Has anyone tried this apple? It’s one that I’m interested in as it seems to be an interesting and unusual apple. However, I can’t find much availability for it here in the US. Trees of Antiquity has it, but at $36.95 plus shipping, it’s a bit more that what I’m usually willing to pay for an apple tree. If anyone has scion wood, I’d be willing to trade. If you have tried it, please let me know what you think.
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It was horrible for me, bland and mealy. In my hot climate many of the English apples are bad.
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I just budded it in August (another poster’s extra ARS wood). But, “bland and mealy” doesn’t sound encouraging. Hopefully I’ll be far enough North for it to do OK.
My tree was on a south-facing hill where it was extra hot, so that may have made it extra problematic…
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Well, that doesn’t sound good. Maybe I’ll scratch that one off the list. The search continues…
I asked the owner of Maple Valley Orchards about it and he said that it was probably his worst grower. It’s pretty bad when someone who wants to sell advises not to buy it!
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I just tasted this apple from Scott Farms in Vermont (they do apple boxes where you pick varieties) and out of the 10 apples we got it was by far my favorite! Hopefully it can grow well in VA
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It did horribly in Maryland, one of the all time worst apples. But it could have been some other factor making it such a dog for me.
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Yeah its the real deal - hoping my 2k elevation helps. It’s up there with the best 5 apples iv’e ever had.
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From an email from the nice folks at Scott Farms:
“Growing apples requires a large cup of patience, growing D’Arcy Spice takes that patience requirement to the next level. They are the slowest growing variety that I’ve ever witnessed, actually glacial speed. A friend of mine who works at FEDCO as a grafter and nurseryman sends me an annual picture of his ‘nubbin’ D’Arcy, a graft that is five years old and still qualifies for ‘nubbin’ status. They are an odd one, even shedding half their leaves in July (which I theorize has to do with their achingly slow growth habit as photosynthesis stops so early) making them a sore thumb in the orchard, ‘What’s wrong with those trees?’ people will ask.’ Oh that’s just D’Arcy being weird again.’ They are weird, and though normal is relative, these rugged little handsome fruits are well worth the weirdness and wait. Spice is the operative word, with heavy nutmeg and allspice notes and some even say blood orange in every sugary and acidic firm bite. They are known for their keeping abilities and we strongly suggest you hold onto a few into the winter months to see how that spice will really develop. Despite its snail speed, D’Arcy’s exceptional flavor has kept it plugging along since it was first spotted in 1785 in the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Hall gardens of Essex, reminding us to always continue to root for the underdog.”
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ive read that people suspect its a haploid because of its slow growth, wonder if any truth to this
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I got D’Arcy Spice on Bud118 as a bench graft from Greenmantle. The tree had no problem growing or setting fruit. However, in my desiccating heat it dropped every fruit as soon as the daytime temperature hit 90°F. Four years in a row.
I was dashed; would love to eat a couple of D’Arcy alongside Gold Rush to compare the spice component.
The tree was perfectly healthy in all other ways, just aborted fruit how ever early or late that heat wave struck.
It would probably have a better time in uplands of Tennessee.
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@RobThomas : Did you try D’Arcy?
The alleged flavor on this one sounds intriguing. I like the idea of unique flavored apples, although I’ve never tasted any of them and my trees never quite seem to get to the fruiting stage between deer, grafting, hurricanes, …
D’Arcy Spice is one of my favorite apple names, right up with Maiden Blush and Nutting Bumpus.
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I had been looking at the D’Arcy Spice apple to put on my orchard for a number of years.
Sort of glad I waited now because I do not think it will work in my orchard since we get very high temps in the 90’s and 100’s for weeks at a time. Bummer since it sounds like a very great tasting apple.
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I grow it here in Mi. It is scab prone and the leaves look terrible , but it can taste really great Note to self:spray earlier and more often.
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Anyone growing this successfully in VA? I’m at 2k elevation so we don’t have quite as bad humidity but it sounds like that might do this apple in…I’d sure love to have a tree, the apple is just fantastic
Give it a try.
Humidity down to 13% all summer, where mine dropped all fruit at 90°. DRY. (Way different situation than anywhere in VA.)
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I never did. Probably will never get this one due to the issues it has with heat.