Charles Rudolph Boysen (July 14, 1895 – November 25, 1950) was an American
horticulturist who created the
boysenberry
The boysenberry is a cross between the European raspberry (''Rubus idaeus''), European blackberry ('' Rubus fruticosus''), American dewberry ('' Rubus aboriginum''), and loganberry (''Rubus'' × ''loganobaccus'').
Description
Boysenberrie ...
, a hybrid between several varieties of
blackberries
BlackBerry is a discontinued brand of handheld devices and related mobile services, originally developed and maintained by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM, later known as BlackBerry Limited) until 2016. The first BlackBerry device ...
,
raspberries, and
loganberries.
Boysenberry
Boysen had experimented with various berry crosses in
Napa, California
Napa is the largest city and county seat of Napa County, California, Napa County and a principal city of Wine Country in Northern California, United States. Located in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the Bay Area, th ...
, during the 1920s. When Boysen first moved to
Orange County, he brought berry vines with him which he planted on his in-law’s farm in Anaheim. Boysen worked as
Anaheim
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
City Parks superintendent from 1921 to 1950. In 1923, his hybrid grafted successfully and grew to bear fruit. Unable to make his new berry a commercial success, Boysen abandoned his crop after breaking his back in an accident. In 1927, he took specimens to Coolidge Rare Plant Nursery in Altadena.
Years later, a fellow grower named
Walter Knott heard about the berry and tracked down Boysen. Knott was able to bring a few dying vines back to life at his farm, now known as
Knott's Berry Farm in
Buena Park, California. He named the fruit after Boysen.
Biography
In 1930, Charles Rudolph Boysen was married to Margaret Bruton (1892–1970). They had a child, Robert Matt Boysen (1924–1980).
Boysen died at the age of 55, and is interred at the Melrose Abbey Cemetery in Anaheim.
Legacy
Boysenberry Lane in
Placentia, California, and Boysen Avenue in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
, are both named for Rudolph Boysen. Boysen Park, a public park in Anaheim, was named in his honor. It features playgrounds, baseball diamonds, a large lawn, and a stucco-coated
Grumman F9F-6P Cougar as a children's climbing toy. The Anaheim Tennis Center is located adjacent to Boysen Park, located at 951 S. State College Blvd. A garden of desert plants collected by Boysen during several trips to the deserts of southern California, Arizona, and Mexico are showcased at Pearson Park in Anaheim.
References
External links
Google link for Boysen ParkCharles Rudolph Boysen, Anaheim Superintendent of Parks
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boysen, Rudolph
American horticulturists
1895 births
1950 deaths
American people of Danish descent
People from Anaheim, California