Anyone grow this Australian variety? A few of mine have turned quite yellow in the background and seemed to be ready to pick (just a touch and off they came!) but they are hard as rocks with not much flavor.
Maybe this apple needs heat to develop properly (avg. summer temps here trying to push 70 F…)?
While I have no experience with low chill apples, I can relate this. Two years ago I had a Winesap tree that produced its first fruit. I ate an apple off of the tree that was extremely sour. Waited another two weeks to eat another and its flavor had changed to a very neutral flavor. And its texture may have changed too, can’t remember. As you probably know, as a tree gets older its flavor will improve.
I would not have guessed that with your location that the average summer temps are only 70 F.
I’m hoping the flavor/texture improving is going to happen. Not quite what I expected for a relatively low chill apple.
Yeah, we’re pretty cool here generally, just a shallow bay and a big sand bar between us and the Pacific, AND we’re in a persistent fog pocket, so lots of marine influence, many grey days during the summer. I’m actually relieved at the grey now, with water restrictions and all. The last two summers were relentlessly sunny and abnormally warm and my trees really suffered on water rations.