I’ve now made my modest apple order from grin this year. Hopefully these choices will be as good as I think they will be. Which ones did you order? Commercial apples in my area is not possible at this time but I continue to research apple varieties so that someday I can make this dream come true. Thought someone might want to know what my choices were. The ARS grin descriptions are below and the description is at the bottom how I located the apples in Geneva’s catalog. The USDA has a fantastic program which I’m very thankful for.
PI 589520 Rhode Island Greening Malus domestica 2 Scion GEN
Fruit: size medium to large, W67-78 x L54-66 mm; shape flat, rectangular convex, ribbed at the calyx basin and on the body; skin yellowish green with occasional orange flush, russet at the calyx end, pale dots, greasy; flesh firm, fine, greenish yellow; flavor acid; harvest season very late, triploid, needs pollinator. Large, spreading, vigorous, productive, long-lived tree, biennial cropping. Excellent for cooking and drying. Third most important in New York. Add. LIT.CIT. 1992-93 H. Apple. Tsolum River Fruit Trees Catalogue. p. 27; Bultitude, J. 1983. Apples.
Source History
•Accession was collected. Unknown
Locality: Probably in the vicinity of Newport, RI, near the place now known as Green’s End.
•Accession was donated. 13-Feb-1987. British Columbia Canada
Donors:
1.Thompson, Dan, Agriculture Canada
Pedigree
Before 1650, known 1858; introduced into the Old Plymouth Colony from Newport in 1765.
PI 589609 Linda Sweet Malus hybr. 2 Scion GEN
A large crabapple with skin much russeted. Fruit: 1 1/2" diameter, oblong, conic. Flesh: mild, subacid, sweet. Apparently a later winter crab. The influence of the Sweet Russet pollen is evident from the sweet flesh and russet skin. Tree: hardy, inclined to overbear, winter hardy. Additional LIT.CIT.: 1991. Edible Apples in Priarie Canada, Pub. 21. p. 41.
Source History
•Accession was donated. 30-Mar-1987. South Dakota United States
Donors:
1.Peterson, Ronald, South Dakota State University
•Accession was developed. South Dakota United States
Developers:
1.Hansen, Niels Ebbesen, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
Pedigree
A seedling of Malinda Apple, top-grafted on Sweet Russet Crabapple. Intro: 1922
PI 589668 Howgate Wonder Malus domestica 2 Scion GEN
Fruit: size large, W95 x L79 mm; shape intermediate, truncate, conic, convex, ribbed at the calyx basin and slightly on the body; skin golden yellow with pale red blush and streaks; flesh fairly crisp, cream; flavor subacid, sweet; harvest season late. One of the largest cooking apples in cultivation today. Tree: moderately vigorous, upright-spreading, produces spurs freely, strong, cropping heavily.
Source History
•Accession was collected. United Kingdom
Locality: England, Howgate Lane, Bembridge, Isle of Wight.
•Accession was donated. 31-Mar-1987. England United Kingdom
Donors:
1.Campbell, R.I., Long Ashton Research Station
•Accession was developed. United Kingdom
Developers:
- Stuart Low Company
Pedigree
Blenheim Orange x Newton Wonder. Raised 1915-1916, intro: 1932
PI 589676 King of the Pippins Malus domestica 2 Scion GEN
Fruit: size medium, W56 x L56 mm; shape intermediate to tall, conic, convex not ribbed; skin greenish yellow blushed red with some brown russet; flesh firm, crisp, white tinged yellow; flavor sweet, rich vinous; harvest season second-early. Small for commercial use, but a useful garden variety. One of the best late dessert apples. Tree: moderately vigorous, upright, produces spurs very freely, crops heavily.
Source History
•Accession was donated. 31-Mar-1987. England United Kingdom
Donors:
1.Campbell, R.I., Long Ashton Research Station
Pedigree
In existence 1884; recorded 1862 but probably much older. Intro: by Kirke of Brompton.
PI 589892 Golden Russet Malus domestica 2 Scion GEN
Fruit: size medium, W70 x L57 mm; shape intermediate to flat, truncate-conic, convex; skin yellowish russet with occasional bright red tinge, thick; flesh firm crisp, pale yellow; flavor sweet, aromatic, very sugary juice, used for cider, dried apples, fresh eating and cooking. Season late to very late. Excellent keeper. Dec-April. Vigorous, medium to large tree, requires cross-pollination. Scab resistant, suffers little from pests.
Source History
•Accession was collected. Unknown
Locality: Thought to be English or Burlington County, New Jersey.
•Accession was donated. 15-Feb-1988. Washington United States
Donors:
- Washington State University
Pedigree
Known since mid 1700’s. Seedling of English Russet. Described by Downing in 1845.
PI 589895 Macoun Malus domestica 2 Scion
Fruit: size medium, W65 x L49 mm; shape flat, rectangular; dark purplish red blush over green background. Firm aromatic white flesh. Drops readily-bruises easily. Medium size, vigorous hardy, spur-type, productive tree. Upright habit, needs training and thinning, biennial. Very resistant to fire blight. Blooms late. Ripens several weeks after McIntosh. One of the highest quality eating apples known. Storage 110 days at 31 degrees F.
Source History
•Accession was donated. 15-Feb-1988. Washington United States
Donors:
- Washington State University
•Accession was developed. New York United States
Developers:
1.Wellington, Richard,
Pedigree
McIntosh x Jersey Black Seed produced 1909; first fruit described 1918; introduced for trial 1923.
When I search grin scionwood I typically use a custom search like this https://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgsold/swish/accboth?si=0&query=apples&btnG=Go!&filter=0&as_sitesearch=ars.usda.gov&ie=&output=xml_no_dtd&client=usda&lr=&proxystylesheet=ARS&oe=&.x=0&.y=0
For whatever reason my location has a tendency to overripe apples very early which i’m assuming is from the sun. My pears did the same thing until they matured and then they begun ripening on time because the other trees grew up around them and began shading them slightly which really matters. I apparently missed some comments above and do apologize for not responding to those. Thanks to everyone who discussed apples on this thread or others who influenced which apples I chose from the catalog. I’m most excited about Golden Russet and hope its sweet and delicious similar to wickson!