Apple - Red Delicious
Red Delicious is one of the most famous American apples,
and one of the most widely grown apple varieties. Although the names are
similar, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious are entirely different varieties.
There are a lot of other similarities though: both varieties were discovered in
the USA at the end of the 19th century, both need warm climates, both have
interesting histories, and both are basically sweet apples.
The 'Red Delicious' originated at an orchard in 1880 as a
round, blushed yellow fruit of surpassing sweetness. Stark Nurseries held a competition
in 1892 to find an apple to replace the Ben Davis apple. The winner was a red
and yellow striped apple sent by Jesse Hiatt, a farmer in Peru, Iowa, who
called it "Hawkeye". Stark Nurseries bought the rights from Hiatt,
renamed the variety "Stark Delicious", and began propagating it.
Another apple tree, later named the 'Golden Delicious', was also marketed by
Stark Nurseries after it was purchased from a farmer in Clay County, West
Virginia, in 1914; the 'Delicious' became the 'Red Delicious' as a retronym.
Red Delicious is a medium-sized apple, with a tall
conical shape. The dark and intense crimson colour makes it the quintessential
red apple, and it is has strong shelf appeal.
A number of improved "sports" have been developed, of which
the most well-known is probably Starking.
Unfortunately the visual appeal is not matched by the
flavour. Red Delicious has a sweet but very mild flavour, somewhat reminscent
of slightly over-ripe melon. The flesh is juicy and has a light crispness. The skin can be quite tough. Overall Red Delicious can be quite a
refreshing apple to eat, but its chief characteristic is that it has almost no
flavour at all.
These apples are medium-sized and have a conical shape.
They are broadly round at the top and taper at the base. The thick skin turns
bright red well before the fruits are fully ripe, which can lead to early
harvests. As they mature, the skin becomes a darker red with white lenticels
visibly dotting the surface. The fine-grained flesh is creamy white, crisp and
juicy and offers a mildly sweet taste with flavours of melon.
Red Delicious apples saw tremendous commercial success
between 1940 and the late 1980s, with the bulk of the production in Washington
State. Their popularity has declined slightly since then as consumer interest
has swayed to new varieties and farmer’s markets and boutique orchards have
helped renew interest in heirloom apples.
This elongated bright red apple with its creamy yellow
flesh is the consummate red variety. Multi-faceted with its many consumer uses,
the Red Delicious is one of the most popular apples in the United States. Meet
the world’s favourite snacking apple. The heart-shaped Red Delicious features a
bright red and sometimes striped skin. Renowned for its crunchy texture and
mildly sweet flavour, this tasty apple shines in cool, crisp salads.
Red Delicious apples are best used in fresh preparations,
as their flesh does not hold up well when cooked. Add to green, fruit and
chopped salads. Use as an edible garnish on sandwiches, quesadillas and
burgers. Since their flesh breaks down easily, they can be successfully slow
cooked and pureed to make sauces and for soups. Their flavour pairs well with
cinnamon, cheddar cheese, horseradish, chard, cherries, mustard and pecans. Red
Delicious apples can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.
These apples are high in dietary fiber and contain
vitamin C. They offer a small amount of vitamin A and sodium and traces of
calcium and iron. Red Delicious apples are higher in antioxidants than many
other apple varieties, most of which are contained in the skin.
These are one of the most well known commercially grown
apples in the United States. Red
Delicious apples look a lot different today than when they were first
discovered. Over a period of nearly 100 years, improvements were made, altering
the fruit’s shape, firmness, juiciness and even its colour. Red Delicious is
the parent apple of several popular varieties like the Starkrimson, Empire and
Fuji apples.
Red delicious apples, with more than 2,500 cultivated
varieties in North America, are heart shaped with bright red striped skin. Red
Delicious tree size ranges from 3–8 m. in height and 4-5 m wide. It becomes
more attractive when it bears white-pink coloured flowers early in the season.
Like other apple trees, it is deciduous, which means that it will shed its
leaves in autumn, providing the best time for pruning. The taste of the fruit
is sweet and mild. With long storage life, the apples can be used for a variety
of purposes but are mostly found great for eating fresh and making desserts.
Before planting Red Delicious tree, make soil is free
from weeds. Dig a hole about 2-3 feet deep and add some organic manure or
compost in the hole. Make sure that the plant is healthy and free from any
disease or injury. Loosen the soil around the
root ball, as it will help the roots to penetrate into the soil. If you are
interested in planting a grafted Red Delicious apple tree, then make sure that
the graft union is at least 2 inches (5 cm.) above the soil surface. Before
growing Red Delicious apple trees, select pollinating varieties that are
compatible, like Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith, and suitable in your area. Red
Delicious does not pollinate by themselves but are cross pollinated, mostly
with Golden Delicious and Gala.
For maximum production, the planting distance must be considered
12-15 feet (4-5 m.) apart for semi dwarf
Red Delicious trees and 10 feet (3 m.) apart for dwarf varieties. Red delicious
apple trees are sun loving and need a minimum six hours of direct, unfiltered
sunlight each day. The tree grows well in acidic, well-drained and humid soils.
Generally, the soil must be porous and supplemented with hay or some other
organic material to keep it moist and full of nutrients. It’s susceptible to
drought stress, so a proper irrigation plan is essential for Red Delicious
apples in the orchard. In northern areas, spring planting is suggested while
the areas where the weather is mild and moist, fall planting is also
successful.
The lack of flavour is cited as one of the factors, and
in Europe (where flavour has perhaps been relatively more important to
consumers), Red Delicious has never been that successful. It is also worth noting that the vast
majority of American Red Delicious production takes place in Washington State,
where the cooler autumn climate contributes towards the perfect deep red finish
and distinctive conical appearance. Red
Delicious grown elsewhere in the US tends not to have the same level of red
colouration, forcing growers to use some of the redder sports, which in turn do
not always have the conical characteristics which consumers associate with Red Delicious.
Red Delicious has been extensively used in breeding
programmes because of its attractive red colour and crisp flesh. It has useful
growing qualities too - it is has a good reputation for resistance to
fireblight and cedar apple rust. Its
most interesting modern offspring is probably Fuji. It is also a parent of
Empire, which inherits some of the melon flavour. It may also be a parent of
Cameo.
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