Many of you know about the ultra rare red cinnamon or the more common cinnamon spice @39thparallel sells. It can have a very pronounced cinnamon flavor, but do you know why? " The cinnamon-like flavor in certain apple varieties comes from the unique blend of aromatic compounds, organic acids, sugars, and polyphenols that develop in the apples. Here are some of the key factors:
Cinnamaldehyde
Many of the compounds that give cinnamon its signature flavor are also found in apples. Cinnamaldehyde is the main chemical compound that gives cinnamon its spice. Traces of cinnamaldehyde naturally develop in some apple varieties and impart subtle cinnamon notes.
Procyanidins
Apples contain polyphenolic compounds called procyanidins that contribute to their complex flavors. Procyanidins with polymer chains of a certain length are perceived as more ācinnamon-like.ā Varieties like Jonagold, Rome, and Pink Lady tend to have higher levels of these compounds.
Sugar Content
The balance of sugars like glucose, sucrose, and fructose along with organic acids also affects the perceived cinnamon notes in apples. Varieties like Honeycrisp with higher sugar levels bring out warmer spice flavors."
" Storage Time
The cinnamon spice flavors tend to become more pronounced after 1-2 months of controlled atmosphere storage. Chemical changes happen during storage that increase levels of aromatic compounds.
Is Cinnamon Added to Apples?
The cinnamon flavor comes from the applesā natural chemistry and is not added artificially. However, there are some fun and creative ways cinnamon can be paired with apples:
Apples baked into pies, tarts, muffins with cinnamon sugar
Dipping apple slices in cinnamon-spiced sauces or caramel
Apples cooked into compotes with cinnamon sticks
Cinnamon-spiced cider with fresh apple slices
Hard apple cider blended with cinnamon whiskey
The next time you eat an apple with a warm spice flavor, itās the natural aroma compounds at work, not added cinnamon. Choosing flavorful varieties like Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Pink Lady can provide that tasty cinnamon kick in every crunchy bite.
Conclusion
Certain apple varieties naturally develop a cinnamon-like flavor from compounds like cinnamaldehyde and polyphenols. Rome, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Cinnamon Spice are examples of apples known for their spice. The cinnamon notes become more pronounced after storage as the applesā chemistry changes. While real cinnamon isnāt added to apples, the flavors complement each other perfectly in baked goods, sauces, ciders, and more. So enjoy experimenting with cinnamon-flavored apples in your cooking and snacking for a touch of spice."
Iām not sure who else sells these if anyone besides Mike. They are in his drop down menu.
Red Cinnamon (punakaneli) is very rare in the US but well known in Finland and Russia. It tastes Exactly like cinnamon. I have been trying to aquire the other Russian apple Yellow / Striped Cinnamon (Korichnoe polosatoe @anon89542713 said it was a blight magnet, and I donāt know if itās in the USDA collection anymore. I did graft Korichoe Novoe (new) this year Itās a recent (1965) child of Korichoe Polocatoe with improved fruit size
Yes, @anon89542713 speaks Russian and helped me demystify the Russian names in scion catalogs. I called and emailed USDA about Korichnoe polosatoe which they now list as unavailable but got no response
The Cinnamon striped apple tree was bred 200 years ago by the breeder Levshin. Throughout its history, it gave rich harvests, and also became the āprogenitorā of more than 15 varieties of wood. For the entire period, the view did not improve and was rightfully considered one of the elite. There is also a variety called Brown.
Cinnamon striped is an autumn type of apple that is successfully pollinated if it grows near apiaries. The bees love the fruits of this tree, and thanks to their activities, the yield level increases. Also, the variety is pollinated by trees of other varieties and does not require special conditions for growth.
As an autumn species, the apple tree bears fruit in September, and if the summer was hot and sunny, ripe fruits can be harvested already in August.
Variety characteristic:
autumn;
short shelf life of fruits (2-3 months);
self-pollinating;
average size of apples.
Characteristics of the tree
Apple trees of this variety are pyramidal trees with a massive crown. The tree reaches a height of 5 m, and the width can be 4 m. Every year the crown becomes more powerful and thicker, maintaining rapid growth.
The branches of the tree are short, lowered, the foliage is concentrated at the top of the crown. It has a characteristic dense green color, the leaf shape is sharp.
The flowering period - mid-May - is distinguished by a special aroma that attracts bees and other pollinators to the pink flowers.
Description of fruits
Fruits are medium in size, flattened in shape, color corresponds to the name - with clear traces of vertical brown stripes. On average, one apple weighs 80 g, but there are also larger fruits.
At harvest, the color may differ slightly from that which appears during the ripening stage. The fruits can be greenish in color, they are smooth, covered with natural wax, shiny and glossy.
Advantages and disadvantages
This variety can rightfully be called the most frost-resistant. Even in severe winters, the trees withstood the cold, waited for spring, and in the fall brought the long-awaited harvest.
