History of modernRed fleshed apples: updated 12/2024
All red fleshed, apples known to exist, were bred from one or both of two red varieties: the Niedzwetzky and or the Surprise. These two vary considerably as the Surprise caries the genes for red flesh only and the Niedzwetzky caries genes for all red plant parts. The Niedzwetzky has been much more popular in use as an ornamental breeding stock and especially for rootstock breeding. It imparts cold hardiness as well and with the red leaf dominance its easy to detect and remove suckers.
In the early 1900s most all apple breeding with red flesh was with the Niedzwetzky. It being, by all counts a crab apple it was difficult to achieve any results but ornamental crabapples. The first serious result of an eating apple was the crossing in 1924 with ‘Wolf River’ which resulted in the still present and somewhat used apple, ‘Redfield’.
At the beginning of the 1900s Albert Etter, who settled Ettersburg CA, began his experimenting with red fleshed apples. He went with the ‘Surprise’ apple for breeding. By 1928 he had come out with 2 red fleshed varieties, ‘Pink Pearl’ and a red fleshed ‘Winter Banana’. Etter went on to develop a total of what would eventually become popular, 10 red fleshed varieties. The other 8 being:Christmas PinkGrenadinePink ParfaitPink PearmainBlush RosetteRubaiyatAirlie RedThornberry
The Baya Marisa is a red fleshed variety out of Germany, the Bavarian Fruit Center. Based on two german varieties one of which is a sweeter variety to produce a sweeter than normal red flesh.This is reputed to be the first “table quality” red flesh variety to be made available.Unknown to me this variety was also being sold as Tickled Pink from Great Britain. I have been growing this variety for many years now.
From Switzerland, The Redlove series hit the market in 2009. Although all the parentage is unknown it is obvious that the Niedzwetzky was used. This series includes:Redlove Circe, Calypso, Era, Odysso, Sirena, Jederman, Lollipop. This fruit is also bred for apple scab resistance, a very big bonus!
Japan has its own breeding program based on ‘surprise’. They have developed several releases:MoonrougeNakano no KiramekiRose PearlNakano ShinkuRuby Sweet
A private company, PVM (follow the money trail) out of eastern WA, has bred two sweeter crosses of red flesh. These are crosses using Honeycrisp (of course) and Airlie Red. Named Lucy Glo and Lucy Rose.
Lastly, in France, the IFORED program, starting in 2016, has put out the Kissabelle series of red fleshed apples and more recently the Red Moon series. Some of these varieties have obscured lineage, the Red Moon series red flesh does come from the Niedzwetzky.
New Zealand has been doing laboratory breeding of red fleshed apples using CRISPR technology (gene splicing) to take the instant gratification method.
Of course when using GMO in our food chain it involves a whole new conversation…..The ironic thing about this is that under New Zealand regulations it is illegal to do anything further than just research with GMO. No development or production.
If this was being done in the US it would be full steam ahead. Lets get those apples on the store shelves. Completely sanctioned by our government.
History of modern
Red fleshed apples: updated 12/2024
All red fleshed, apples known to exist, were bred from one or both of two red varieties: the Niedzwetzky and or the Surprise. These two vary considerably as the Surprise caries the genes for red flesh only and the Niedzwetzky caries genes for all red plant parts. The Niedzwetzky has been much more popular in use as an ornamental breeding stock and especially for rootstock breeding. It imparts cold hardiness as well and with the red leaf dominance its easy to detect and remove suckers.
In the early 1900s most all apple breeding with red flesh was with the Niedzwetzky. It being, by all counts a crab apple it was difficult to achieve any results but ornamental crabapples. The first serious result of an eating apple was the crossing in 1924 with ‘Wolf River’ which resulted in the still present and somewhat used apple, ‘Redfield’.
At the beginning of the 1900s Albert Etter, who settled Ettersburg CA, began his experimenting with red fleshed apples. He went with the ‘Surprise’ apple for breeding. By 1928 he had come out with 2 red fleshed varieties, ‘Pink Pearl’ and a red fleshed ‘Winter Banana’. Etter went on to develop a total of what would eventually become popular, 10 red fleshed varieties. The other 8 being:
Christmas Pink
Grenadine
Pink Parfait
Pink Pearmain
Blush Rosette
Rubaiyat
Airlie Red
Thornberry
The Baya Marisa is a red fleshed variety out of Germany, the Bavarian Fruit Center. Based on two german varieties one of which is a sweeter variety to produce a sweeter than normal red flesh.
This is reputed to be the first “table quality” red flesh variety to be made available.
Unknown to me this variety was also being sold as Tickled Pink from Great Britain. I have been growing this variety for many years now.
From Switzerland, The Redlove series hit the market in 2009. Although all the parentage is unknown it is obvious that the Niedzwetzky was used. This series includes:
Redlove Circe, Calypso, Era, Odysso, Sirena, Jederman, Lollipop. This fruit is also bred for apple scab resistance, a very big bonus!
Japan has its own breeding program based on ‘surprise’. They have developed several releases:
Moonrouge
Nakano no Kirameki
Rose Pearl
Nakano Shinku
Ruby Sweet
A private company, PVM (follow the money trail) out of eastern WA, has bred two sweeter crosses of red flesh. These are crosses using Honeycrisp (of course) and Airlie Red. Named Lucy Glo and Lucy Rose.
Lastly, in France, the IFORED program, starting in 2016, has put out the Kissabelle series of red fleshed apples and more recently the Red Moon series. Some of these varieties have obscured lineage, the Red Moon series red flesh does come from the Niedzwetzky.
New Zealand has been doing laboratory breeding of red fleshed apples using CRISPR technology (gene splicing) to take the instant gratification method.
Of course when using GMO in our food chain it involves a whole new conversation…..
The ironic thing about this is that under New Zealand regulations it is illegal to do anything further than just research with GMO. No development or production.
If this was being done in the US it would be full steam ahead. Lets get those apples on the store shelves. Completely sanctioned by our government.