Roseau
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Roseau
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Beach, on Plumb's authority (1895), lists Baltimore and Flushing Spitzenburg among the synonyms of Roseau, and entries under those names are attached here. The Roseau entries describe a foreign apple: large, dark red, irregular in size and form. The Flushing Spitzenburg entries describe an apple of American origin that is medium in size and symmetrical. Elliott and Downing each describe Baltimore and Flushing Spitzenburg as separate varieties. Beach's Roseau entry breaks off after its opening sentence. The Roseau entries form the description below; the Baltimore and Flushing Spitzenburg material is kept apart under Other.]
Origin / History
Foreign. Listed by the North American Pomological Convention of 1849, as cited by Ragan (1905), and by Downing (1869). Beach, drawing on Plumb in the Canadian Horticulturist (1895) and on Waugh and others in the Rural New-Yorker (1903), connects Roseau with an apple known in portions of Ontario as Red Canada or Canada Red. Waugh figured that apple under the name Canada Red and recorded it under other local names in Vermont and Quebec. Beach says the Ontario apple "is said to be quite different" from the Red Canada of Western New York. On Plumb's authority he also connects Roseau with the apples called Baltimore and Flushing Spitzenburg. Elliott calls Roseau "unprofitable"; Thomas calls it "of little value."
Tree
A poor grower and unprofitable (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Large, irregular in size.
Form: Irregular in form.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Dark red.
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Crisp, juicy, rich; "Good" (Downing).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November to February (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Flushing Spitzenburg, which Beach places with Roseau through Plumb. Of American origin; Beach says it "probably originated in America." Beach reports that it has long been known in cultivation, citing Thacher (1822) and Kenrick (1832). Hedrick says nothing is known of its early history, and that it has been cultivated since 1800, when it was first described. Because of the similar names it has sometimes been confounded with Esopus Spitzenburg, though Downing finds it "really quite distinct." Hedrick says this "inapt name" has prolonged the variety's career. Warder writes that "some doubt has existed in the minds of many pomologists in respect to this variety," and that "many have had this name applied to the Baltimore of Elliott." Beach gives it "good color but not very good in quality." He reports considerable loss from fruit dropping before it is fully mature, and says the tree generally has the reputation of a shy bearer. In Beach's account it is not regarded favorably by commercial orchardists and is now seldom planted. Hedrick calls it "still grown but passing into deserved oblivion," with apples "poor in quality" and trees "seldom fruitful."
Tree large, vigorous, round-headed or spreading. Shoots strong and stout, brown to reddish brown. They are quite distinct from the slender, small, yellowish or yellowish-gray shoots of Esopus Spitzenburg; Thomas calls those shoots gray.
Fruit medium to nearly large, regular; most authors give medium. Roundish conical or roundish, slightly conical; Beach adds sometimes oblate conic, obscurely ribbed, pretty symmetrical. Stem slender (Elliott), short to medium; Downing has the stalk projecting beyond the fruit. Cavity small, narrow to wide, moderately deep to deep, regular, acuminate to obtuse. It is smooth and red or greenish, sometimes more or less overspread with greenish or red russet (Beach), or has some radiating russet (Budd and Hansen). Calyx small to medium. Beach gives it closed or partly open, with lobes broad and obtuse. Budd and Hansen give it open, with segments flat and convergent. Calyx tube long, funnel-form, extending to the core (Beach); Budd and Hansen call the tube conical. Stamens median. Basin small, very shallow to medium in depth, narrow to wide, even, obtuse to abrupt, sometimes somewhat furrowed and wrinkled. Budd and Hansen find many small corrugations and ribs.
Skin tough. Yellow to greenish yellow ground, mostly or nearly covered with red. The red is warm yellowish red (Elliott), rich red (Thomas), or orange-red becoming a bright deep red on the exposed side (Beach); Budd and Hansen describe mixed dark red overlaid with whitish. Coated with a light bloom. Dots conspicuous, distinct, whitish, fawn, or russet, scattered over the base but very numerous around the basin (Beach). Downing and Thomas call them large spots. Elliott describes russet dots with a suffused fawn shade surrounding; Budd and Hansen alone call them minute.
Flesh white to whitish tinged with yellow, sometimes streaked with red (Beach). Firm, moderately coarse, crisp, not very tender, juicy to moderately juicy. Nearly sweet to mild subacid; Thomas gives "very mild sub-acid, moderate flavor." Pleasant, not high in flavor. Downing finds it "without the brisk richness or yellow color of the Esopus Spitzenburg." Downing, Budd and Hansen, and Beach's technical description call it "good"; Elliott gives "very good."
