Red fleshed apples

[Speed Gardener]

Morning All,
I'm looking to plant a new apple tree in my garden this month and I'm looking for a variety that has a red flush in it and a good crisp texture, as well a fine flavour. Has anyone got something like this, and if so, where did you get it from?

[chrisguk]

I think Red Devil is one of the more popular ones, or its one ive certainly seen mentioned. Fully red fleshed doesn't seem common at all, but from my experience, my Scrumptious can sometimes feature stained flesh towards the skin.

[gojiberry]

Red Love is a new one from, I think, Suttons. Don't know anything else about it though.

Ian

[kalimna]

The red fleshed one I have is called "Bundys Ringwood Red", from Bernwode Plants.
Lovely crisp texture, not unlike a good granny smith (notwithstanding the oxymoron there), reasonably acidic and the most fabulous colour.
Lovely pink blossom, and the young wood also has a pink tint to it if cut.

Home Page of Bernwode Fruit Trees, growers and suppliers of historic fruit trees (no particular info on varieties, but it does list a lot of them)

red-fleshed apples, DIVERSITY website, pictures of apples (website for red-fleshed apples)

Enjoy,
Adam

[FB.]

From my observations of many apple varieties, the apple maggots/worms are especially attracted by apples with large amounts of red on the skin.
I believe that the red substances are called "anthocyanins" and I believe that the scent of these anthocyanins attracts codling moths.
More anthocyanin = more scent = more attractive.

Pests also like thin/tender skin, aromatic flavour, large-sized, early-mid season ripening (July-September).
Discovery, Scrumptious, Red Devil can all show red tinges in the flesh in some seasons (but not usually completely red flesh) and, with their heavily-red-coloured skin, are also very attractive to the tunneling pests.
Interestingly, apples on the shadier side of the tree get less attention from the tunneling pests as the apples tend to be smaller, less red coloured, slower-ripening and sharper-tasting.

I also had some Howgate Wonder, Fiesta and Spartan with red streaks in the flesh this year, but the thick/tough skin, lack of scent, mild flavour (and acidity in the Howgate Wonder) considerably deterred the pests for a heavy quantity of clean and healthy fruit.

I'd also be sceptical about pest/disease resistance in the red-fleshed varieties (canker, scab, mildew etc), since they have been bred mostly for the red flesh. I'd certainly prepare myself for the need to spray, if I was determined to grow a red-flesh variety.

I'd recommend planting a tried-and-tested, reliable, pest-and-disease-resistant variety as a main tree in a garden. It could save an awful lot of heartache, having to pick up hundreds of rotting, pest-and-disease infested apples.

[vicky]

There is a variety called Sops in Wine which has red tinged flesh and juice and is supposed to be suitable for both eating and cooking (would be interested to hear your thoughts about this one, FB, as it's one on my (long) list of possibilities)

[FB.]

Sops in Wine?

Not a particularly remarkable variety.
Considered to be slightly prone to disease.
Probably too acidic for pleasant eating.
Probably best used for cider, acceptable as a cooker.

Personally, I think that the variety has nothing special apart from the dark skin and red tinges sometimes found in the flesh.
I'd be happy to let this one die out and become extinct.

[vicky]

You don't beat around the bush do you!
Duly crossed off list...my bank balance will be pleased about that...

[FB.]

You don't beat around the bush do you!

I'm known for "telling it like I see it". I upset a few people from time to time because they don't like what I have to say.

As an investment analyst once said to potential investors in Maxwell's company:

Cannot
Recommend
A
Purchase

.

[kalimna]

For what it's worth, the Bundys Ringwood Red I mentioned earlier that I have is being grown in a fairly clay-y (and oft-times waterlogged in the winter) garden just 5 or so miles outside of Stirling. Frequently wet summers too. So, not the greatest of growing conditions.

The tree, planted as a maiden, has been in the garden for nearly 4 years. In 2010, it produced plenty of blossom, but no apples formed. This is in contrast to 2009, with about half a carrier-bag full. I understand that this variety has a tendency to biennial fruiting, which perhaps explains 2010.

