No mine hasn’t fruited yet. Was likely old enough this year but after heavy deer “pruning” it’s still a bit small, and not shaped the best in the world. I’m gonna have to try to get it back growing with a proper shape…
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I’d say the best munching apple is the Royal. The problem is with the Royal, the flavor varies depending on soil and climate. The one I tasted grown in orange/red light density clay in Stokes county NC is still the best tasting apple I’ve ever tasted, period. It’s a softer apple, very juicy, delicately sweet with light citric/pineapple undertones. I’ve tasted further east in the state, and they weren’t as nearly as tasty.
BTW, Parkers Orchard in the Brushy Mts south of Wilkesboro NC still grow the Royal and another Limbertwig unidentified. This year’s apple crop was devastated by hail.
Deal Orchards @ Taylorsville sells limbertwig apples. I called them last year and they they were Brushy Mt. Limbertwig.
They unidentified Limbertwigs grown at Parkers are sold at Hawks produce in Elkin. They are either OFLT, or Brushy. They are the sweetest apple I’ve ever tasted plus they are tart. This is not an apple for the faint of heart. The skin is like sandpaper, the flesh is dense. The juice is so sticky from sugars it will leave a sticky residue on your lips. It makes the Goldrush seem like a complete snore.
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Yeah, hoping to pick that up this coming trade season. Do you happen to know about when it ripens? I’ve got six LT varieties, but LT’s seem to do well here.
I suppose it depends on the season and your location. Probably the last week of Oct. or maybe the first week of Nov. They don’t keep long, so picking at the right time is absolutely critical with this apple.
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I’d like to know which one it actually is, OFLT or Brushy. I have one spot left for a tree and was trying to figure out what to put in its place. I like the description of how it tastes. The sandpaper skin doesn’t bother me at all. I have a few apples here that have that rough sandpaper like skin. I don’t care as long as the apple tastes good. So many people are obsessed with a " pretty red apple" look. They are missing out of so many wonderful apples by not trying these other apples that aren’t the perfect shiny red color.
I grow both here. Brushy Mountain has very smooth skin. OFLT has the fine sandpaper skin. Both are great apples. When I went to David’s open house I tasted some Limbertwigs and the Brushy Mountain was so good he ended up giving me a bag and he let me pick every one of them off the tree. Swiss LT also was fabulous, very similar to the Brushy LT. Up until this year Brushy Mountain was the best apple I’d ever tasted. Now I have to put Henry Morton’s Brogan apple right there with it.
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I read the review of the Brogan apple. It sounded like a great apple. I never knew that actually tasted one. Nice review of these apples.
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The guys at UNC Horne Creek say the Swiss LT has a grapefruit taste. Do you find that? Not sure how I would feel about that.
Descriptions here are a little more descriptive than many others.
I do wonder about the stated ripening time for the Smokey. Doesn’t jive with others.
I believe the Limbertwigs as a whole are the most misidentified apples there are and I’ve become very careful passing along scion. The Brushy Mt. I have fruiting is a small hard apple that I let the deer eat so must be misidentified as others rate it a first class apple.
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No I didn’t taste grapefruit in it, tangerine maybe? Just a deep, rich, apple flavor. Sweeter than most but also has some nice zing and something going on in the background that is probably what they describe as the classic limbertwig flavor. Definitely top 5 in my mind.
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Agree- here Brushy Mtn LT was a zero for eating, even after storage. Zero before storage, zero after storage.
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Maybe there is an imposter out there or they are sensitive to climate but the ones in North Carolina and Northern California have been spectacular for sure. I remember putting them in the fridge and eating them chilled and looking at them and just thinking how can something so good grow on a tree. 
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My BMLTs have been very good, but it’s a very shy bearer. I added two more trees awhile back and in a few years I should be getting enough to get a good idea of the apple.
I just got some sad news on the Limbertwig front, my Black Limbertwig up and died in the last week. It had a bad fireblight strike over ten years ago and I think it ate into the trunk and finally did it in. I was at least able to pick this year’s crop, and they taste incredibly good. My other tree of it is small, so I’ll have to add one more tree of it.
This is very encouraging and helpful. The Swiss LT on a B9 in 7A NC I just started seems to be very eager much like an Aunt Rachel apple. It was grafted in 2024 and planted in a new orchard plot this past Spring. The leader is already 104 inches tall and covered in flower buds. I’m hoping for a less stingy alternative to the Brushy.
