This year the Not Rome apple looks a little more like the Rome Beauty apples but it is still small (2"). I decided to wait longer this year before picking and the extra time apparently allowed it to take on a little red to the skin. Sweet with only a hint of tartness. Small but good.
Rome as I recall it has a graceful shape which tapers towards the bottom, and has a pinkish quality to the striping. A bit of a dud of an apple when it comes to the flavor…best in a spiced pie☺
1 Like
I had been expecting my Rome to look and taste like the ones sold at Publix until I saw this post from @applenut post 27. It looks more like my apple but it is just too small. Not a big deal but I am curious as to what it is.
It is still Not Rome but it is so good tasting. There was only one on the tree and it looks like it was the same size as it was two months ago. If you have ever eaten an an apple and wished you had more that is what I was thinking. I have been slowly grafting over this tree to other varieties but now I’m ready to add a few grafts of it to other trees. I’m not good a describing but it was plenty sweet with just a little tartness.
001
002
2 Likes
Looks like Fuji to me
1 Like
It does look like Fuji but it never gets over 2". Only had this one apple on the entire tree.
Well now I’m confused! First, is Rome and Rome Beauty the same thing? I have a Rome apple tree (2 of them actually) and I was really confident that they were true to label based on descriptions and photos I’d read. But they look nothing like those in applenut’s photos. Mine are very glossy and almost solid red with some freckles. Here is a photo.
So what gives? @applenut is one of our foremost apple experts so I certainly trust your opinion if those in your photo are rome beauty. But if you google Rome Apples or Rome Beauty, they look like mine and not yours. Whats going on here?
and
2 Likes
The ones you have are what I see in my local Pubix listed only as Rome. It is a beautiful apple.
Exactly. And they really are pretty, Even the Orange Pippin site matches mine- not only in photo but in every single detail listed, from taste to how it holds its shape when cooked, to glossy, to bloom and harvest periods, etc.
https://www.orangepippin.com/apples/rome-beauty
I’m interested in hearing back from @applenut on this…
1 Like
What’s in the basket is Red Rome, an inferior but ultimately more marketable red colored sport of Rome Beauty. Anything labeled Rome in the market is Red Rome. It lacks the zing of Rome Beauty but still makes a tolerable pie. Think of it as similar to the difference between Delicious (Hawkeye) and Red Delicious. You can see a video of Tom Spellman and I comparing the two at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSVZ1n37aNE
4 Likes
Thanks for clearing that up, I was confident that you’d know. I also have to agree with your assessment. While it is a beautiful apple to look at, it isn’t the best apple I’ve ever tasted by a long shot. Not bad, just an average to good apple.
1 Like