clarence knight

Clarence Knight is a huge, old, spreading tree that is almost certainly a seedling. It was discovered by Gene Cartwright of Whaleback Cider in the homestead-orchard on the farm once belonging to Al and Eleanor Wood in Lincolnville, Maine. Al and Eleanor died in the early years of the twenty-first century. Their farm buildings are all gone, but the big tree remains. Gene first called the apple “A and E Red”, then “Knights Bitter” in honor of the original settlers of the property. Finally he settled on Clarence Knight. The Knight family may have been the ones who first planted the seed.

The fruit is 2 1/4", round and slightly truncate, and largely covered with fine red stripes and red blush. The basin is deep and abrupt. Gene describes the fruit as having a “bitterness pronounced before peak ripeness but tapering to a more mild sweetness when fully ripe. I don't find it to be all that astringent, [and I] would be more inclined to call it a bittersweet.” The tree is willowy, rangy, largely tip-bearing, ripening in late October/early November. We obtained our scionwood from the old tree in Lincolnville. Currently growing at Super Chilly Farm.