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This apple is on the large side of medium, ribbed and conical. Its coloring is subtle, a dull faint pink blush over light green, with green lenticels.
Splendour's flesh is quite crisp and medium-fine-grained, white tinged with green, and juicy. Bites chunk off satisfyingly.
The flavor is balanced with a very little vanilla caramel, and is slightly vinous, though these flavors are mostly generic. This is a pleasant apple that is easy to eat. There is a slightly metallic aftertaste that does not linger.
Trees of Antiquity says that this variety is also know as Starksplendor and is a late-season apple. If so, my samples were early, but did not taste green. I bought mine on September 24 at Arlington's Farmers Market.
Splendour test highest of any apple ever tested at Geneva USDA apple research station for fire blight resistance. Why don't all apple descriptions feature specific disease resistance?
ReplyDelete@Anon, that is good to know. Can you provide a link or a cite?
DeletePlease note that this is a blog that describes apples from my point of view, and I. alas, am not a farmer.
So my descriptions omit a lot of information of interest to farmers and orchardists, including disease resistance, cold hardiness, and pollination notes.
I'm sorry my opinionated catalog of apples can't be a one-stop reference for everyone. It's above my pay grade.
Growers should rely on the USDA and on state agricultural extension offices for information about diseases.
If you can provide a source for Splendour and fireblight, I'll add it to the description.
Because someone included Splendour scions with others I had asked for, to graft, I looked it up. According to Trees of Antiquity, it is "one of the best for fire blight resistance." For some parts of the country, that would be key to growing it. Some apples are susceptible and cannot survive in an organic orchard out this way, for instance (Spokane, WA.) I have yet to find the Geneva test results for FB resistance. Will look and report once it is found. Since I grow my own apples, I avoid those reputed to be FB susceptible, but so far have not had any difficulties without sprays.
ReplyDeletePlease let us know what you learn, if you do!
Delete