Core rather large (Elliott). Beach describes it as distant and abaxile, with a wide hollow cylinder at the center, varying to nearly axile. Cells pretty symmetrical, partly open or closed, with core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Budd and Hansen give the core closed and the cells round and entire. Carpels roundish, wide, mucronate, slightly emarginate, somewhat tufted (Beach). Seeds dark, medium to large, wide, plump, acute to obtuse, sometimes tufted. Season early winter, October or November to February.
Baltimore, which Beach places with Roseau through Plumb. Warder treats it under Elliott's name and records it as the Flushing Spitzenberg of the Northwest and the Royal Pippin of Illinois. Origin unknown. Warder calls it "this very satisfactory second rate fruit." He reports it extensively cultivated in western orchards, especially in the lake country, and scarcely known within the Ohio River fruit region. Elliott separates it from the Baltimore of Lindley, which is "of pale lemon color, tinged with red, and with large open calyx." Downing reports that an apple received from Maryland as Baltimore proved identical with Fallawater.
Tree thrifty, healthy, hardy, moderately or sufficiently vigorous, of slender growth, spreading, and very productive; Elliott specifies very productive on warm, rich soils. Downing describes a round head that appears almost drooping when loaded with fruit, and young shoots slender, dull reddish brown.
Fruit medium; Elliott gives medium to large. Form round, roundish, roundish conical, or roundish ovate, regular; Warder calls it oblate, almost round in some specimens. Stem short to medium. Cavity open, wide, deep, regular, brown (Warder), with a little bronzed russet about the stem (Elliott); Downing calls it of medium size and rather thinly russeted. Calyx small, closed, with segments drawn to a point (Downing); Elliott calls it half open. Basin shallow, regular, nearly smooth.
Skin smooth, light or pale yellow, shaded with light red, striped and splashed with purplish or dark, almost purplish red; Warder describes it as red striped with deep red. Elliott and Warder say it is often covered with whitish or gray markings, a blue tinge marbled toward the stem, giving a blue or grayish appearance resembling bloom. Dots large, scattered, whitish, light, yellow, or fawn; Downing gives them a dark center.
Flesh white or whitish with a slight tinge of yellow; Warder calls it yellow. Tender, crisp, fine grained, juicy. Flavor runs from sprightly subacid (Elliott) and mild subacid (Downing) to almost sweet and aromatic but "lacking character" (Warder). Downing and Thomas call it "very good," and Downing calls it a profitable variety for market or table use. Warder rates it "of second quality, but valuable for market." Core medium or small; Warder calls it large and closed. Seeds numerous, plump (Warder), obovate pyriform (Elliott). Season winter, December into March or April: Elliott gives December to March and Downing December to April, while Warder gives only December and January. Warder adds that it is not disposed to rot and does not show bruises.
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Baltimore
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Flushing Spitzenburg
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922) — listed as FLUSHING SPITZENBURG
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 5 catalogs (1864–1913) from Illinois
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864 — listed as Flushing Spitzenberg
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Flushing Spitzenburg
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Flushing Spitzenburg
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Flushing Spitzenburg
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Baltimore
View original book sources (7)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)ROSEAU.
Foreign. Large, dark red, irregular in size and form ; unprofitable.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Baltimore", pp. 69–69]
Baltimore.
Baltimore Pippin, | Cable's Gilliflower, | Royal Pippin.
Origin, unknown. Tree, thrifty, slender, very productive, on warm, rich soils; size, medium to large; form, round, or roundish ovate; color, light yellow, striped, and splashed with purplish red, a little bronzed russet about the stem, large whitish dots, and often a blue tinge marbled toward the stem, resembling a bloom; stem, short; cavity, open, deep, regular; calyx, small, half open; basin, shallow, regular; flesh, white, with a slight tinge of yellow, tender, crisp, juicy, sub-acid, sprightly; core, medium, or small; seeds, obovate pyriform. December to March. This is distinct from the Baltimore of Lindley, which is of pale lemon color, tinged with red, and with large open calyx.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Flushing Spitzenberg", pp. 145–145]
FLUSHING SPITZENBERG.
American. Tree, vigorous, strong brown shoots. Fruit, medium, roundish, slightly conical, greenish yellow, mostly covered with warm yellowish red, russet dots, with suffused fawn shade surrounding; stem, slender; cavity, narrow; calyx, small; basin, shallow; core, rather large; flesh, white, tinged yellow, juicy, mild, crisp, nearly sweet; "very good." November to February.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Baltimore.—[Of Elliott.] FLUSHING SPITZENBERG, OF NORTHWEST. — CABLE'S GILLIFLOWER. — ROYAL PIPPIN IN ILLINOIS.
