Rouen Transparent Crab
Crab Apple
Rouen Transparent Crab
Origin/History
Desportes (1856) identifies this variety as "Rouen Transparent Siberian Crab — Baccata transparent de Rouen," indicating French provenance. Not further described in sources.
Tree
Not described in sources.
Fruit
Size: Small. Desportes gives the dimensions as approximately one inch high and one-third of an inch in diameter.
Form: Oblate; compressed towards the eye (calyx end), round towards the stalk; irregular (Desportes).
Stem: Slender and very long — both sources agree on these characteristics. Desportes specifies ordinarily one and a half inches, sometimes considerably longer, and curved obliquely.
Cavity: Deep and wide. Both sources agree.
Calyx: Small, inserted at the surface, between several small wrinkles (Desportes). Not described by Downing.
Basin: Not described in sources.
Skin: The two sources are broadly consistent but differ in detail. Desportes: red carmine over the entire surface, except where wholly covered by shade, where the color is yellowish; covered over all the surface with a fine white bloom, which makes it very beautiful and transparent. Downing: bright carmine red on light yellow.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish white, acid (Downing). Not described by Desportes.
Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
September (Downing).
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— B. Desportes, The Horticulturist (1856)No. 4. Rouen Transparent Siberian Crab — Baccata transparent de Rouen. Fruit, about one inch high and one-third of an inch in diameter; form, oblate, compressed towards the eye, round towards the stalk, irregular; stem, slender, sometimes very long, ordinarily one and a half inches, curved obliquely, inserted in a deep but very wide cavity; calyx, small, inserted at the surface, between several small wrinkles; color, red carmine everywhere, except in the place wholly covered by shade, then the color is yellowish, covered upon all the surface with a white fine bloom, which makes it very beautiful and transparent.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Rouen Transparent Crab.
Fruit small, oblate, bright carmine red on light yellow. Stalk slender, very long, set in a deep wide cavity. Flesh yellowish white, acid. September.