Several varieties of the apple are ripening currently, making this a good time to consider this popular fruit.
Apples, native to Central Asia, have been cultivated for thousands of years. The ancestral species, Malus sieversii, has evolved to the present form, Malus domestica.
Because apples are not self-pollinating they must be cross-pollinated The plant’s seeds do not inherit the characteristics of the parent plants, so new varieties have been introduced historically by selecting seedlings with desirable fruits. Some new cultivars (cultivated varieties) result from hybridizing varieties with desirable features. Even less common are varieties that result from mutations on the branch of a tree.
In the future, genetic modification could become a resource for creating new apple varieties.
After selecting a desirable variety, a grower propagates the plant asexually, i.e., by rooting cuttings. The natural tree grows to be too large for convenient management and harvesting, so selected varieties are typically grafted onto rootstocks that limit growth. Some rootstocks result in dwarf trees that grow to only about 10 feet in height, making them practical for residential gardens and other uses.
Today, there are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples.
One hundred apple varieties are grown commercially in the United States. The top varieties, seen most often in grocery stores, are described on the website, https://usapple.org/apple-varieties. These popular varieties combine key features, e.g., size, taste, disease resistance, and productivity.
There are a great number of other apple varieties, many of which are being grown and studied in conservation orchards. There are at least 40 apple diversity collections, worldwide. The largest such collection in the United States, with 5,000-plus varieties, is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Geneva, New York.
My garden’s apple collection includes just four trees. Several years ago, I planted a small collection of historic varieties, acquired from a mid-west nursery. Most of those plants did not survive because the Monterey Bay area climate does not provide the winter chills than some varieties require. The lesson learned: before buying fruit trees, learn the chill requirements!
One of those varieties did survive, so my mini-orchard includes Cox’s Orange Pippin, described as “the classic English apple, often regarded as the finest of all dessert apples.” It was discovered in the 19th century as a chance seedling and has been favored since for its rich, complex flavor.
My other trees include a Fuji, an espaliered Gala, and an espaliered tree with grafts of six popular varieties. I now regret growing grocery-store varieties, after learning about so many other interesting options that grow well in this climate.
There are local growers who understand the diversity of apple varieties, cultivate selected varieties, and enthusiastically share their fruits to introduce others to appreciate the range of apple-eating experiences.
These apple growers are members of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers, which includes growers of the uncommon varieties of many other fruit genera.
The group has announced the return of its annual Apple Tasting, which will have over seventy varieties of heritage and rare apples for participants to sample and rate.
The event will be held jointly with the Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange Fall Festival and 3rd Annual Pie Contest. It will occur from 2-5p.m. Oct. 8 at the Santa Cruz Live Oak Green Grange, 1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz. The event is free for members of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers and $5 for non-members with discounts for families and couples. For more information, visit bit.ly/3S4qA9F-AppleTasting.
Here are a few of the varieties that will be available for tasting: Brushy Mountain Limbertwig, PineappleCrunch, Stardust, C-43-10, Hacher’sMystery, Hudson’s Golden Gem, Wickson Crab, Calville Blanc d’Hiver, Pink Parfait (10), Ambrosia, Cornerstone, Karmijn de Sonnaville.
Each of these varieties has unique characteristics and history. A brief internet search revealed a bit more about one of them which is related to my sole historic variety:
“Karmijn de Sonnaville was raised by Piet de Sonnaville, an apple enthusiast who had previously worked at the well-respected horticultural research school of the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. Starting in 1949 he created numerous crosses, primarily using Cox and Jonathan, along with many others.
“Karmijn de Sonnaville is his most well-known creation, a Cox-style variety, but with a distinctly more pronounced aromatic flavor. Cox’s Orange Pippin is the female parent and the pollen parent is Jonathan. It is a triploid variety, and not able to pollinate other apple varieties.”
I’ll be pleased to taste a sample of this particular fruit.
Apples can have many different taste overtones, making the tasting experience an exploration of subtle variations. The basic tastes of apples have been described in a range from sweet to tart. For one example, browse to the website www.cmiapples.com/trade/resources and scroll down to “Sweet-o-Meter.”
This measure of taste overlooks the overtones offered by apple varieties. Visit the Apple Tasting on Oct. 8 to discover the richness of apples.
Advance your gardening knowledge
To learn more about this fruit, the always-reliable source is Wikipedia: search for “apples.”
A recent New York Times article, “How About Them Apples?” describes how apple research orchards chart the fruit’s future. Search the internet for that title.
To learn more about the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers, visit mbcrfg.org/. The website of the parent organization is crfg.org.
To learn more about another fruit.
The Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers will present a webinar on olives, at 7 p.m. Oct. 3. The presenter, Javier Fernandez Salvador, is the executive director of the Olive Center at the University of California, Davis. To join this free event, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p4yx4jb.
Let’s not forget about succulent plants:
Succulent Gardens has announced its Fall Sale, from Oct.6-9, with discounted prices for plants. Offerings include both succulents and cacti in nursery containers that range in size from two inches to fifteen gallons, so gardeners could develop their gardens with anything from starter plants to architectural specimens. The nursery is at 2133 Elkhorn Road, Castroville. For more about Succulent Gardens, visit sgplants.com.
Enjoy your garden!
Tom Karwin is past president of Friends of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and the Monterey Bay Iris Society, a Lifetime Member of the Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, and a Lifetime UC Master Gardener (Certified 1999–2009). He is now a board member of the Santa Cruz Hostel Society, and active with the Pacific Horticultural Society. To view daily photos from his garden, https://www.facebook.com/ongardeningcom-566511763375123/. For garden coaching info and an archive of previous On Gardening columns, visit http://ongardening.com.