 |
What's striking about this apple? It's the unusual color: a "glo" that is the result of a pastel orange-pink color peering through an otherwise pale green peel.
(Click on any photo for a closer look.)
This look reminds me of the tan exterior of the Pink Pearl. Which raises an interesting question...
 |
Yes, like Pink Pearl, Lucy Glo is a red-fleshed apple. The pastel peach tint is the red of the flesh filtered through the thinnest regions of peel.
The magenta pigment is spotty but still striking. The flesh is coarse-grained, juicy, and crunchy good. The uncolored flesh is a warm off-white.
Otherwise, Lucy is slightly tapered and slightly ribbed, with a slick glossy peel that is probably waxed. The surface is a little bumpy.
The orange "glow" is not a blush. Rather, it rises from the interior of the apple.
The lenticels are slightly thicker raised dots, the same dull pale yellow green as the peel. Many have tiny light-green centers.
Only one sample, not typical, had a rosy blushed area (below). There, the lenticels presented as tiny light tan dots.
 |
| Lucy Glo blushing. |
Eating Lucy
Lucy is quite sweet, though with some balancing tartness that makes her palatable.There is a strong berry note and a general candy fruitiness that suggests another red-fleshed variety, Airlie .
What distinguishes Lucy from other red-fleshed apples is her breaking crisp texture.
Though I find this apple too sweet, I think many people would like Lucy. This is clearly an apple developed with an eye to the Honeycrisp demographic.
If you are a fan of that apple, you should give Lucy a try.
 |
The originator of this variety, Chelan Fresh, is coy, saying only that Lucy is "part Honeycrisp." I believe Lucy Glo, a trademark, may be the apple patented in 2017 as "Howell TC3."
If so, the Honeycrisp claim is a stretch, if a credible one. Chelan assumes that Honeycrisp is the pollen parent, though that is not actually known for sure.
The seed parent, big surprise, was Airlie Redflesh.
Update: Lucy Glo has a red-fleshed sister, Lucy Rose.
Neat looking apple. I'll have to keep my eye out to try one.
ReplyDeleteMy orchard just provided my alternate harvest this week...venison. Life is good.
Red, these are apparently available in supermarkets in many parts of the country, so good luck.
DeleteThere aren't any where I live, though. I had to go to Colorado to find these.
Are these apples for sales and where do I get them to buy.
ReplyDeleteHello, Unknown, I got mine at a supermarket in Colorado. You'll have to shop around.
DeleteI bought some yesterday at Fresh Market in Alabama. They are quite delicious.
DeleteThis seems to be the time of year they show up in stores.
DeleteWhere can I buy a tree???
ReplyDelete@Unknown, you could ask the patent holder (Chelan Fresh, above) about their license terms.
DeleteThis is a club apple. Only certain Chelan Fruit growers can have these trees.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEarlier comment seemed to have gotten bumped around-relating to Blue Pearmain and availability. My reference therein was that I am a small farm propagator and provide trees and scionwood-460 varieties- and take some risks. $10K to propagate is pretty steep. I'd be happy to pay a reasonable royalty. My Propagation numbers are low because of the vast collection and grafting onto all size/type rootstocks to experiment- discover varietal influence.
DeleteBut in this Comment/placement I want to address or question patents, trademarks. Using the old names (not trademarked) is the legal path to disseminate stock as I understand. Then there are patents that prohibit Propagation without licensure. Adam maybe you can explain this. On another note regarding new varieties and naming. I am just beginning researching registering a name. I grow hundreds of apple seeds-with known Mother. I selected 3 Keepsake(Honeycrisp mama) sibs of 200 trees and recently named 3 of them. I won't make that public here. I understand it costs hundreds of dollars if not thousands to legally register a name. If the name isn't registered it can get confusing very quickly. Searching for unused apple names and applying one only to have it picked up and 'trademarked'. Guess that's why we should never name an apple a 'cool' name if we're not going to do the registering process..
Gil@skipleyfarm.com
Gil, a lot to unpack here, and I am not a lawyer. The new economic order does not favor the small farmer.
DeletePlant patents grant exclucive rights to the patent holder for 20 years (used to be fewer I think). Trademarks grant exclusive rights to a name and can be renewed indefinitely. Either can be licensed by the rights holder.
Good luck with your apples. Maybe I will get to taste them someday!
These have hit the local Southern California supermarkets. They do remind me a lot of Airlie Redflesh, which I got years ago at Specialty Produce in San Diego. I think I would be satisfied just to have Airlie Redflesh in my next orchard.
ReplyDeleteAldi Markets has Lucy Glo apples as of 1-18-2023
ReplyDeleteAny idea where I can buy either a lucy go or lucy rose red apple tree
ReplyDeleteYou should ask the patent holder, Chelan Fruit.
DeleteGurney's is selling both this year (for Spring delivery)
DeleteGurney's is selling both for Spring delivery.
DeleteGot some this week from Fresh Thyme grocery and immediately went back the next day to get a whole bag. These have a strawberry lemonade or watermelon jolly rancher flavor. Flavor fluctuates with how red the flesh is. I would give these 2 stars on Adam’s scale. The flavor keeps you coming back for more trying to figure out what the heck it is! Highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you got some good ones! These are still not easy to find around here, where no one grows them.
Delete