As this is both a fairly young tree, and I am fairly inexperienced in the ways of apple growing, then my thoughts may need to be taken with a pinch of salt. However, given the above growing conditions etc, and the fact that I havent sprayed at all (I think I will change that this year), I have found no evidence of bug or disease damage so far, and whilst I think a slightly longer ripening season would benefit the fruit (Englandshire I am sure would fair better than wet Scotland).

Cant comment on any other red-fleshed varietal, but can wholly recommend this one.

Cheers,
Adam

[FB.]

Biennial generally means less blossom in the "off" years. My Egremont Russet produced lots of fruit in 2009, but very little blossom in 2010. At the moment, it looks like 2011 will have a lot of blossoms (I can see the vast numbers of flower buds).

If you had blossom but no fruit, then I would suspect frost damage, or lack of a compatible tree to pollinate yours (needs to be a different, unrelated variety that flowers at about the same time).

The "worms/maggots" that I warned of, tend to thrive in warm, dry, calm conditions. Cool, wet and windy is a severe disruption to their life cycle.
The insect-attracting anthocyanins seem to especially be formed where there is strong sunlight. "Up North" the sun is not as strong, so perhaps the fruits give off less scent - in addition to there being few codling/sawfly around due to them not liking wet and windy.

It is possible that a variety is so unusual, that the pests and diseases don't quite know what to do or how to attack it!
I have a James Grieve, which, in Scotland, is considered to be scab-prone by many people. But nobody much grows it in my area (nobody much grows apples as the soil is very poor), and I find that my JG has very little problem with either scab or pests. It even seems to be very uninteresting to the local strains of woolly aphids.
It thrives on the cool/dull North-East side of my house.

[Mell]

There is a variety called Sops in Wine which has red tinged flesh and juice and is supposed to be suitable for both eating and cooking (would be interested to hear your thoughts about this one, FB, as it's one on my (long) list of possibilities)

There are actually 2 Sops in Wine so you need to be careful to get the right one. We (Leicestershire Heritage Apple Project as seen on the diversity website link above) have both, the red fleshed one is less sold leading people to think this is a myth, I think my research on this is on the site

[Mell]

Sops in Wine?

I'd be happy to let this one die out and become extinct.

Nasty ! I think the redder one has more virtues that the better know one...

[FB.]

Nasty ! I think the redder one has more virtues that the better know one...

If I had unlimited space, I'd probably allow just one tree of as many varieties as possible.
But some varieties seem a lot more worthwhile than others.

Very-long-keepers are my main preference for preservation of genetic stock, for a couple of reasons:

1. Modern refrigeration, controlled atmosphere, global trade, demand for attractive apples, demand for ultra-heavy-croppers and widespread use of chemical sprays has driven out most of the old late-keepers that had good disease resistance but dull fruits and light crops.

2.
If I'm going to grow several trees worth of fruit, I'd rather not have to eat them all at once. I'd like to keep most of them in simple storage for as long as possible.

I have a number of disease-resistant late-keepers growing-up to become half-standards, including - in alphabet order;

Coeur de Boeuf (MM111)
Court Pendu Plat (M25)
Crawley Beauty (M25)
D'Arcy Spice (3x M25, 1x MM111)
Edward VII (M25)
First and Last (MM111)
Hambledon Deux Ans (MM111)
Milton Wonder (MM111)
Tydeman's Late Orange (MM111)

I am currently missing (after losses to crown rot):

Annie Elizabeth (M25)
Belle de Boskoop (M25)
Brownlees Russet (M25)
Norfolk Beefing (M25)

But I still have a smaller Annie which I can use for scion, plus I am just about to (hopefully) re-acquire Belle de Boskoop and Norfolk Beefing, plus one that I haven't been able to acquire before: Alfriston.

[Mell]

Still no excuse for wishing the extinction of any !

I have Annie Elizabeth & Norfolk Beefing. The scion exchanges can prob let you have the others but apparently I can't link to them so pm me !