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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Apple varities

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  • From: "Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Apple varities
  • Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 22:46:15 -0500

Lisa,

Ask ten people their three favorite apples, and you'll like hear at least twenty plus different varieties. It's just so personal, and seasonal. Having said that, here's how some of your apple varieties turn out in zone 5.
Wolf River apples grow large, really large, and are better for cooking than eating. Not they they taste bad, there's just not too much of a taste, at all.
Arkansas Blacks have a very long taste. Quite strong at first, then mellowing and marginally sweetening. Peel away the skin, and they're almost lush. The skin gives them a bit more intensity. They also look gorgeous on the tree. They're like Tumanga in that they're really chewy.
Eating a Rubinette is somewhat close to eating a Cox's Orange. ( Parents are supposedly Golden Delicious X Cox's Orange. ) The flesh is a soft yellow, and is quite dense. It's a beautiful looking apple with the dark red skin and a wonderful fruitful taste. The Rubinettes I enjoyed were grown in Michigan, north of Traverse City, which I think is also zone 5. Kidd's Orange also have a similar taste - they call them Captain Kidd's in New Zealand.
Hudson's Gold Gem is one of my favorite dessert apples for November and December. The flesh softens up a bit, but the rich taste makes up for it. Goes fantastic with cheese and ice wine. They need the storage time to develop. If the russet skin bothers you, you can peel them and it doesn't alter the taste. Think Golden Russet - but not as sweet.
My first Melrose apple had little taste, just a juicy crunch. The next round was better, with a slight sweet taste, lots of juicy crunch, but also a clean finish. It's a shiny, red apple which many folks prefer. I'd rather have a Macoun, Hubbardston or Westfield Seek No Further.
Our one and only Spitzenberg that the chipmunks didn't steal was not too bad. Smaller than expected, with some russeting, but a nice apple taste. It was crisp, only a little juicy and had a zing to it. Our tree is inside our kitchen garden, which is quite protected and holds the heat because of the brick edgings and walkways. Between a zone 6 to 7 for summer heat. The last week you could almost see the colour intensifying.
I've also eaten loads of zone 6 Winesaps. Dark thin skin with a soft melting bite. Just that gorgeous fruity wine taste. Don't know how well they'll do with heat, since they ripen almost overnight. I had a Nova Scotia apple this summer, called Tangowine - very similar.

Can't say about the Tompkins King, Spigold, Blenheim, Zabergau or Newton Pippin - they haven't fruited yet.
Think about grafting onto dwarf or semi-dwarf. They'll fruit earlier, so you can decide if you want to keep them, or try something else.
Enjoy your apples - since you have a wide range of tastes

Cheers, Biz Storms
Toronto/Creemore, Ontario Zone 5

----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Almarode" <lisaalmarode@yahoo.com>
To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 2:52 PM
Subject: [NAFEX] Apple varities


Just for fun, these are the apples scions I've got
this year that I will attempt to graft this year; I
could use any "that's a terrible apple" advice.
Hardiness and length of season don't matter here, but
ability to handle heat and sun does.

Wolf River
Rubinette
Arkasas Black
Sops of Wine
Winter White Pearmain
Tomkins King
Melrose
Spigold
Hudson's Golden Gem
Wynnoche early
Roxbury Russet
Blenheim Orange
Zabergau Reinette
Esopus Spitzenberg
Braeburn
Gravenstein
Yellow Newton Pippen
Gala
Winesap

Of course I doubt they'll all make it...


Lisa in Ashland Oregon
USDA Z7 - Sunset Z7 - 1800' - 19" annual rainfall

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