Red Fleshed Apples - Pink Pearl
PINK PEARL
From the noted California plant breeder Alfred Etter in 1944. Bright pink flesh and crimson pink blossoms. The fruit is crisp with a sweet/tart flavor, flattened conical shape, sometimes irregular; skin is a creamy pale green. Parent is red-fleshed Surprise.
This apple was the Etter Surprise hybrid singled out for patenting and official introduction in the mid 1940s.
1944 Humboldt County, California, USA. Medium size fruit. Cream and light green skin blushed with a red cheek. Rich flavor. Excellent dessert quality and for making apple sauce and pies. Ripens late August to September.
My own impressions - the flavour is crisp; fruit texture is good. Ripens end-Oct. in Midlands. The flavour is slightly better than Hidden Rose but more tart. The flesh is an attractive light pink. The apple is to my taste but if it was put in a child's lunch box it would probably be only half eaten. It is very acidic for a dessert apple. It would dry well (apple rings - superb flavour and colour) and would probably cook well, given its acidity.
The vitamin C content is very high; fresh off the tree I measured 15.5g per 100g fruit in 2011.
The blossom time is early; this can be one of the first apple trees in the garden to flower. First day of full blossom (90% of flowers out) as follows: 25 Apr 2009, 1 May 2010, 10 Apr 2011, 19 Apr 2012. For comparison: 2009 1 day earlier than Bramley; 2010 5 days earlier than Bramley; 2011 7 days earlier than Bramley; 2012 20 days earlier than Bramley.
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Cortex wood is green.
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
