Red Fleshed Apples -
Redlove, new Swiss variety
Redlove is the protected trademark for some redfleshed apples newly released (16 Jun 10) by Suttons, originating in Switzerland. They are available for private use only, and no unauthorised propagation is permitted.
The apples are said to be tart, scab-free, of good flavour, and have spectacular red flesh, as shown below. The blossom, as for most apples of this type, is also very deep in colour. They are relatively early and keep for a limited time only.
If the Swiss have indeed produced a good-flavoured red fleshed apple which does not suffer from scab (like many redfleshed types) and is not biennial, that is quite an achievement.
I hope to obtain this variety soon. Meanwhile here are some pictures from the Suttons press release. Please note that the top illustrations are NOT my pictures; any inquiries about using them need to be addressed to Suttons.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Blossom
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Fruit
ND's photographs below:
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Further information from the Suttons catalogue:
Crisp and tasty with a hint of berries, high resistance to scab, deep pink long-lasting blossom, good for eating raw and for cooking. Markus Kobelt started twenty years ago, with sweet and firm disease resistant varieties as parents, he has spent years on cross pollination and selection, and created this variety which will thrive in the UK climate.
It has a higher concentration of anti-oxidants than white fleshed apples, retains its colour on cooking, and does not brown when cut. On M9 it will produce a tree about 8ft tall (less in a container). It is self-sterile so another apple tree needs to be within range. (I guess it is an early-pollinating group, like most red fleshed apples - Ed).
There are now (2012) five Redlove varieties: Redlove Era, Sirena, Circe, Odysso & Calypso.
SIRENA is quite early, ready at end-Aug or early Sept, and best eaten straight from the tree, though will store until end-Oct.
ERA is later; ready early to mid-Sept; will store until Christmas.
I don't have details of the others, but the Lubera website contains information and pictures. Lubera sells all of the Redlove apples. They only send to Switzerland and parts of Germany, but Planzenspezl usually sells them more widely about a year later, and Suttons sells some of them in the UK.
If you wish to buy or to investigate further, go to the Suttons site. It would be appreciated if you mentioned this site (Diversity) if / when you order, assuming you found 'Redlove' through us.
Redlove is a protected trademark belonging to Lubera AG, Switzerland (The Lubera Nursery).
REDLOVE HITS THE HEADLINES
Reports of this apple's release appeared in the National papers in the UK, 8 Jul 10.
Here's a sample, from the Daily Telegraph, page 3:
The report goes on to say that this is the world's first redfleshed apple. It isn't, of course - there has been Sops in Wine (18th century, UK), Pink Pearl (1940s, America), Red Devil (1970s, UK), Weirouge (known for years; commercially planted in 2008 in Italy), and a host of others known by amateur growers for decades, as readers of this site will be aware. But the release of Redlove is certainly noteworthy.
A surprising number of apples planted as ornamental trees in parks and school grounds have red flesh. Keep an eye open for them. I found five such trees in Knighton Park, Leicester.
OTHER INFORMATION ON 'REDLOVE'
Era and Sirena are being planted in orchards across Europe, with supermarkets expected to start selling the apples in about five years. The varieties have been produced by traditional breeding methods.
To produce the Redlove varieties, Mr Kobelt cross-pollinated Royal Gala, Braeburn and others with a red-fleshed type having poor taste.
Own pictures:
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compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
