Empire
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Seasonality: Winter
Empire – A well-known U.S. selection, developed in 1945 at Cornell University (New York) and released to the public in 1966. It was created by crossing the ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Red Delicious’ varieties. The name honors New York State, famously known as “The Empire State.” This variety combines the best traits of its parents: the classic “McIntosh” flavor with the firmness and color of “Red Delicious.”
Appearance: Fruits are medium-sized, very uniform, and round. The skin is firm and smooth, initially yellowish-green, but almost entirely covered by an intense, dark red to purplish blush with a bluish waxy coating. The apples have a very attractive, commercial appearance.
Taste: The flesh is whitish with a creamy tint, very firm and crisp (significantly crisper than ‘McIntosh’). The flavor is sweet-and-sour, dessert-like, with a pleasant aroma and subtle spiciness. It is one of those varieties that retains its texture for a long time without becoming mealy.
Tree characteristics: Trees are medium-sized, forming a neat, round crown that is easy to manage. The variety shows moderate winter hardiness (in Lithuania, it is recommended to plant in more favorable locations) and has good resistance to powdery mildew and scab. It bears fruit early, abundantly, and annually. Fruits are harvested from late September to early October, and under controlled storage, they remain excellent until January or February, or even until late spring in specialized industrial storage facilities.
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