Kaighn's Spitzenburg
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Kaighn's Spitzenburg
Origin/History
Kaighn's Spitzenburg is an old variety of New Jersey origin, first cultivated in Gloucester County, New Jersey, where it takes its name from a family residing there (Coxe, 1817). According to Dr. Warder, as reported at an Ohio Pomological Meeting, the variety came originally from Kaighn's Point, and the name "Spitzenberg" was derived from a mountain ("berg") (Elliott, 1865). From its New Jersey origin the variety was disseminated through various parts of the West, reaching even to the Pacific Coast. By 1905 (Beach) it was reported as practically obsolete in New York. It is often grown in Michigan as Red Belleflower (Elliott, 1865).
Downing noted that Kaighn's Spitzenburg and Long Red Pearmain, for many years considered identical, are in reality distinct varieties in both tree and fruit. He gives a long list of synonyms for Long Red Pearmain, and adds, "The true Kaign's Spitzenburg, so far as I know, has no synonyms."
Tree
The tree is of spreading growth and a very unsightly form (Coxe, 1817); described elsewhere as vigorous, of spreading or straggling habit (Downing; Beach). It is very productive — annually productive (Elliott) — and is valued only because of its showy fruit (Downing). Shoots are slender (Warder).
Fruit
Size and Form: Rather large to large; oblong, oblong oval approaching conic, or oblong rounded; slightly conic, truncated, regular (Warder). Coxe notes a faint resemblance to the Esopus Spitzemberg, but more pointed toward the crown.
Stem: Long, slender, red (Warder); long and deeply planted (Coxe). Elliott, by contrast, describes the stem as "about even with surrounding surface."
Cavity: Deep, acute, regular, brown (Warder); deep, regular (Elliott). The crown is described as very hollow by Coxe.
Calyx/Eye: Eye medium, closed; segments reflexed (Warder). Calyx small (Elliott).
Basin: Deep, abrupt, folded or regular (Warder); slightly furrowed (Elliott).
Skin: Smooth (Coxe); surface smooth. Color is a lively but pale red, faintly streaked, and full of white spots (Coxe); whitish yellow, mostly shaded and striped with red, and thickly sprinkled with minute dots (Downing); yellow, striped crimson, with minute dots (Warder); yellow, mostly overspread with bright clear red (Elliott).
Flesh/Flavor: Yellow to yellowish; finely flavored, juicy, and tender (Coxe); breaking, juicy, with flavor acid to sub-acid, rather rich (Warder); coarse, crisp, juicy, pleasant subacid (Downing); coarse and dry (Elliott). Quality "good" (Downing; Elliott); good for culinary use (Warder).
Core/Seeds: Core large, pyriform, regular, clasping, generally open (Warder); core small (Elliott). Seeds numerous, plump, angular, loose (Warder); seeds irregular in form (Elliott).
Season
A beautiful early winter fruit (Coxe). Season November to December (Warder; Elliott); November to January (Downing).
Uses
Good for culinary use; market and drying (Warder). Valued for its showy fruit (Downing; Beach); the name often aids in its sale (Elliott). Coxe regarded it as highly deserving of propagation.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Coxe figures the fruit (1817:128, fig.); Warder and Elliott also provide figures. Elliott explicitly presents his drawing "to aid the unacquainted to detect it."
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (5)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 45. KAIGHNS SPITZEMBERG.
This apple has a faint resemblance to the Esopus Spitzemberg, but is more pointed towards the crown: the colour is a lively but pale red, faintly streaked, and full of white spots: the skin is smooth, the stem long and deeply planted, the crown very hollow—the flesh finely flavoured, yellow, juicy, and tender; a beautiful early winter fruit, highly deserving of propagation. The tree is of spreading growth, and a very unsightly form; its name is derived from a family residing in Gloucester county New-Jersey, where it was first cultivated.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Kaighn's Spitzenberg.—[Coxe.]
