Red Gilliflower

Origin/History

American in origin. Listed under the synonyms Red Seek-no-Further and Harkness' New Favorite in Elliott's The Western Fruit Book (1865), with the same synonyms carried forward in Downing's The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900). Reported by two stations in the Southern Division in the Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914), with notation indicating the variety is also reported in another division.

Tree

The tree is a poor bearer (Downing, citing Elliott).

Fruit

Size and Form

Sources are in partial conflict on size. Elliott (1865) and Downing (1900) describe the fruit as medium in size, oblong conical in form. Lowther (1914) describes it as a large apple, conical in form.

Skin

Fine red.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh white, mild, rich subacid (Downing). Elliott describes the flesh as white, mild sub-acid, without the qualifier "rich."

Cavity, Stem, Calyx, Basin, Core, Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

Ripens November to January (Elliott, Downing). Lowther describes ripening as early autumn, which conflicts with the November-to-January maturity given by the other two sources.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.