I planted four type of apple trees over 10 years ago. Over time the tags blew off or came up missing and now I don’t know what type of apples they are. Is there anyway of having them tested or an easy way of figuring it out?
Try posting pictures here. Members might be able to ID it for you. Start taking pictures during bloom time and then post with fruit pictures. Also note the timing of things…bloom, ripe etc.
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Mike, I can relate to your post. I have a very nice full sized tree I planted in 1991. (But it’s NOT a Macintosh, like I ordered.) Perhaps next year I will take susu’s advice and post a photo.
I’ve guessed but, solid red skin when ripe, and yellowish flesh. Rather firm and hard until fully ripe. Keeps at least a couple months…never had any left to see if they keep longer. It’s not an Arkansas Black…not a Jonathan, not a Macintosh. I’ve never knowingly ate a Baldwin, but that is a possibility.
Best wishes on getting a positive ID on your tree.
Where did you buy the trees? That might narrow it down a lot. Here’s an apple ID key you can use :http://www.applename.com
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hambone, in my case I ran the criteria…and it gave one result…Red Delicious.
Ha.
So, mine isn’t on their list of 100.
Sorry to hear that. There’s another key online but I can’t find it just now.
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Baldwin was never "improved’ (ruined) to have a solid red color like Stayman- a somewhat similar apple.
I manage several apples I’ve never been able to ID. Roger Way used to be Cornell’s go-to guy if you had clean apples he could look at. Most ID work is done through fruit although trees do often have definitive growth habits- such as the spurring Red Delicious types that can runt out with excessive spur growth and perhaps the affect of root primordial along the branches that probably interfere with the vascular system.
I haven’t asked for help from Cornell for years- the people who can identify apples well tend to be involved in breeding programs, but it requires a special kind of intelligence- a strong memory of shapes and colors. I suggest contacting the universities with apple breeding programs closest to you to see if they have a current varietal guru.
Even though I am around 100’s of varieties I am a relative moron when it comes to memory of shape, color and even tastes. Growth habits I’m better at remembering.
Keys are much more useful in the hands of experts, identifying varieties or species from them is an acquired skill.
Thanks.
Sounds like a snowy day project.
The tree came from Canandaigua NY…and they had about 50 different trees (or more) for sale at the time. I was supposed to have gotten a Mac. (As you mention spur Red Delicious may ‘runt out’…that is probably what happened to the spur type Arkansas Black on m7 as it died at about age 10 after having only one crop of any size.
I’m happy with the apple…but be nice to ID it,
Ah yes, the Miller lotto.
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