From Gloucester County, New Jersey. Tree spreading, very productive; Shoots slender.
Fruit large, handsome, oblong, slightly conic, truncated, regular; Surface smooth, yellow, striped crimson; Dots minute.
Basin deep, abrupt, folded or regular; Eye medium, closed; Segments reflexed.
Cavity deep, acute, regular, brown; Stem long, slender, red.
Core large, pyriform, regular, clasping, generally open; Seeds numerous, plump, angular, loose; Flesh yellow, breaking, juicy; Flavor acid to sub-acid, rather rich; Quality good for culinary use; Market and drying; Season, November, December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Kaighn's Spitzenburg. Red Pearmain. Long John. Red Spitzenburg. Red Pippin. Red Winter Pearmain, erroneously. Red Phoenix. Long Pearmain. Sheepnose of some. Lady Finger, erroneously. Russam. Scarlet Pearmain, erroneously. Hudson Red Streak. Origin, Gloucester Co., N. J. Tree vigorous, spreading or straggling habit, productive, and valued only because of its showy fruit. Fruit rather large, oblong oval, approaching conic, whitish yellow, mostly shaded and striped with red, and thickly sprinkled with minute dots. Flesh yellowish, coarse, crisp, juicy, pleasant subacid. Good. November to January.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)KAIGHN.
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:128. fig. 2. Downing, Horticulturist, 1:341. 1847. 3. Cole, 1849:125. 4. Thomas, 1849:173. 5. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:60. 1851. 6. Elliott, 1854:141. fig. 7. Hooper, 1857:49. 8. Downing, 1857:158. 9. Warder, 1867:681. fig. 10. Downing, 1876:55 app. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:242.
SYNONYMS. KAIGHN (11). KAIGHN'S SPITZEMBURG (1). KAIGHN'S SPITZENBERG (3, 6, 9). KAIGHN'S SPITZENBERGH (2). KAIGHN'S SPITZENBURG (7, 12). KAIGHN'S SPITZENBURGH (4, 5, 8). KAIGN'S SPITZENBURG (10). Lady Finger (erroneously 6, 7). Long John (6, 7). Long Pearmain (6, 7). Ohio Wine (6). Red Pearmain (6, 7, 8). Red Phoenix (6). Red Pippin (6). Red Spitzenberg (6). Red Spitzenburg (8). Red Winter Pearmain (6). Russam (6). Scarlet Pearmain, erroneously (6).
Downing states that Kaign's Spitzenberg and Long Red Pearmain, for many years considered identical, are in reality distinct varieties in both tree and fruit. He gives a long list of synonyms for Long Red Pearmain including all of the synonyms cited above and adds, “ The true Kaign’s Spitzenburg, so far as I know, has no synonyms ” (10).
This is an old variety of New Jersey origin which has been disseminated through various parts of the West even to the Pacific Coast. The fruit is showy and the tree productive. The tree makes a spreading, straggling growth (1, 11). According to Coxe (1) the fruit bears “a faint resemblance to the Esopus Spitzemberg but is more pointed toward the crown ; the color is a lively but pale red, faintly streaked and full of white spots ; the skin is smooth, the stem long and deeply planted, the crown very hollow the flesh finely flavored, yellow, juicy and tender.”
It is now practically obsolete in New York.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Kaighn's Spitzenberg.
This variety is showy, annually productive, and that is all of its good qualities. We present the drawing to aid the unacquainted to detect it, as the name often aids in its sale. Dr. Warder, at the late Ohio Pom. Meeting, stated that it came originally from Kaighn's Point, and the name, Spitzenberg, was derived from a mountain "berg." Fruit, large, oblong rounded; yellow, mostly overspread with bright clear red; stem, about even with surrounding surface; cavity, deep, regular; calyx, small; basin, slightly furrowed; core, small; seeds, irregular in form; flesh, yellowish, coarse, dry; "good." November and December. Often grown in Michigan as Red Belleflower.