Why could say no to a pretty Canadian Strawberry? Even though it's (a) not a strawberry and (b) not from Canada.
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The Strawberry's cheerful striped blush comprises varying shades of orange over yellow. Tiny light lenticels are easy to miss.
The apple has a classical conical shape with slight ribbing, and my two samples are medium sized and on the small side of that. That's no indication of how big this apple can get however. Their calyxes are partially open and they smell like sweet cider.
They don't look especially like strawberries, which raises the question: how do they taste?
Inside the Canadian Strawberry, coarse yellow flesh is breakingly crisp with just a little give.
It's a juicy apple with nice well-balanced flavors of vanilla, lychee, and corn syrup. A dash of generic berries is the closest this sample comes to the distinctive strawberry.
The second apple is mealy and past peak. But go figure: strawberry is indeed present.
The Strawberry ripens in September, and I did not get mine until Cider Days in early November.
My composite idea of this apple has good texture and that great strawberry flavor in a single package. Wish I had a third one of these to test that theory on.
This apple seems to be from Maine, not Canada, though other theories place it in New York under a different name. Fedco Trees, a source of heritage budwood, heaps praises on this variety and puts it in the same league as Cox's Orange Pippin.
Personally I am happy to give the great state of Maine credit for the Canadian Strawberry. Here's a good story about this apple.
And for something almost completely different: an apple that does look to my eye like a giant strawberry, even though it does not taste like one. Coromandel Red.
Having never seen or tasted the Canadian Strawberry nor the Late Strawberry, I have a suspicion that they are the same. John Bunker wondered the same but thought that Late Strawberry apples were no longer available. However, several orchards offer them.
ReplyDeleteHere are some similarities: The season is the same. One old-timer said the Canadian came from New York; Late Strawberry originated in Auburn, NY [across the lake from where I live]. Flesh is yellowish for both, as well as crisp and juicy. Late Strawberry was described as best flavored of its season, and as you note, the Canadian has been given heaps of praise. Both are supposed to have a hint of strawberry taste. Both have a shape described as conical with ribbing. Skin color and pattern are similar – yellow striped and splashed with pinkish and darker red. Size for Late Strawberry has been described as below medium to large. Canadian is more often described as large, but your specimens were medium or below. Neither are great keepers.
Differences: Late Strawberry is supposed to be fine-grained. You describe the Canadian Strawberry as coarse-grained. Canadian Strawberry has orange-red as a component of skin color, and that has not been used in descriptions of Late Strawberry.
I've tried to acquire a Late Strawberry tree, and think I have one lined up for next spring. First fruits might not come for 3-5 years, so for me, I'll just have to be patient. Hope you can acquire a Late Strawberry and compare.
I grafted a Late Strawberry on b9 in March of '17'. It is now 6 foot plus with little limb training. I would classify it as vigorous and probably one of the nicest growing( natural limb positions and angles) trees out of nearly twenty others I have grafted. This year it looks to be growing spurs so I should get my first apple in '21'
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