The taste of the fruit brings this variety to the leading positions in the apple rating. The characteristic note of cinnamon, thanks to which the apple tree got its name, will appeal to everyone. Fruit is in great demand in the market and in the home kitchen. They make excellent jams, and baked goods with this variety will have an exquisite taste.
The disadvantages include low yield. Cinnamon striped can produce up to 140 kg of fruit per year. You have to wait for such a harvest up to 10 years after planting a tree.
Also, the disadvantages include the excessive ātendernessā of the fruits themselves: at the slightest physical impact, the quality of the apple is lost, so you should not wait until the fruits begin to fall. They are harvested earlier, otherwise the gardener risks losing the presentation of the fruit.
Taste
The fruits taste good.
The pronounced and characteristic taste of this apple variety will appeal to every consumer. Subtle notes of cinnamon, along with a light taste of beeswax, create a unique tandem.
The taste of the fruit has the following characteristics:
sweet (sugar content up to 10%);
light acidity (no more than 0.5%);
cinnamon flavor.
Yield
The apple tree yields an average - about 150 kg per year. If an apiary is located nearby, insects with their pollination can double the number of fruits. Harvested in late summer - early autumn.
Removing the fruit should be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the apples. To store fruits for up to six months, you need to prepare a dry place for this.
Winter hardiness
Cinnamon striped apple variety tolerates frosts perfectly. The tree is not afraid of temperatures even below -35 Ā° C. If the grower uses mulch to retain moisture, the tree can withstand any cold weather.
Landing
Brown does not possess distinctive features of planting. She loves moist fertile soil, rich in minerals. If the ground is sandy, the tree can develop quite well, but subject to high-quality and regular watering and feeding.
In the garden, the south side should be set aside for this tree, on which there will be a lot of light. The description suggests that trees should not be planted close to each other, so as not to impede air exchange during pollination. The optimal distance between them is 3 m.
When planting, be sure to take into account the location of groundwater: if they are too close to the root system, this can adversely affect the garden.
It is better if the waters are located at a depth of 2 m or more. If they go higher, you can prevent the roots from growing deeper by creating an artificial barrier. It can be flooring made of bricks, clay or slate. You can also plant a tree on a hill, raise the ground.
Timing
It is better to plant seedlings in the spring. The land must thaw and dry out, trees are sown until May. If cultivation takes place in the fall, planting should take place only after all the leaves have fallen, but not later than the onset of frost.
Technology
For the tree to take root, the soil must be enriched with minerals and well drained. Brown does not tolerate high humidity.
It is recommended to plant young trees in mid-spring. A hole is dug up to 1 meter deep. It is better to put soil mixed with manure on its bottom, and sprinkle with dry earth on top. You need to find out the proximity of the location of groundwater, if necessary, create a protective barrier of bricks or stones.
Slate is also laid at the bottom of the pit. Make sure that the roots are well fluffed and spread. Then the seedling is placed in the ground and tamped tightly.
Be sure to leave the root collar at a level of 10 cm above the soil. The tree is tied up and watered after planting.
Care
The tree needs regular watering
Old and dry branches are pruned in the spring. Coarse bark should be peeled off to avoid the appearance of fungus. Twice a year, they are treated with fungicides and insecticides, as well as fertilized. This kind of care is needed by the culture every year.
Watering
The tree needs frequent watering: up to 5 times a month (once a day, a bucket of water for one seedling). Particular attention should be paid to watering at the end of summer, this is an important period of fruiting. At this stage, new buds are laid, which will give the next harvest.
If the tree suffers from thirst, this can adversely affect the amount of fruit harvested.
The end of watering must be adjusted according to weather conditions. If the summer is hot and without precipitation, the tree does not stop watering so that it continues to saturate and prepare to retain moisture for the winter. If the summer has been mild, watering ends at the end of the summer.
Top dressing
The best feeding for this variety is all organic fertilizers and humus. Urea and mulch are great solutions.In the fall, use complex fertilizing, but without nitrogen content.
If the land is fertile and rich in minerals, there is no need to add fertilizer. If the soil is mixed with sand, fertilizing should be a regular event.
Pruning
The tree is pruned in the spring. This is done not only to give the apple tree a beautiful look, but also to avoid infection with various diseases.
Pruning occurs once a year, until the buds have blossomed. All old and dry branches are removed, about Ā¼ of the entire tree.
Protection against diseases and pests
The cinnamon striped apple tree has a weak resistance to fungi and pests.
The most dangerous for her:
apple sucker;
red tick;
leaf roll;
moth;
scab;
root cancer;
cytosporosis.
You need to fight copperhead with benzophosphates, enough for spraying 10 liters of water, 60 g of the chemical are dissolved in them. Before that, the hard bark is peeled off from the tree.
āNitrofenā is good against ticks: for 10 liters of water you need 250 g of the substance. Spraying is necessary before the buds appear.
