Lovely blossoms and a nice colored apple.
This year, I planted
Redlove Calypso, Era & Odysso
Also Firecracker.
Crossing fingers
Mike
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The Redlove Calypso looks like a good apple to try out.
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This was one of the last on the tree, a fairly small example:
You probably can see how juicy it is, and it’s still quite crisp, too. As the Greenmantle catalog says, “The melting flesh is exceedingly juicy, so combined with its color it calls to mind a very sprightly watermelon.”
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It looks fantastic. I thought by now I would see red fleshed apples in our markets but they haven’t appeared yet. Does crisp mean tart as well or does it have some sweetness? Its beautiful!
It’s a very nice combination of sweet and tart with berry elements. It gets more sweet and less tart in storage, but we generally use them right off the tree. They make a lovely pink apple marmalade, too.
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On whim, I tried some Ruby Macs from a local fruit stand. I was surprised to see pink flesh. Maybe that is where the name came from? The skin is dark red. The sweet-tart flavor profile and the softer texture is the same as McIntosh. I think they ripen a month later than Macs.
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@AJfromElmiraNY, those look beautiful.
I searched. apparently Ruby Mac is a hybrid of McIntosh with something called Rubinstar. Or maybe not. If they were available, I would grow it. I love McIntosh - type apples.
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The few descriptions I’ve seen don’t mention anything about red flesh. They indicate white or greenish flesh. However, two comments at the second site you posted appear to indicate red flesh. Why the discrepancy? Are there two strains already? It doesn’t seem like environmental conditions alone would create that much red.
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Here is some fresh jam made with Airlie Red Flesh apples. It’s made using our bread machine, which has a “jam” setting. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Ingredients, just cut up apple, water, lemon juice, sugar but I also add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. This jam is for refrigerating and using within a few weeks, but I suppose it could be frozen. The red color deepened during cooking. Very tasty jam.
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Jerry, I’ve decided to pass on Christmas Pink, Pink Parfait. They sound great when described by growers who hardly have winter, but I am skeptical if they would ripen in Kentucky.
And, for trying my hand at breeding, I want to pursue the ones that have red flesh, red blooms, red leaves, etc.
By the way, I am interested in still additional red fleshed varieties…but don’t want to try and collect every one that exists, just ones I would want.
Veinouin is one I’d like scion of if anyone has it. And some of the German red fleshed varieties that I don’t yet have.
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Sounds reasonable to me, given your climate. If you haven’t grown the much earlier Pink Pearl, however, that’s worth a try in Kentucky.
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I have had really good pink pearl apples grown from California. These were some of the best red fleshed apples i have eaten and while i found them mainly tart then sweet with a touch of astringency, Most years i would give them a 8 out of 10. I tried to grow one ignoring that it said zone 6 and it got bad Fireblight.
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I believe that @derekamills has had good success with Pink Pearl in Ohio, so they may work out OK in Kentucky for @BlueBerry. Probably have to give them a try (or consult a local grower) to be sure. Sorry to hear that they didn’t work for you, though.
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It was a foolhardy venture, and it was sent as a replacement for a different tree. My fireblight pressure is extremely high and several neighbors have infected pear trees so i have altered my choices. I would definitely reccomend to give it a try if anyone is interested.
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I have six trees of Pink Pearl and while a good apple it is so finicky I would be content with only 2. Red Devil and Airlie Red Flesh to just name two are much better apples. Not only in taste but in production and ease to grow.
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Must be environmental factors at play (unsurprisingly). Pink Pearl is much better here than ARF, for what it’s worth.
I just planted Red Devil last year, based mostly on your reports, and I’m looking forward to sampling it in another season or two.
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I agree. Way too humid here for Pink Pearl, I have to spray them more often than all the other trees.
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Does anyone happen to have any scion wood from a red or pink fleshed apple that would work in zone 6b that they would be willing to part with? I can pay for shipping and for the scion or scions?
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I could offer Redfield and Niedzwetzkyana. (I have others, but being as they mostly are 2019 grafts, probably few of those have any wood I will part with.) I am in 6b in Kentucky.
Many of the new starts I have are experiments, as I don’t know which will do well in Kentucky.
But, these two are healthy enough without spraying.