Lucy Rose

I had to travel all the way to Colorado to find this apple from Washington State.

Lucy Rose, and her sister Lucy Glo, are in supermarkets in many parts of the U.S. They have not, however, made it to eastern Massachusetts.

This does seem to be the Year of Red Flesh here at Adam's Apples, does it not? Lucy Glo is also red fleshed, though she is otherwise unlike her sister.

Today's Lucy is a shapely conical apple with a glossy strawberry-red blush. The "strawberry" effect is reënforced by many light lenticels. The glossy shine is certainly from wax.

Lucy has only very moderate ribbing, and her unblushed peel is a vibrant spring green.

I found one sample that is more oblate than tapered, but we should expect shape and size to vary.

Tasting Lucy

Inside, Lucy has vivid magenta flesh marbled with light yellow. Very striking! The flesh itself is breaking crisp, coarse-grained, and a bit granular.

Lucy Rose has generic berry notes, not strong. She is juicy and sweet.
This is a simple apple, pleasant but lacking nuance.

The second of two Lucys released this year by Washington-based Chelan is probably the apple called Howell TC2.

She, like her sister, is the result of an open-pollinated Airlie Redflesh cross.
Howell TC2 is the official variety name for this apple; Lucy is just a trademark.

That which we call a Rose

Why choose an unappetizing name like Howell TC2? So that people will pay to use the pretty one! Lucy Rose is trademarked.

This is a new development in fruit marketing. The variety name for Fuji is "Fuji." It's in the public domain, and no one can make any money off of it.

When Lucy's plant patent expires in 2035, growers may take a look at "TC2" and continue to pay to use the more attractive name. Trademarks may be renewed forever.