Van Wyck
Crab AppleVan Wyck
Origin/History
A chance seedling originating on the farm of Miss Caroline Van Wyck, Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York. Known in full as Van Wyck's Siberian, reflecting its character as a large-fruited Siberian crab. Illustrated as Fig. 486 in Thomas (1903).
Tree
Vigorous, upright, and productive. (Thomas does not describe the tree.)
Fruit
Size and Form: Large for a Siberian crab; roundish, slightly conic (Downing), described by Thomas as round conical — the two accounts are concordant.
Stem: Rather long and slender (Downing); long (Thomas).
Cavity: Rather narrow and deep (both sources agree); Thomas additionally notes the cavity is russeted, a detail Downing does not mention.
Calyx: Closed (Downing). Not described in Thomas.
Basin: Medium in size (both sources). Downing describes it as smooth; Thomas describes it as shallow. These characterize different attributes and are not necessarily in conflict.
Skin: Smooth (Downing); whitish ground, shaded and mottled with light bright red (Downing), or shaded light red (Thomas); covered with a thin bloom (Downing). Dots small (Thomas; Downing does not mention dots).
Flesh and Flavor: The two sources disagree on flesh color: Downing gives whitish; Thomas gives yellowish. Texture and flavor per Downing: fine, rather firm, moderately juicy, rather rich, with a honeyed sweetness; quality rated good. Thomas describes the flesh as very sweet and moderately juicy, rated good — consistent with Downing's characterization though slightly stronger on sweetness.
Core and Seeds: Small and close (Downing). Not described in Thomas.
Season
September (Downing); classed as early (Thomas). The two accounts are consistent.
Uses
Quality rated good by both sources. Further use details not described in either source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1889–1912) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Missouri, Washington
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Van Wyck's Siberian.
A chance seedling on the farm of Miss Caroline Van Wyck, Fishkill, Dutchess County, N. Y. Tree vigorous, upright, productive.
Fruit large for a Siberian, roundish, slightly conic; skin smooth, whitish, shaded and mottled with light bright red, and covered with a thin bloom; stalk rather long, slender; cavity rather narrow, deep; calyx closed; basin medium, smooth; flesh whitish, fine, rather firm, moderately juicy, rather rich, honeyed sweet; good; core small and close. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Van Wyck. Large, round conical; whitish, shaded light red; dots small; stem long; basin medium, shallow; cavity narrow, deep, russeted; flesh yellowish, very sweet, moderately juicy, good. Early. Fig. 486. New York.