Narrative
The Glenndale is one of the two varieties of gooseberries originated by the late Walter Van Fleet, who began gooseberry-breeding work at his home in Little Silver, N. J., in 1895, and continued it until his death at Glenn Dale, Md., In 1922. His records show that he used Grossularia oxyacanthoides, G. missouriensis, G. cynosbati, G. rotundifolia, and G. reclinata, as well as such named varieties as Downing, Houghton, and Josselyn. The resulting seedlings showed many outstanding and distinctive types. His first named variety, the Van Fleet, was introduced in 1916 by J. T. Lovett, of Little Silver, N. J. This variety was recorded by Van Fleet as an F2 generation of (Houghton x Industry) x Keepsake, although Berger gives its parentage as an *F, from (Houghton x Keepsake) X Industry.The Glendale gooseberry originated from a cross of [(Grossularia missouriensis X Red Warrington) x Triumph] x Keepsake, at Little Silver, N. J., probably about 1905. The variety has been tested since 1913 near Washington, D. C., and in various other parts of the United States. It was sent to cooperating nurseries in *192G for testing and propagation. The bush has grown vigorously on sandy loams near Washington, D. C., where other varieties have, died out entirely. On heavy soils the bushes have grown to an immense, size, producing heavy crops, while other sorts have been raised with difficulty.The Glenndale gooseberry is being introduced because of its adaptation to the southern limit of gooseberry growing where other sorts die out or are grown with difficulty, and because it will carry gooseberry culture much farther south than standard sorts can now be grown. It is recommended for trial in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and those parts of western North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky where the Downing and Poorman varieties do not succeed. It is also recommended for the lighter soils in regions where other sorts ordinarily succeed. It is not, however, the equal of the Poorman or of the Oregon (Oregon Champion) and Downing where those vari-eties succeed best.USDA Circ. No. 233, 1932Fruit: as large as Downing, roundish-elliptic, skin smooth, dark reddish-purple, thin, seeds small, quality good, excellent for jam.Plant: vigorous, erect, up to 6-8 ft tall, holds foliage until late fall, resistant to leaf spot and American powdery mildew, best suited for southern limit of gooseberry growing in the United States, very productive, propagated easily from cuttings. Brooks and Olmo, 1996.
Walter Van Fleet cultivar; cross made in 1905 Selected in 1913, introduced in 1932 Origin in Little Silver, New Jersey.
WHY NAMED= Glenndale, Maryland, locality of a USDA plant exp. station