Phoenix Altai apple tree: variety description, advantages and disadvantages with photo

Phoenix Altai apple variety was bred by breeders of the Research Institute under the guidance of horticulturalist Lisavenko specifically for cultivation in the harsh conditions of the Siberian region. Thanks to its undemanding and unpretentious care, as well as beautiful fruits with excellent taste, popularity quickly spread far beyond the Altai Territory.

Description and features

The Phoenix Altai variety was obtained as a result of free pollination of the Bellefleur-Phoenix apple tree, the species is a high-yielding winter fruit crop of universal growth.The trees, according to the description, are similar to the Golden Delicious variety, grow up to 8 meters in height. When planting, it must be taken into account that the apple tree belongs to a self-fertile species and its pollination is carried out with the participation of pollen from trees of other varieties. Therefore, Altai Phoenix is recommended to be planted with seedlings of a different variety in strips, the distance between which should be 4-5 m.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Phoenix Altai variety grows successfully in the harsh conditions of Siberia. Its main features are:

grows well in lowlands;
abundant fruiting;
high consumer and commercial properties of apples;
long shelf life of harvested fruits;
easy care.

From the few shortcomings of the variety, one can note the average winter hardiness and the risk of freezing in cold climatic conditions, as well as susceptibility to damage by pathogenic microscopic fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes.

Characteristics of the apple tree Altai Phoenix

Apple trees grow quite compact in size with bright green foliage. Branches with respect to the axis of the trunk are located at an angle of 90 degrees. When forming apple trees, they should be thinned out so that they do not intertwine and thicken the crown. The bark of trees has a dark brown grayish color, young shoots are brownish in color with a small edge.

Sizes

Apple trees of this variety are distinguished by a moderate growth rate of 6-8 cm per year, medium tall in height, do not exceed 7.5-8 m. The crown is medium-dense, has a spherical shape, compact, in the process of development formed by rare skeletal branches.

Yields

A rich harvest from Phoenix Altai apple trees can be obtained already in the fifth year from the date of planting in a permanent place. Despite the relatively small size of apples, the variety is high-yielding due to the abundance of fruits.

As a rule, the first apples appear already in the 2-3rd year after planting the seedling, but it is recommended to cut the flowers for the first 5 years for a larger harvest in the future.

Fruits usually weigh from 70 to 150 g, however, from one young tree you can harvest from 40 kg of apples per year, and the average yield is up to 22 tons per hectare.

Frequency of fruiting

Apple trees bear fruit 5 years after planting annually, varying in the degree of fruit abundance. They fully ripen in late August-early September. Subject to storage rules, apples remain intact until February.

Winter hardiness

Resistance to frost in the Phoenix Altai variety is average. If the winter is severe, the trees are likely to freeze. They grow best in lowland areas.

Disease resistance

Trees and fruits of the Phoenix Altai variety are susceptible to scab, tinder fungus, powdery mildew, especially at high humidity. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention to timely herbicide treatments.

When a scab is damaged, spots, warts, pustules appear on the foliage, and a brownish flaky crust appears on apples. The tinder fungus settles on the bark. Powdery mildew occurs after long rains, covering the leaves with a whitish coating.

Apple trees can also damage codling moths - moths that lay their eggs on the foliage, and if they are not disposed of in time, then on the fruits. Subsequently, worms appear from the eggs, which must be destroyed with insecticides.

Fruit evaluation

Phoenix apples, round with a distinct ribbing, are distinguished by excellent taste and commercial qualities. The fruits are pale yellow or reddish in color, medium in size with a smooth skin. The pulp is moderately dense, juicy, dessert sweet and sour taste.

The fruits of apple trees Altai Phoenix have a rich chemical composition, a high percentage of sugar and pectin. In addition, 100 g of the product contains 17 mg of ascorbic acid, up to 115 mg of tannins, 124 g of P-active compounds.

Distribution

The final stage of zoning of the Phoenix Altai variety falls on 1974. The territory with the most favorable natural conditions for growing this fruit crop is Western Siberia between the Yenisei River and the Ural Mountains. However, subject to the subtleties of planting and growing, the tree is able to adapt in different regions of Russia.

Apple reviews

Mikhail, 37 years old: “The apple trees of the Altai Phoenix bribe with their fertility, every year I gather a big harvest from small trees.Apples are juicy, stored for at least 4 months. With the cultivation of he althy trees, of course, you have to tinker. Be sure to regularly treat them from fungal diseases and pests, otherwise there will be no sense. ”

Svetlana, 34: “It took a long time to choose which trees to plant in the garden. Six varieties were planted, including Phoenix Altai. In our lowland and during cold winters it grows excellently, the shoots have never frozen. There are a lot of apples, and you can increase the yield by following a number of recommendations on the selection of seedlings, the rules of planting, feeding and care. I like squeezing apple juice.”