Do you know where you obtained the black twig (non mammoth) scion or tree?
I’m not home right now but I’ll get right back to you when I get there.
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I hadn’t heard of cheddar flavored apples before, but I’ve been evaluating a naturally dwarf roadside tree that I swear has cheddar in the flavor. I can’t help but wonder if this type of apple has atypical acid in the fruit like lactic acid.
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Black Twigs at a produce market near Richmond Va. Picked too green in my opinion. Goldrush in box beside.
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I picked my Black Twig apples today, my graft produced quite well, it was freighted! Most came out clean from my no spray orchard and confirms this variety is PDR. It’s a vigorous grower as well, I wonder if it may be triploid
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Somebody must like them as Century Farm Orchard has 340 trees in stock.
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I have a branch of blacktwig grafted on a Goldrush tree. Many of them drop early and underripe. The ripe ones are a little bit bitter in the peel. They ripen a little too early here - early Sept when it’s still pretty hot. Maybe that affects quality.
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I have been eating Black Twig, Stayman and Winesap apples purchased from Albermarle Cider Works/VVAApples in early December. I put them in my 32 degree fridge until this week. The Black Twigs have improved in flavor over the ones I ate at the time of purchase. Very tasty and still crisp enough to enjoy.
The Staymans I have are starting to get soft. The Winesaps are the best now for being stiil very crisp. Flavor wise are Stayman, Winesap and Black Twig in that order.
The Black Twig is not as dark as the one shown in the start of the thread from North Star Orchard as you can see in pics below. Haven’t seen any scions or trees for any darker ones for sale.
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The darker variety is generally listed as Paragon. If you want some scions next season I’m more than happy to share.
My 3 Black Twig trees are blooming for the first time this year, they’re on M.111. These trees are from @39thparallel.
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Does anyone have any further experience with Black Twig they can comment on? Disease resistance and fresh eating are my two greatest interests. I have one on B9 from David at Century Farm and I’m playing the idea of moving it, removing it, or grafting onto an existing tree. I know David loves it.
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Based on the conversation I had with a local who grows them commercially, they drop before ripening. A fancy spray can be applied to help keep the apples on the tree longer. If not, they need to be stored for a spell.
I tried one at Horne Creek but it wasn’t ripe yet. Kinda tart
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I used to buy black twig apples at the Walnut Creek farmers market in California for several years. First time I bought them, the grower was careful to warn me that people either love them or don’t like them at all. I fall into the former group, I like that they are tart and a little astringent and not too sweet. I did not store them though, and they may have been slightly under ripe.
After reviewing the M BT and the Rankins BT photos @highdesertheritage posted, I wonder if the Mammoth is even a real Black Twig or merely a Stayman imposter. The Mammoth BT looks(ed) like my old Stayman before it sported into something different. My old Stayman as I’ve stated umpteen times was misidentified as a Mammoth Black Twig not by one, but two people. Both were extremely confident with their assessment. The DNA test was the final word. My old Stayman did not taste like locally grown Staymans. They dropped prematurely, had a wild persimmon pucker if not stored, but were extraordinarily good if stored or frozen with a strong sweet and sour/tart flavor.
The Rankin Black Twig pictured is the same bright red apple Black Twig apple I tried at Horne Creek. It had a sour/tart bite, but is was very smooth and refined. Not some wild cave man cray flavor.
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Would you describe the astringency as tongue pucker similar to a wild persimmon pucker?
I’ll check my Arkansas Black for you, I don’t know if it is the spur or non-spur type. I’d be happy to send you scions in the winter.
@Paul-VA we both would probably like some scions if you decide to cut it back extremely, etc.
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No, it’s mild,not as strong as some crabs
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Once my Mammoth Black Twig fruits (not this year, late freeze) I’ll be able to advise whether it’s just similar to, or a dead ringer for Stayman.
“Regular” Black Twig has been DNA sequenced by MyFruitTree and is a Triploid with Winesap and Red Limbertwig as it’s parents.
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I have one from HC. The tree and twigs are very dark like a Dixie Red Delight which is darker than the Stayman and Winesap.
Vernon needs to DNA test his MBT.
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I always loved getting my Mammouth Black Twig apples grown in the PNW. Nice and firm apple that stored well and somewhat disease resistant. It was unique enough to be very enjoyable. It had a nice weeping form. It would probably grow well here too but I doubt I’ll ever see it.