Summer Bellflower
AppleSummer Bellflower
Origin / History
Summer Bellflower originated on the farm of John R. Comstock of Washington, Dutchess County, New York. Downing described it in 1848 as a new variety of promise and stated that it was raised from seed of the Esopus Spitzenburg (as reported by Beach). Elliott (1865) marks it "New." The American Pomological Society entered it on its list in 1875 as a variety of value for Nebraska and dropped it from that list in 1897. Beach (1905) reports that, so far as he could learn, it was gradually becoming obsolete in New York.
Tree
The tree is vigorous, a strong or good grower, and upright or erect, forming a spreading head (Elliott). It is of medium size and hardy (Beach). Young shoots are clear reddish brown (Downing). It is an early, regular bearer (Elliott), productive, and a good cropper.
Fruit
Size: Medium to above medium.
Form: Oval or ovate to roundish oblong, slightly conical or inclining to conic. Two or three obscure ribs (Elliott). Bears considerable resemblance in form and color to Yellow Bellflower (Beach).
Stem: Long, stout at the base (Elliott). An inch long (Downing).
Cavity: Shallow.
Calyx: Closed, with small reflexed segments.
Basin: Five-sided to slightly five-sided.
Skin: Clear yellow, with a faint orange blush. Downing says the blush appears only rarely, on the side of the sun.
Dots: Few, greenish (Elliott).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, fine-grained, tender. Flavor subacid, rich (Thomas), "excellent subacid" (Downing). Quality "good" (Downing) to "very good" (Thomas) and "best" (Elliott).
Core and seeds: Core medium, hollow; seeds small (Elliott).
Season
August into September. Downing gives the middle of August to the middle of September.
Uses
Not considered a satisfactory variety for commercial planting (Beach).
Subtypes / Variants
A distinct variety of Pennsylvania origin has also been known under the name Summer Bellflower (Downing, who calls it "Summer Bellflower of Pennsylvania"; Beach). Elliott describes, without naming its origin, a distinct Summer Bellflower in terms matching Downing's nearly word for word. It very much resembles Yellow Bellflower in shape and color.
The fruit has a very wide and deep cavity and a closed calyx. Flesh yellowish white, firm and fine in texture, not very juicy. Flavor brisk, agreeable, pleasant to very pleasant, subacid (Downing). Downing rates it "Good." Elliott calls it "decidedly the best of its season." It ripens the last of August and first of September. Young shoots light reddish brown, downy (Downing).
Elliott also records a Summer Bellflower grown in Ohio, which he had seen only once. He describes it as an inferior fruit, distinct from the Dutchess County variety.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1901) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Summer Bellflower. Summer Belle-fleur. From Dutchess Co., N. Y. Tree, strong, upright growth, spreading head, early regular bearer. Fruit, above medium, roundish oblong, slightly conical, two or three obscure ribs : clear yellow, few greenish dots, faint orange blush : stem, long, stout at base ; cavity, shallow ; calyx, closed, small reflexed segments ; basin, five-sided ; core, medium, hollow ; small seeds ; flesh, white, fine-grained, tender, sub-acid ; " best." New. Aug. to Sept. (Hort.) There is a Summer Bellflower grown in Ohio, which we have only once seen, which is an inferior fruit, distinct from above. There is also a Summer Bellflower which is distinct from the above, and very much resembles Yellow Bellflower in shape and color, but has a very wide and deep cavity, and closed calyx. Flesh, yellowish white, firm and fine texture, not very juicy, with a brisk, agreeable, very pleasant flavor, and decidedly the best of its season. Last of August and first of September.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Summer Bellflower.
Origin, farm of J. R. Comstock, Dutchess Co., N. Y. Tree vigorous, upright, productive. Young shoots clear reddish brown.
Fruit medium or above, oval, inclining to conic, clear yellow, with rarely a faint orange blush on the side of the sun. Stalk an inch long, in a shallow cavity. Calyx closed, with small reflexed segments, slightly five-sided basin. Flesh white, fine-grained, tender, excellent subacid. Good. Middle of August to middle of September.
Summer Bellflower of Pennsylvania
is quite distinct from the above, and very much resembles Yellow Bellflower in shape and color, but has a very wide and deep cavity, and closed calyx. Flesh yellowish white, firm and fine texture, not very juicy, with a brisk, agreeable, pleasant subacid. Good. Last of August and first of September. Young shoots light reddish brown, downy.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Summer Bellflower. Medium, ovate, yellow; flesh white, rich, sub-acid, very good. August. Dutchess County, N. Y.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)SUMMER BELLFLOWER.
REFERENCES. 1. Horticulturist, 3:168. 1848. fig. 2. Thomas, 1849:143. 3. Cole, 1849:104. 4. Waring, 1851:31. 5. Elliott, 1854:159. 6. Downing, 1857:196. 7. Warder, 1867:733. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1875:14.
SYNONYMS. SUMMER BELLEFLEUR (1, 8). Summer Belle-fleur (5). SUMMER BELLFLOWER (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Summer Bell-flower (1).
This fruit bears considerable resemblance in form and color to Yellow Bellflower. Flesh tender, subacid, good. It is in season from the middle of August to the middle of September. The tree is erect, of medium size, a good grower, hardy and a good cropper. It is not considered a satisfactory variety for commercial planting and so far as we can learn is gradually becoming obsolete in New York. Downing described it in 1848 as a new variety of promise and stated that it was raised by John R. Comstock of Washington, Dutchess county, N. Y., from seed of the Esopus Spitzenburg (1, 6). It was entered on the list of the American Pomological Society in 1875 as a variety of value for Nebraska (8). It was dropped from that list in 1897. A distinct variety of Pennsylvania origin has also been known under the name Summer Bellflower (6, 7).