Monstrous Bellflower
Apple
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the Elliott (1865) source provided for this entry is headed "Bellflower" with synonyms Yellow Bellflower, Yellow Belle-fleur, and Lady Washington. These names belong to a distinct variety from Monstrous Bellflower; Coxe (1817) explicitly distinguishes the two. Elliott's season (December to March in the North, October to February in the South) conflicts sharply with Coxe and Downing (October to November), and his tree description (slender growth) contradicts both other sources. This entry appears to describe Yellow Bellflower rather than Monstrous Bellflower. Physical details from Elliott are included below with attribution and marked accordingly.]
Origin/History
An old variety of American origin, known at least since the early nineteenth century (Coxe, 1817). Coxe notes its resemblance to the Yellow Bellflower in form but explicitly distinguishes it as more regular in shape and of a paler yellow color. By the time of Downing's writing (1900), it was considered an old variety and little grown.
Elliott (1865), whose entry likely describes Yellow Bellflower rather than Monstrous Bellflower, also gives the origin as American.
Tree
Coxe (1817) describes the foliage as singularly large and luxuriant, with very regular and strong growth and an upright form. Downing (1900) agrees on vigor — calling it a strong, vigorous grower — but characterizes the growth habit as irregular, contradicting Coxe's description of very regular growth. Downing further notes the variety is not profitable.
Elliott (1865), whose entry likely describes Yellow Bellflower: slender yet healthy growth, with yellowish, rather upright shoots; fruit borne on the ends of limbs; very hardy; trees grafted on pieces of roots do not bear well, but otherwise very productive.
Fruit
Size: Large (all sources agree).
Form: Coxe describes the shape as oblong. Downing gives it as roundish oblong and ribbed. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): oblong, a little irregular, tapering to the eye.
Stem: Not described in Coxe or Downing. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): long, slender, curved.
Cavity: Not described in Coxe or Downing. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): deep.
Calyx: Not described in Coxe or Downing. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): closed.
Basin: Not described in Coxe or Downing. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): plaited, deep.
Skin/Color: Pale yellow (Coxe, Downing, Elliott). Blush on the sun-exposed side (Downing, Elliott).
Flesh/Flavor: Coxe describes the flesh as rich, juicy, and tender, calling the fruit pleasant but inferior to many excellent apples of the season. Downing describes the flesh as whitish, brisk, juicy, and subacid, rating it Good. Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): tender, juicy, crisp, sprightly, subacid.
Core/Seeds: Core large (Downing). Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower): core large; capsules long, hollow; seeds large, ovate pyriform, angular at the broad end.
Season
October (Coxe); October to November (Downing). Elliott (likely Yellow Bellflower) gives December to March in the North, October to February in the South — a substantial discrepancy consistent with a different variety.
Uses
Dessert and table use. Coxe finds it a pleasant fruit but ranks it below the best apples of the season. Downing rates it Good.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Almost certainly Ortley
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 29. MONSTROUS BELLFLOWER.
A very large, fair, and beautiful apple; of an oblong shape resembling the yellow Bellflower, but more regular in its form, and of a paler yellow colour. The flesh is rich, juicy and tender; it ripens in October, and is a pleasant fruit, although inferior to many excellent apples of the season—the foliage of this tree is singularly large and luxuriant; the growth very regular and strong; the form upright.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Monstrous Bellflower.
An old variety, little grown. Tree a strong, irregular, vigorous grower, not profitable.
Fruit large, roundish oblong, ribbed, pale yellow blush in the sun. Flesh whitish, brisk, juicy, subacid. Good. Core large. October, November.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bellflower. Yellow Bellflower, | Yellow Belle-fleur, | Lady Washington. American. Tree, of slender, yet healthy growth, with yellowish, rather upright shoots; fruit, on ends of limbs, very hardy; grafted on pieces of roots, does not bear well; otherwise, very productive. Size, large; form, oblong, a little irregular, tapering to the eye; color, pale yellow, with a blush next the sun; stem, long, slender, curved; cavity, deep; calyx closed; basin, plaited, deep: flesh, tender, juicy, crisp, sprightly, sub-acid; core, large; capsules, long, hollow; seeds, large, ovate pyriform, angular at broad end. December to March. October to February, South.