The origin of this very satisfactory second rate fruit is unknown, though it is extensively cultivated in western orchards, especially in the lake country, for it is scarcely known within the Ohio river fruit region.
Tree thrifty, sufficiently vigorous but with slender growth, very productive, spreading.
Fruit medium, regular, oblate, almost round in some specimens, Surface smooth, red, striped with deep red and often covered with whitish or gray markings that give it a blue appearance like a bloom; Dots scattered, large, yellow or fawn color.
Basin shallow, regular; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, regular, brown; Stem short to medium.
Core large, closed; Seeds numerous, plump; Flesh yellow, fine grained, juicy, almost sweet, aromatic, lacking character; Of second quality, but valuable for market; December and January; Not disposed to rot, does not show bruises.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Flushing Spitzenberg", pp. 516–516]
Flushing Spitzenberg.
As some doubt has existed in the minds of many pomologists in respect to this variety, and as many have had this name applied to the Baltimore of Elliott, I quote that author's description:
"American. Tree vigorous, strong brown shoots; Fruit medium, roundish, slightly conical, greenish-yellow, mostly covered with warm yellowish-red; russet dots, with suffused fawn shade surrounding; Stem slender; Cavity narrow; Calyx small; Basin shallow; Core rather large; Flesh white, tinged yellow, juicy, crisp, mild, nearly sweet; 'very good.'" November to February.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Roseau.
Foreign. Tree poor grower and unprofitable.
Fruit large, dark red, irregular in size and form. Flesh crisp, juicy, rich. Good. November, February.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Baltimore", pp. 111–111]
Cable's Gilliflower. Baltimore Pippin. Royal Pippin.
Origin unknown. Tree healthy, hardy, moderately vigorous, making a round head that when loaded with fruit appears almost drooping. Young shoots slender, dull reddish brown. A profitable variety for market or table use.
Baltimore.
Fruit medium. Form roundish, conical, regular. Color pale yellow, shaded with light red, striped and splashed with dark red, almost purplish, having a grayish appearance of bloom, large light dots, with a dark centre. Stalk short. Cavity medium size, rather thinly russeted. Calyx small, closed. Segments drawn to a point. Basin shallow, nearly smooth. Flesh whitish, tender, juicy, mild, subacid. Core medium. Very good. December to April.
An apple received from Maryland as Baltimore proves identical with Fallawater.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Flushing Spitzenburgh", pp. 204–204]
Flushing Spitzenburgh.
This variety has been confounded with the Esopus Spitzenburgh, but is really quite distinct. The tree makes strong reddish brown shoots, different from the slender yellowish ones of that sort.
The fruit is roundish conical. Stalk set in a narrow cavity projecting beyond the fruit. Skin nearly covered with red, on a greenish yellow ground, dotted with large fawn spots, and coated with a slight bloom. Calyx small, in an even basin. Flesh white, juicy, crisp, nearly sweet, and of pleasant flavor, but without the brisk richness or yellow color of the Esopus Spitzenburgh. Good. October to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Roseau. Large, irregular, dark red; of little value. Foreign.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Baltimore", pp. 716–716]
Baltimore. Medium, roundish, striped purplish red; sub-acid, very good. Winter.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Flushing Spitzenburgh", pp. 351–351]
Flushing Spitzenburgh. Medium, roundish conical; rich red on yellow, with large whitish or fawn spots; cavity, basin, and calyx small; flesh whitish yellow, crisp, with a very mild sub-acid, moderate flavor. Early winter. Shoots strong, brown, unlike the slender, gray shoots of Esopus Spitzenburgh.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)ROSEAU.
REFERENCES. 1. North American Pomological Convention, 1849. (cited by 6). 2. Downing, 1869:340. 3. Plumb, Can. Hort., 18:184, 1895. 4. Waugh, Rural N. Y., 62:141, 143, 282. 1903. figs. under name Canada Red. 5. Rural N. Y., 62:238. 1903. 6. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:267. 1905.
SYNONYMS. BALTIMORE (3). CANADA RED (5). Canada Red of Ontario, not RED CANADA of Western New York (4). FLUSHING SPITZENBURG (3). French Spitzenburg of Vermont (4). Pomme de Fer of Quebec (4). Red Canada of Ontario, not RED CANADA of Western New York (3). ROSSEAU (6). Winesap of Vermont (4).
