Dandee Red

Dandee is a large and slightly ribbed apple with a handsome saturated blush that covers nearly all of an otherwise green yellow peel.

The blush is a rich crimson with some purple. A smoky blue bloom adds visual interest.

Light lenticels run from large to small to indistinguishable.

The apple is well balanced with firm white flesh, on the fine-grained side, with a decent crunch. I get cane sugar, berries, and a hit of vinousness. A pleasing reminder of McIntosh, which won't really be ready for some weeks.

Turns out Dandee Red is a sport of Paula Red, and except for that pretty red blush it is very like.

Most commercialized sports (genetic mutations) entail only a redder blush. (That's how Delicious became Red.)

Occasionally one crops up that is sweeter or has different flavor or texture. See Lucky Rose Golden (yes, that's an apple) for example.

I'd prefer to review only those, but sometimes end up trying sports unwittingly or from curiosity.

My Dandees are sweeter than Paula as well as prettier, though just a little. It's a difference that could be found, maybe, between 2 Paula Reds grown under different conditions.

Nonetheless I'm including Dandee in my catalog of apple varieties as though it had 2 parents instead of 1.

It strikes me as just different enough.