Limbertwigs, such a truly American group of apples.
The name limbertwig is sometimes thought to be because the apple varieties in this group all have a distinctive “weeping” tree form. Well not really. Or they are said to have a similar flavor, again not really. But most, if not all, have originated in the southeastern United States.
I used to say my favorite limbertwig was Kentucky Limbertwig but the last few years the White Limbertwig apples have become one of my favorites by far. Nice size apples even in horrible drought years like the this one, reliable producers and great tasting.
Ruby, Smoky Mountain, Swiss, Red and Black are also great tasting and reliable producers.
White Limbertwig – One of the 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. A beautiful weeping growth habit.
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 Mountain Limbertwig – North Carolina, 1800’s. 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, 1800’s. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Almata Limbertwig – My cross of Almata x Kentucky Limbertwig to get a red fleshed limbertwig. So not a southern variety but still pretty cool to me.
The late Henry Morton in his Fall 1985 – Spring 1986 catalog listed 40 different limbertwig varieties. And he was singlehandedly responsible for putting this large collection of them together back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He gathered them from old home sites in Smoky Mountain National Park and from other growers.
We currently grow 36 varieties of Limbertwig apple varieties out of our 1,854 total apple varieties. Henry had 21 limbertwig varieties on his list that we do not grow and we grow 18 limbertwig varieties not on his list plus there are 3 that have similar names and could be the same but who knows?
So, if anyone knows of a source for any of the below I would be interested in swapping or buying scions of them:
Appalachian
Autumn Green
Bee Creek
Cagle Mountain
Cane Creek
Carolina (had this from SSE but they died)
Camp
Eaton
Edgefield
Cumberland
Glade
Howard
Improved
June
Park Green
Ramsey
Richard Red
Sequatchie
Short Mountain
Summer Yellow
Tate
Tellico
Volunteer
And the ones that are similarly named include:
Henry Hocking Hills Orchard
Fall Creek Fall
Mountain Crest Mountain
Sour Sour Buff
Email me for info on scions for these and other of our 1,854 apple varieties at derekcs2005@aol.com
Derek Mills
Hocking Hills Orchard at Four Seasons Cabins in the beautiful Hocking Hills of SE Ohio.