A variety is known in portions of Ontario under the name of Red Canada or Canada Red which is said to be quite different from the Red Canada of
[Additional entry in this volume: "Flushing Spitzenburg", pp. 219–220]
FLUSHING SPITZENBURG.
REFERENCES. 1. Thacher, 1822:137. 2. Kenrick, 1832:44. 3. Downing, 1845:139. 4. Thomas, 1849:173. 5. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:71. 1851. 6. Elliott, 1858:133. fig. 7. Warder, 1867:515. 8. Downing, 1881:11. app. index. 9. Hogg, 1884:78. 10. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 11. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:239. 12. Budd-Hansen. 1903:85.
SYNONYMS. Black Spitzenberg (8). Flushing (10). Flushing Spitzenberg (2, 6, 7). Flushing Spitzenburg (1, 3, 4, 5, 9).
Fruit of good color but not very good in quality. There is considerable loss from the dropping of the fruit before it is fully mature. The tree generally has the reputation of being a shy bearer.
Historical. This variety probably originated in America. Although it has long been known in cultivation (1, 2) it is not regarded favorably by commercial orchardists and is now seldom planted.
TREE.
Tree large, vigorous. Form round-headed or spreading. Twigs stout, reddish-brown, quite distinct from the small yellowish gray shoots of Esopus Spitzenburg with which, on account of the similarity of the names, this variety has sometimes been confounded.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to nearly large. Form roundish conic or sometimes oblate conic, obscurely ribbed, pretty symmetrical. Stem short to medium. Cavity acuminate, moderately deep to deep, narrow to rather broad, smooth and red or greenish, sometimes more or less overspread with greenish or red russet. Calyx medium to rather small, closed or partly open; lobes broad, obtuse. Basin varying from narrow and shallow to medium in width and depth, obtuse to abrupt, sometimes somewhat furrowed and wrinkled. Skin tough, yellow or greenish overspread with orange-red, becoming a bright deep red on the exposed side, coated with a light bloom. Dots conspicuous, whitish, scattered over the base but very numerous around the basin. Calyx tube long, funnel-form, extending to the core. Stamens median. Core distant, abaxile with a wide hollow cylinder at the center, varying to nearly axile; cells pretty symmetrical, partly open or closed; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Carpels roundish, wide, mucronate, slightly emarginate, somewhat tufted. Seeds dark, medium to large, wide, plump, acute to obtuse, sometimes tufted. Flesh whitish tinged with yellow, sometimes streaked with red, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, not very tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid, not high in flavor, good in quality. Season October to February.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Flushing Spitzenburg. — Of American origin. The young shoots are strong reddish brown, unlike the slender yellowish shoots of the Esopus Spitzenburg.
Fruit medium, regular, roundish conical; surface yellow, mostly covered with mixed dark red, overlaid with whitish; dots distinct, numerous, minute, russet; cavity deep, wide, regular, obtuse, some radiating russet; stem medium; basin very shallow, wide, with many small corrugations and ribs; calyx open; segments flat convergent. Core closed; cells round, entire; tube conical; stamens median; seeds plump; flesh white, juicy, pleasant, nearly sweet, good. October to February.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)FLUSHING SPITZENBURG. Black Spitzenburg. Flushing. This old variety, still grown but passing into deserved oblivion, has had its career prolonged by an inapt name which has caused it to be confounded with Esopus Spitzenburg. The apples are poor in quality, and the trees are seldom fruitful. Nothing is known of the early history of Flushing Spitzenburg, but it has been cultivated since 1800, when it was first described. Tree large, vigorous, round-headed or spreading. Fruit medium to large, round-conic or sometimes oblate-conic, obscurely ribbed, symmetrical; stem short; cavity acuminate, deep, narrow, smooth and red or greenish; calyx small, closed or open; lobes broad, obtuse; basin narrow and shallow, obtuse, sometimes furrowed and wrinkled; skin tough, yellow, overspread with orange-red, becoming bright deep red on the exposed side, coated with light bloom; dots conspicuous, white; calyx-tube long, funnel-form, extending to the core; stamens median; core distant, abaxile with a wide hollow cylinder at the center, nearly axile; cells symmetrical, partly open or closed; core-lines clasping; carpels round, wide, mucronate, emarginate, somewhat tufted; seeds dark, large, wide, plump, acute, sometimes tufted; flesh yellow, sometimes streaked with red, firm, coarse, crisp, juicy, mild subacid; good in quality; October to February.