Greetings everyone!   

The Honeycrisp Apple

Some of you have heard about John's trips to the Mariposa Vineyard of White Heron Cellars winery in Trinidad, WA overlooking the Columbia River.  He has traveled over there for several weeks to participate in wine grape pruning.  He enjoys the camaraderie very much, while doing important work.

We were first introduced last year to the Honeycrisp apple by a Wenatchee fruit stand John frequented on his returns from WTA (Washington Trail Association) daily trail work on Stephens Pass.  Later our orchardist friends here in the Kittitas Valley, the Eberharts, introduced us to Winter Banana apples which are similar (in a way), at least in coloration.

On John's return trip through Quincy, WA one day, he saw a sign at an apple distributor that they had boxes for sale of Honeycrisp apples from Controlled Atmosphere storage.  He bought two boxes a couple of times ($10 each).  We ate them and gave away several apples and he bought more.  Then we started dehydrating them.  This morning 3 apples filled one dehydrator.  I think we are on our third dehydrator full now.

His last day pruning this week he bought one last box for friends.   Depending on the size of the apples, the boxes either have 9 or 12 apples in them and are sold by weight, ~11+ pounds for $10.  Pretty nice price, considering the price in grocery stores, and those are nowhere nearly as large.   Perhaps these were being held for export, and they got overloaded. 

Below is a picture of the largest one we received (at least we think so).

Honey Crisp Apple WA
Photograph by John Hultquist

Here is the description of the apple from the web: 

courtesy University of Minnesota

http://www.honeycrisp.org/hcrisp.htm

 

Honeycrisp is a moderately vigorous tree with a somewhat spreading growth habit.  It appears to be well suited to a central leader training system, although the leader may require staking or some fruit removal because of early bearing.  The tree is a reliable annual bearer and has shown good precocity (Botany Blossoming before the appearance of leaves.) on dwarf rootstock.

Honeycrisp apples are oblate to roundly oblate in shape and 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 inches (7 to 9 centimeters) in diameter.  Stems are approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long and moderately stiff. Skin color is 60 to 90 percent distinctive mottled red over a yellow background.  A nearly solid red coloration develops only if the fruit is well exposed to the sun. The fruit surface has shallow dimples and numerous, small lenticels (dots) with green russeting at the stem end.

Honeycrisp fruit is characterized by an exceptionally crisp and juicy texture.  Its flesh is cream colored and coarse.  The flavor is sub-acid and ranges from mild and well-balanced to strongly aromatic, depending on the degree of maturity.  It has consistently ranked as one of the highest quality apples in the University of Minnesota sensory evaluations.

Honeycrisp fruit has shown excellent storage characteristics. The outstanding flavor and texture can be maintained for at least six months in refrigerated storage without atmosphere modification.

Performance

Honeycrisp apple's harvest season ranges from September 15 to October 10 in east central Minnesota.  Optimum harvest usually occurs in the fourth week of September, approximately one week after McIntosh and 2-1/2 weeks before Red Delicious.  Earlier harvested apples are generally mild in flavor, while fruit from later harvest dates may be strongly aromatic.

Honeycrisp apples ripen evenly and hold well on the tree. They can be harvested over an extended period or in a single picking.  Although fruit adherence is usually good, trees with excessive crops may show some fruit drop.  Thinning of heavy crops is advised since overcropping may also adversely affect flavor and fruit quality.

Honeycrisp blooms in the early to middle part of the apple flowering period.  It produces viable pollen that has successfully fertilized numerous other cultivars in experimental hand pollinations.

Honeycrisp does not carry any known exceptional resistances to diseases or insects.  Apple scab and cedar apple rust lesions have been observed on the leaves but these diseases have been readily controlled with a standard spray program.  It has shown moderate susceptibility to fireblight.  Supplemental applications of calcium may be useful in preventing bitter pit.

Origin

Honeycrisp was produced from a 1960 cross of Macoun and Honeygold, as part of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program to develop winter hardy cultivars with high fruit quality.  The original seedling was planted in 1962 at the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center, located near Excelsior in east central Minnesota.  It was selected in September 1974 and evaluated as MN 1711 at locations in Excelsior, Morris and Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and at Geneva, New York.
This page produced by Nancy Hultquist to link to our blog, produced weekly by John Hultquist.  It will be posted on the web April 7, 2012.
Any comments, please send to nancyh@ellensburg.com