The tangerine flavor you mention is also found in the Royals grown locally. Did you pick up any of that in AZ?
I’m very intrigued by the White Limbertwig. Is it interesting like the OFLT or Swiss, or very uninteresting like the Red? I have two tree spots left and I’m agonizing over which varieties I should plant there.
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I grafted it this year. Many report it as a great LT for fresh eating.
At my Hocking Hills Orchard I currently grow the following Limbertwig varieties out of my 1,900 varieties of apples. Limbertwigs are some of my favorite apples and for the most part produce a pretty good crop every year. The first two below are well known limbertwig seedlings.
Coffelt Beauty - Arkansas, 1887. Cross of Ben Davis x Red Limbertwig. AKA Improved Limbertwig and Wandering Spy. Another of the late Rev Henry Morton’s rescues.
Kinnaird’s Choice – Tennesse, 1840’s. Thought to be a cross of Winesap x Limbertwig. Fruit medium, roundish to slightly oblate, slightly conical, sometimes oblique; skin thick, tough, almost covered with dark red when exposed to the sun; dots numerous, small to large, light-colored. Flesh yellowish, moderately fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, somewhat aromatic, mild subacid. Ripe September/October in central North Carolina and an excellent keeper.
Ashford Limbertwig. Fruit Medium, Roundish, slightly conic; skin greenish yellow covered with faint and darker red stripes; dots large, numerous; stem short, thick, cavity shallow, acuminate; basin shallow, narrow; calyx closed. Ripe October.
Ben Lomand Limbertwig – Tennessee. A large apple, round but not flat. Unusual color of red and green. This is a good all purpose variety. Juicy, firm, aromatic. Good for eating fresh. This variety was grown in the Smoky Mountains but was called another name. Rediscovered by R. J. Howard on the Ben Lomand Mountain in Middle Tennessee.
Black Limbertwig – Georgia, 1800’s. A medium to large apple, deep dark red in color. Spicy and aromatic with rich, juicy, yellow flesh. Makes excellent cider and apple butter. Ripens late September to early October and is an excellent keeper.
Brushy Mtn Limbertwig – North Carolina. A fine eating apple with bright yellow skin with a dull red wash and some russet on the skin. Crisp, juicy flesh and highly aromatic. Good keeper. Tree is true weeping type. Fruit ripens in October.
Caney Fork Limbertwig – Kentucky. Originated in the Caney Fork region of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky. Fruit is medium to large in size, round, symmetrical with dull yellow skin, mostly covered with a bright red flush and distinctive white dots on the surface. Ripens in early October and is a good keeper.
Fall Limbertwig
Golden Limbertwig
Hanging Dog Limbertwig
Kentucky Limbertwig – Kentucky, 1800’s. Medium to large size pinkish yellow covered with light red stripes. Crisp, white, juicy flesh. Light, sweet, mild flavor. Ripens in October. One of my favorites.
Levering Limbertwig – Virginia, late 1800’s. One of the best of the Limbertwig strains, with the true “weeping” Limbertwig growth habit and distinctive Limbertwig flavor. Fruit is large, somewhat blocky in shape with greenish yellow skin, overlaid with dull red striping. The yellowish flesh is juicy, very firm and crunchy. A wonderful cider apple. Ripens late October to early November and is an excellent keeper. Levering Orchard is the South’s largest cherry orchard. The story goes, that Frank’s grandfather was living in Tennessee and was raising sweet potatoes and other crops that required bending over. He got tired of his back hurting and decided he would pursue growing apples. He followed the Blue Ridge in a northeasterly direction and along the way, he would inquire with local farmers about how often they experienced late spring freezes that wiped out their apples. Not far from the NC/VA state line and 8-10 miles north of Mount Airy, NC he found the spot for the present day orchard. The Levering Limbertwig was discovered at this location.
Little Limbertwig
Mammoth Limbertwig
Mountain Limbertwig
Myer’s Green Limbertwig
Myer’s Royal Limbertwig – Tennessee. Originated in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. Large, deep red and yellow apple with a distinctive flavor. A juicy, firm, aromatic apple which makes wonderful cider. Strong, vigorous tree with weeping growth habit.
Nanthalia Limbertwig
Old Fashioned Limbertwig – Georgia, early 1800’s. Medium to large fruit with greenish-yellow skin washed with red. Typical Limbertwig weeping growth type. Great for pies, jelly and cider. Ripens in late October.
