Hi @ribs1, looks like a good match from a visual standpoint, but when I read on the orange pippin site it described the region as much more north from where this tree is. Where is your orchard?
Also the Tollman stem is much shorter than the mystery apple. The chances of finding an old Grimes Golden tree in W. Va. are excellent as it was and is a favorite son.
I am in Michigan zone 6a
Tolmanās also frequently/usually have a suture line from stem to stern
Does it have a āseamā running down on one side of it? It is a nice looking apple though.
Sorry, I posted the same question with reading all the replies here. I had the same question. I think ALL Tolman Sweet apples have that seam or suture line. Or that is what I was told and have seen before.
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No seam on this apple.
Just heard back from Mira at WVUā¦this is what she saidā¦Keep in mind I didnāt suggest the possibility that it was grimes in my email to herā¦
It is very difficult to make cultivar identification from the photoā¦we have only 10,000 cultivars to choose fromā¦having said that, I think that you are looking at Grimes golden. This is very old cultivar from the early 1800ās and is most famous for being one of the parents of Golden delicious but with a much better taste (for my taste) than its famous offspringā¦ you are right about the red spotsā¦it is result of the SJ scale.
I think you might be able to grow it in northern Floridaā¦Grimed golden likes warmer weatherā¦
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Grimes has high sugar content, was used to boost alcohol content in cider. It got bad fireblight when I grew it in Zone 7 but some of that might been mm 106 rootstock that I will never use again.
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I get about a bushel of apples a year from my Tolman sweet tree.
About 1/2 of them half a green seam.
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