It is very good here in central AZ mountains. We are eating them now and they are flavorful with an excellent texture. We planned to store them…but it remains to be seen if any will last long enough to get into storage.
4 Likes
King David and Arkansas BLack are both great here in PNWet. Arkansas Black better for storage, King David better for fresh eating IMHO.
John S
PDX OR
2 Likes
Not often do you hear Arkansas Black being the “favorite” apple.
But, it definitely is one that can be grown in hot and humid conditions, and the tree remain healthy. And one of the better for no-spray operations.
No argument that there are better tasting apples for fresh eating…but if you don’t have any others, Arkansas Black is a good tree to have. (And probably in areas that it don’t ripen properly, can be an excellent tree to let the fruit hang for the wildlife. Finding them some years in middle of winter on the ground and still edible is also a treat you don’t find under just any tree in the orchard.)
Technology hasn’t developed the means of communicating the twinkle in the eyes yet.
1 Like
It is one that always seems to bear nice looking fruit on spray neglected trees in my nursery. It is also highly precocious. My problem with it as a nurseryman is getting the spur-strain up to size on 111 rootstock. The trees tend to runt out in their haste to deliver heavy crops.
In your experience, I assume. Opinion seems a bit watered down as everyone has an opinion but not everyone has experience storing King David apples. Thanks for the heads up on that before I go overboard grafting King David on everything in site. It may only be a good apple into Dec., right?
Of course, the storability of apples can be affected by where they are grown, with later ripening regions probably being better, IME.
1 Like
@ribs1 Arknsas Black Should be Ripe in 6a by early November. They really must should be stored for several weeks on the counter or months in the fridge before being palatable. I view them as highly valuable for there storage qualities. They would be pure gold in an off the grid / survival scenario. @clarkinks The “fake” Arkansas Blacks are likely mislabeled and are one of the many offspring of Winsap or Arkansas Black.
4 Likes
Correct @ribs1 issue is that’s not the right apple for that environment . I’m not sure if it gets cold before that apple ripens and gets its sugar content up or maybe another issue. True Arkansas Black’s are a great storage apple which is why I pointed out the fakes may not store or have the flavor of the original. Like Kieffer getting a bad rap because other fake Kieffer are sold which are inferior to real Kieffer. Arkansas Black’s children ot sports may be superior to the original as well. If one of the ripened in September that would be really nice for someone or December would be nice for someone else.
1 Like
Nice to know. I’m in Montana wish I had known this a year ago.
I found the same to be so, on M7 root and the spur strain…died of natural causes in about a decade.
1 Like
Keep in mind sometimes there are improvements in a variety. Not every change is good either for everyone. @39thparallel grows Kieffer which I think is as good or better than my so called
“improved kieffer”. To someone in a colder climate improved Kieffer is great because now they can ripen a pear like Kieffer.
Can I assume you grow the “real” Arkansas Black as @clarkinks describes?
I was planning on buying some scion from you this winter. A friend’s family that lives about and hour or so west of here used to have an orchard. He recently told me out of all the apples they grew, the ArkBlack was his absolute favorite. So based on that information, I thought I should add a few grafts of this spring. I hadn’t even considered adding it before he told me that, because my past experience with it has been unfavorable. Tough, waxy skin, and an off flavor after storage. This based on apples I bought from an orchard about 1/2 hour away from me.
How reliable is it for you to fully ripen each year? When do you generally harvest it?
thanks!
1 Like
Often spur-bound trees are rejuvenated with extensive removal of the spur wood. I probably haven’t been diligent enough with my nursery Blacks, I manage one for a customer that I’ve gotten up to normal vigor that way- normal if it was on 7 instead of 11.
1 Like
Mine is the Spur type, very productive and always produces fruit. I have no doubt that’s Arkansas Black. It’s ripe In late October / Early November. I know it’s time to pick when I see some dropping to the ground. My Arkansas Blacks true to type has a waxy / Greasy skin in long term storage and thick skin. The “off flavor” in storage is subjective. To me, it develops a complex flavor like a Winesap after storage. I would not claim it is a top tier choice dessert apple. I’m happy to have a them In June when all of last years apples are gone.
2 Likes
Thanks, @39thparallel. I really appreciate the details. I think I will go ahead and graft a few sticks of Arkansas Black into one of my more mature trees.
One thing I love about late harvested apples is literally seeing them hanging on the trees this time of year! I hate to to give up on the last of the fruits or vegetables from the growing season. My Goldrush are still hanging on, still a bit green on the bottoms. But they are beautiful golden with a peachy colored blush on the sun side. Gorgeous to see anytime, but especially when everything else is gone with the last freeze.
1 Like
Yes, I need to Check on my Goldrush and Lady Williams.
1 Like
Do you have many other late maturing apples besides ArkBlack, Goldrush, and Lady Williams?
1 Like
Cripps Pink, Wickson, Clark’s Crab, Victoria Limbertwig, Black Limbertwig Red Limbertwig. Lady Williams is the latest ripening apple I have.
2 Likes
I picked the last of my Gold Rush today in z8/9a. I found some Christmas crab apples that i had forgotten about also. Some still on tree. Cripp;'s Pink/Pink Lady I harvested a few days back. They said that if you call it Pink Lady, you can’t grow it and you can be sued. If you call it Cripp’s Pink, it’s totally fine and Ok. Guess which one I call it? I call it a tasty apple that lasts a long time as a keeper also.
John S
PDX OR
2 Likes
Here in N. Virginia, (Z 6b-7a) they are an amazing apple. Heavy fruit load, sturdy (it gets a bit windy where our farm is), and very resistant to pests and disease. If someone is in the mid latitudes of the US, I can’t recommend them highly enough.
That said, I’m jealous of where you are when it comes to varieties that don’t fair as well here! The scion is always greener in the other orchard…
7 Likes
Welcome.
(And your high recommendation of this apple is also good.)
All I have left are Arkansas Black … not refrigerated … and Braeburn … in the refrigerator.
1 Like