Red Limbertwig – This is most likely the oldest of the many Limbertwigs and the best keeper of the group. The flavor improves greatly during storage. Fruit is medium in size with rough, greenish-yellow skin with a dull red blush on the sunny side. Numerous, large, brown dots visible on the skin. Ripens October to November or later.
Red Royal Limbertwig – Fruit medium or above, roundish conical, often lopsided; skin mostly covered with dull red; dots small, numerous, white. Flesh pale yellow, crisp, moderately juicy, rather coarse, almost sweet. Ripe September/October.
Rocky River Limbertwig – Fruit medium to above medium, roundish to slightly roundish conical. Skin yellow completely covered with stripes of dark reds. Raised white lenticels present. Ripens October.
Royal Limbertwig – This apple somewhat resembles the better-known Red Limbertwig but is a larger apple and does not store as well as Red Limbertwig. As described from growth trials at the University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station in 1896, Royal Limbertwig is a high quality fruit recommended for the home orchardist. It is well-adapted to warmer regions and is noted for making excellent apple butter. Fruit is large, roundish to conical with greenish-yellow skin mostly covered with a dull red blush and dark red stripes. The yellow flesh is fine-grained, tender and juicy. Ripens October to November.
Ruby Limbertwig – A very obscure Limbertwig from the collection of the late Robert Dudney of Gainesboro, Tennessee. Ruby Limbertwig is like many of the fine Limbertwig varieties which arose in very remote areas of the Appalachians. Though extremely popular within their area of origin, they were rarely listed in regional or local nursery catalogs and so have incomplete or unknown histories. Ruby Limbertwig is an especially attractive apple with the distinctive earthy, musky flavor typical of Limbertwigs. Fruit is medium, roundish with rich, ruby-red skin. Ripens in October and is a good keeper. Another one of my favorites.
Rusty Coat Limbertwig
Slatton’s Limbertwig
Smoky Mountain Limbertwig – Tennessee, 1800’s. Heirloom variety with unique flavor.
Sour Buff Limbertwig
Striped Limbertwig
Summer Limbertwig – North Carolina , 1855. Medium size fruit, pale yellow skin overlaid with pink and red stripes. Flesh is white, tender, juicy and aromatic.The tree has a true weeping growth habit. Ripens earlier than most Limbertwigs, ripening in August to September.
Sweet Limbertwig – Tennesse, 1860. Fruit medium to large, oblate conical; skin thick, tough, rough, yellow, mostly covered with crimson with dark red stripes, often with a gray bloom; dots conspicuous, yellow, some indented. Flesh greenish yellow, fine-grained, tender, juicy, sweet. Ripe September/October.
Swiss Limbertwig – A very beautiful apple with a very appealing maroon color. Originated with early Swiss settlers in the Cumberland Mountains.
Victoria Limbertwig – Tennessee, prior to 1860. Victoria Limbertwig is one of the most flavorful of the many Limbertwig varieties and one of the most beautiful. It is a very high quality dessert apple with a rich, smooth flavor. The tree has the true Limbertwig weeping growth habit. Fruit is round in shape with attractive purple skin covered with numerous large white dots. The firm, crisp, yellowish flesh is highly flavorful and extremely juicy.
Virginia Limbertwig
Watts Limbertwig
Weaver’s Red Limbertwig
Weaver’s Red Sweet Limbertwig
White Limbertwig – Southern states, 1800’s. A large, green-yellow apple overlaid with a whitish coloration. White Limbertwig is aromatic, rich,juicy dense flesh. Great for cider, pies, and fresh eating. Beautiful weeping growth habit. One of my favorite limbertwigs.
Yellow Limbertwig
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I have yet to taste a Royal. I had a big beautiful Royal LT tree and gophers got into its roots and nearly killed it. I’ve been waiting ever since but it’s not doing much. Planted 2 more. As far as White LT it grows really well and produces tons of apples here but the flavor is very average and not very spectacular. However I’ve heard from multiple growers east of the Mississippi that it’s one of the best Limbertwigs. My climate is just plain hard on apples. I’m growing over 500 varieties just to see what works and what doesn’t.
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White Limbertwig and Ruby Limbertwig here in SE Ohio are really nice tasting apples. So many apples are just an average taste to me but sometimes it is timing of when they are picked. I grabbed a Barritskov Madaeble off one of the trees and it was fantastic. In my notes I have that it ripens in early September and clearly early October is better for that one. I know that is true for quite a few varieties but this was a huge difference.
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What would you consider the top five fresh eating LT’s that would appeal to most people.