Russet apples are varieties and

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

s of

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

s that regularly exhibit

russeting Russeting or russetting is an abnormality of fruit skin which manifests in russet-colored (brownish) patches that are rougher than healthy skin. It is a common feature in apples and pears. Russeting is typically an undesirable trait, which reduce ...

, partial or complete coverage with rough patches of greenish-brown to yellowish-brown colour. While russeting is generally an undesirable trait in modern cultivars, russet varieties are often seen as more traditional, and associated with aromatic flavours.

Overview

Many apple

s have some natural russeting, but some are almost entirely covered in it, notably the Egremont Russet. Russet apples often exhibit a scent and flavour reminiscent of nuts, and are often very sweet. Despite this, modern apple breeders rarely accept russeting in new apple cultivars. The amount of russeting can be affected by various factors including,

weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloud cover, cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmos ...

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...

or pest damage and agrochemical applications (e.g.

insecticides Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed t ...

fungicides Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. A fungistatic inhibits their growth. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality ...

and growth regulators). Russet apples also go under the name "rusticoat", "russeting" and "leathercoat". The last name was known in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's time; for instance, in '' Henry IV, part 2'', Davy says to Bardolph, "there's a dish of leathercoats for you".

Types

*'Acklam Russet' *'

Adam's Pearmain Adams Pearmain, also called Adam's Parmane, is a cultivar of apple. It was introduced to the Horticultural Society of London in 1826 by Robert Adams, under the name Norfolk Pippin. The fruit is large, varying from two and a half inches to three ...

' *' Ashmead's Kernel' *'

Blenheim Orange Blenheim Orange (Kempster's Pippin) is a cultivar of apple. It was found at Woodstock, Oxfordshire near Blenheim in England in about 1740. It has been described as a cooking apple. A tailor named George Kempster planted the original kernel and t ...

' *'

Belle de Boskoop Belle de Boskoop (also called Goudrenet, Goudreinet or Goudreinnette) is an apple cultivar which originated in Boskoop, Netherlands, where it began as a chance seedling in 1856. Variants include Boskoop red, yellow and green. This rustic apple is ...

*'Braddick's Nonpareil' *'

Claygate Pearmain Claygate Pearmain is an apple cultivar. It was found at Claygate, Surrey in England and brought to the attention of the Royal Horticultural Society by John Braddick in 1821. The apple was a popular eating apple in Victorian times and spread thro ...

' *' Egremont Russet' *'

English Russet 'English Russet' is an old cultivar of domesticated apple which keeps exceptionally well in storage. It is a russet apple that makes good cider, is used fresh, but is not very useful as a cooking apple. It has frequently been confounded with 'Gold ...

' *'

Golden Russet Golden Russet is an old American cultivar of domesticated apple which is excellent for fresh eating as well as for apple cider production. It is a russet apple and is therefore especially used as a cider apple. It is sometimes known as 'English G ...

' *'Hereford Russet' *'

Knobby Russet The Knobby Russet, also known as Knobbed Russet, Winter Russet, Old Maids, and Winter Apple, is a large green and yellow apple cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propaga ...

' *'Merton Russet' *' Nonpareil' *'

Reinette du Canada Reinette du Canada or Canadian Reinette is, despite its name, an old French cultivar of domesticated apple. It is a reinette type of golden apple, with much russeting, which keeps shape in cooking and is mainly used for that purpose especially i ...

' *'

Ribston Pippin 'Ribston Pippin' is a triploid cultivar of apples, also known by other names including 'Essex Pippin', 'Beautiful Pippin', 'Formosa', 'Glory of York', 'Ribstone', 'Rockhill's Russet', 'Travers', and 'Travers's Reinette'. Origin This apple was gro ...

' *'Ross Nonpareil' *'

Roxbury Russet The 'Roxbury Russet' is an apple cultivar, believed to be the oldest apple cultivar bred in the United States, having first been discovered and named in the mid-17th century in the former Town of Roxbury, part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony sout ...

' (also known as Boston Russet) *'Rudford Russet' *'St Edmund's Pippin' *'Sam Young' *'Tydeman's Late Orange' *' Winston'

References

Apples {{apple-fruit-stub

Overview

Types

See also

References