May
Apple
May Apple
Origin/History
An old apple, widely disseminated throughout the West, though its history and origin are unknown. Warder notes that a reputed foreign origin is discredited. Downing confirms origin unknown. The variety has been exhibited at winter meetings and gained favor on account of its productiveness and long-keeping properties (Warder).
Tree
Conflicting accounts on vigor. Warder describes the tree as healthy, vigorous, and productive, and believed to be hardy. Downing, by contrast, calls it a poor grower but a good bearer. Both agree on productiveness/bearing. Young shoots dark reddish brown, downy somewhat towards the end (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Round, inclined to conical, regular (Warder); roundish conical (Downing); roundish conical, flattened (Elliott).
Stem: Long, rather slender (Warder).
Cavity: Deep, narrow, regular, brown (Warder).
Calyx: Eye small, closed (Warder).
Basin: Shallow, generally regular (Warder).
Skin: Smooth, often shining, pale greenish-yellow, often faintly blushed or bronzed (Warder); pale greenish yellow, slight brownish in sun (Downing); greenish yellow with dull red streaks (Elliott).
Flesh/Flavor: Conflicting accounts on color and juiciness. Warder describes flesh as yellow, compact, fine, and sufficiently juicy, quality fair. Downing describes flesh as whitish, fine-grained, compact, not very juicy, mild subacid, rated Good. Elliott describes flesh as tender, juicy, subacid.
Core/Seeds: Core large, regular, heart-shaped, reaching the eye; seeds numerous, pointed, plump, brown (Warder). Core rather large and open (Downing).
Season and Storage
Conflicting accounts. Warder and Downing both emphasize long-keeping as the variety's chief value: Warder gives season as spring and into summer; Downing gives February to June. Elliott, by contrast, states it is "valued only for its earliness, which, in the South, is the latter end of May" — describing it as an early-ripening variety rather than a long keeper. The two characterizations are difficult to reconcile and may reflect regional differences in use, distinct strains under the same name, or confusion with another variety.
Uses
Market and kitchen (Warder).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Listed under the synonyms May of Myers and Rhenish May (of Illinois) by Warder. Downing additionally lists Pilliken, Plymouth Greening, Winter May, and May Seek-no-further of some as names under which this variety has circulated.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1894–1912) from Alabama, Oregon, Washington
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)May. MAY (of Myers)—RHENISH MAY (of Illinois.)
This long-keeping apple has been widely disseminated throughout the West, and yet I do not find its history nor origin. It has been exhibited at all our winter meetings, and finds favor on account of its productiveness and its long-keeping properties. Tree healthy, vigorous and productive—believed to be hardy. Its reputed foreign origin is discredited.
Fruit medium, round, inclined to conical, regular; Surface smooth, often shining, pale greenish-yellow, often faintly blushed, or bronzed.
Basin shallow, generally regular; Eye small, closed. Cavity deep, narrow, regular, brown; Stem long, rather slender. Core large, regular, heart-shaped, reaching the eye; Seeds numerous, pointed, plump, brown; Flesh yellow, compact, fine, sufficiently juicy; Quality fair; Use market and kitchen; Season spring and into summer.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)May. May Apple. Pilliken. Plymouth Greening. Rhenish May. Winter May. May of Myers. May Seek-no-further of some.
An old Apple, considerably grown at the West. Origin unknown. Its only value is because of its long keeping quality. Tree a poor grower, but a good bearer. Young shoots dark reddish brown, downy somewhat towards the end.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, pale greenish yellow, slight brownish in sun. Flesh whitish, fine-grained, compact, not very juicy, mild subacid. Core rather large, and open. Good. February to June.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)May.
Medium sized, roundish conical, flattened ; greenish yellow, with dull red streaks; flesh, tender, juicy, sub-acid; valued only for its earliness, which, in the South, is the latter end of May.