin: Pale yellow ground (Bunyard) or yellow (Downing), splashed and striped with red (Downing), with broad red stripes entirely covering the fruit (Bunyard); red striped on yellow (Elliott); striped (Thomas). Covered with a remarkable bloom (Bunyard, Downing) — the source of the name "Hoary Morning."

Flesh / Flavor: Sources differ on flesh color — white (Downing), pinkish (Elliott), or pale yellow (Bunyard). Texture firm (Downing) or crisp (Bunyard). Flavor brisk subacid (Downing), sub-acid (Thomas), or simply acid (Bunyard). Quality rated "Good" by Downing but "of poor quality" by Bunyard, despite being attractive in appearance.

Core / Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October to December (Downing, Bunyard). Autumn (Thomas).

Uses

Culinary / cooking (Downing, Thomas, Bunyard).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Attractive in appearance but of poor quality (Bunyard).

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 4 catalogs (1900–1913) from England, Illinois

Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (4)

Hoary Morning.

Dianty Apple. Downy. Sam. Rawlings.

An English fruit for culinary purposes, large, oblate conic, yellow, splashed and striped with red, and covered with a bloom. Flesh white, firm, brisk subacid. Good. October, December.

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

HOARY MORNING. Dainty Apple, | Downy, | Sam Rawling's. Foreign. Large, roundish, red striped on yellow; flesh, pinkish. October, December.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Hoary Morning. Large, oblate conic, striped; sub-acid—cooking. Autumn. English.

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

HOARY MORNING. Ronalds, p. 28. F., Brouillard; G., Morgendust. (Dainty, Downy Apple, Sam Rawlings.) Culinary, October to December, small, to medium, 3½ by 2¼, flattened conical. Colour, pale yellow with broad red stripes, entirely covering fruit, and with a remarkable bloom. Flesh, crisp, pale yellow, acid. Eye, closed, in a very shallow ribbed basin. Stem, short and thick in a wide deep cavity. Growth, moderate; fertility, moderate. Leaf, roundish, rather dark, down hanging, upfolded, undulating, serrate. Origin, probably from Somersetshire. First recorded about 1819. A favourite in the West of England; attractive in appearance, but of poor quality.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Bedufteter Morgen A Brouillard Dainty Dainty Apple Dianty Apple Downy Downy Apple General Johnson Morgenduft Sam Rawling's Sam Rawlings Sam. Rawlings