Van Wyck
Crab AppleVan Wyck
Origin/History
Van Wyck originated as a chance seedling on the farm of Miss Caroline Van Wyck, Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York. It appears to have been first described by Downing in 1872. Beach (1905) notes it is occasionally listed by nurserymen but is not generally known in New York, and its cultivation in the state does not appear to be increasing. Hedrick (1922) similarly observes that although it originated in Dutchess County, New York, it is seldom found in eastern United States but is advertised by several western nurserymen, its only value being that it is one of a few sweet crab-apples.
Tree
Vigorous, upright, productive (Downing; Budd-Hansen). The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (1900), recording trees planted Spring 1894 at Agassiz, BC, describes the tree as a vigorous grower.
Fruit
Size and Form
Large for a Siberian crab-apple. Roundish, slightly conic (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Thomas (1903) describes the form as round conical.
Stem
Rather long, slender (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Thomas notes the stem as long.
Cavity
Rather narrow, deep (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Thomas adds that the cavity is russeted.
Calyx
Closed.
Basin
Medium, smooth (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Thomas describes the basin as medium and shallow.
Skin
Smooth (Downing/Budd-Hansen describe the surface as smooth); whitish, shaded and mottled with light bright red, and covered with a thin bloom (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Beach and Hedrick describe it as whitish shaded with bright red, covered with bloom. Thomas notes the skin as whitish, shaded light red, with small dots. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (1900) describes the fruit as yellow with a light red cheek.
Flesh and Flavor
Whitish, fine, rather firm, moderately juicy, rather rich, honeyed sweet; good (Downing; Budd-Hansen). Thomas describes the flesh as yellowish, very sweet, moderately juicy, good. Beach describes it as whitish, tender, moderately juicy, sweet, rich, and notes it sometimes watercores. Hedrick describes it as white, tender, juicy, sweet, rich, of good quality. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (1900) describes the flesh as sweet and tender.
Core and Seeds
Core small and close/closed.
Season
September (Downing; Budd-Hansen; Central Experimental Farm). Beach and Hedrick give the season as August and September. Thomas describes it as early.
Uses
Valued as one of the few sweet crab-apples (Hedrick).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas (1903) illustrates the variety in Fig. 486 and attributes it to New York.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 10 catalogs (1889–1912) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Missouri, Washington
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891 — listed as Van Wyck Sweet
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898 — listed as Van Wyck Sweet
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Van Wyck Sweet
- 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 (6)
— 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.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)VAN WYCK.
REFERENCES. i. Downing, 1872:39 app. 2. Barry, 1883:360. 3. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 10:37. 1884. 4. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:251. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:11. 6. Thomas, 1897:300. fig. 7. Budd-Hansen, 1903:227.
SYNONYMS. Brier Sweet (6). VAN WYCK CRAB (2, 4, 5, 6, 7). VAN WYCK SIBERIAN (i). VAN WYCK SWEET (3, 4).
A sweet crabapple which according to Downing (i) originated as a chance seedling in Fishkill, Dutchess county, N. Y. Fruit large for a Siberian crabapple, whitish shaded with bright red, covered with bloom; flesh whitish, tender, moderately juicy, sweet, rich; it sometimes watercores; core small, closed; season August and September (i, 2). This variety is occasionally listed by nurserymen (4). It is not generally known in New York and it appears that its cultivation in this state is not increasing.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Van Wyck. — A chance seedling on the farm of Miss Caroline Van Wyck, Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York. Tree vigorous, upright, productive.
Fruit large, roundish, slightly conic; surface smooth, whitish, shaded and mottled with light bright red, and covered with a thin bloom; stem rather long, slender; cavity rather narrow, deep; calyx closed; basin medium, smooth. Core small and closed; flesh whitish, fine, rather firm, moderately juicy, rather rich, honeyed sweet, good. September. (Downing.)
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)VAN WYCK. Van Wyck Sweet. Although this sweet crab-apple originated in Duchess County, New York, it is now seldom found in eastern United States, but is advertised by several western nurserymen. Its only value is that it is one of a few sweet crab-apples. It seems to have been first described by Downing in 1872.
Fruit large for a Siberian crab-apple, whitish shaded with bright red, covered with bloom; flesh white, tender, juicy, sweet, rich; core small, closed; quality good; August and September.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit large, yellow, with a light red cheek. Flesh sweet, tender. Season September.