The leafworm will not appear after wintering if the tree is treated with chlorophos before the onset of heat (10 Ā° C). To do this, take 20 g of the chemical per 10 liters of water.
The moth is easy to eliminate with trapping belts. The tree needs to be tied with adhesive material, then the insect will not be able to get to the fruit and will die. It is necessary to remove fallen apples so that the moth does not feed and does not multiply on the ground.
Spraying 10% potassium chloride works well against powdery mildew. All leaves and branches that have had time to get sick must be cut off and burned.
There is no cure for root cancer if it has managed to infect the root collar. In this case, the tree will have to be burned. Root cancer is a danger to seedlings. At the initial stage and the emergence of small growths, they can be cut off and treated with copper sulfate.
Cytosporosis is fought with copper sulfate.
Ripening and fruiting
You can get 150 kg of fruits from one tree
Young trees ripen only 5 years after planting. In the early years, the yield is not distinguished by a large number of fruits. Upon reaching 10 years of age, the tree begins to bear fruit confidently and powerfully. Older apple trees yield a harvest every few years.
The fruits can be harvested at the end of summer. The average yield is 150 kg per year from one adult Brownie.
Harvesting and storage
You need to harvest with utmost care, without waiting for the apples to begin to fall. The fruits of this variety have a very fragile structure, the slightest bruises can affect the quality and storage of the fruit.
It is advisable to use the damaged apple in the first few days, then it will be unusable. Because of this feature of the fruit, experienced housewives make preserves and jams from fallen or beaten apples. Apples can be frozen for baking or compote.
It is better to store crops in wooden boxes with access to air. Do not load the box with fruits, be sure to fold them neatly, filling the voids with paper, sawdust or hay. It is better to store apples in the basement or on the balcony.
Varieties of varieties
The apple tree of this variety has the following types:
Cinnamon new;
Pineapple;
Gray.
Cinnamon new has a slightly larger fruit, they are harvested in late September or October. The tree itself is more resistant to parasites, has increased immunity.
The pineapple tree has larger fruits, juicier flesh, and a bright red color. Stored for up to a month.
Gray differs from Cinnamon striped only in the color of the peel: there are no characteristic stripes, a scarlet color.
Growing regions
The most suitable place for growing is the Moscow region. The climate in this region is moderately mild with snowy winters. If there was little rainfall in the cold season, you can play it safe and add mulch to the soil.
In the Urals, Brown also grows well, but there is a risk of recurrent frosts. If the buds freeze, the entire crop will die.
Gardeners reviews
Gardeners love this variety: although it is whimsical and capricious in harvesting, it bears tasty fruits. The characteristic and unique taste of apples will appeal to everyone. They are suitable both for fresh use and for various kinds of blanks"
I too had a few ARS and Geneva conversations via email cut off. USDA just got permission to rehire the fired folks. So hopefully normalcy returns soon.
Iāve got one limb of Red Cinnamon that has survived lots of -20 to -28 lows. This year we hit -32. I bench grafted another R.C. to m111 last spring. Iād expect that one to be more susceptible to winter damage, if it wakes up and grows this spring Iāll feel safe calling the variety reliably winter hardy in central MN
This is incredible! I wonder what compound gives some apples a licorice/anise flavor and if a cross with some apples from here Anise flavoured apples would produce apples that taste like both!
Phenylpropenes, such as eugenol, estragole and isoestragole, also contribute to apple ļ¬avour and aroma. These compounds are derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway (162). Estragole imparts a spicy/aromatic ļ¬avour to some apple varieties like Ellisonās Orange, DāArcy Spice and Fenouillet, and an aniseed note to fresh Royal Gala apple (162).
Eugenol is the main compound responsible for the aroma of cloves. Estragole and isoestragole are responsible for the aroma of anise, fennel, tarragon, and basil.
This is the study referenced in the review above. Looks like two loci are involved. Cinnamaldehyde is most likely produced from the same biosynthetic pathway.
Try directing an email to Ben Gutierrez either @ USDA or through Cornell Univ. Geneva lost a lot of varieties when the resistant fire blight when through. When I was at the open house for Geneva Research Station in the fall of 2023, I got impression they werenāt overly concerned with replacing what they had lost.
I have not seen major disease / pest issues with Red Cinnamon. Iām getting good feedback about its performance form customers. Drove by one that I had planted for an in-law and it had a nice crop totally unmanaged. Let me know how it produces. I have no idea what it will do in warm climates.
Yellow / Stripped cinnamon seems to be unavailable, but I got one of its offspring: Korichoe Novoe (New Stripped Cinnamon).
Cinnamon Spice is often available from local orchards where I am and it always has a very very strong anise flavor, no hint of cinnamon. Iām guessing the anise is just strongly expressed in this environment. Canāt say itās a favorite of mine but itās definitely an interesting variety.
