Apple tree Pineapple: description and characteristics of the variety, growing regions with photo

Few ordinary consumers know the real number of varieties of apple varieties growing on the territory of the Russian Federation. For them, apples are divided into imported and domestic, sweet and sour, large and small. In fact, everything is much more complicated. Papirovka, Antonovka, Champagne, Pineapple, Melba, Old Man Erliest, Early Sweet, White Pouring, Golden Kitayka - this is a small proportion of apple varieties. Below we will talk about the Pineapple variety.

Variety description

Oddly enough, it is not easy to get acquainted with the detailed description of the Pineapple variety apple tree. Most sites give a brief description of the species. However, this knowledge is not enough to opt for the Pineapple fruit tree variety.

Apple variety Pineapple is a Western European type of autumn ripening apple trees. But some gardeners call it a late summer variety. The fruits ripen, as a rule, in September, in a sunny area they can also end in August. Shelf life up to 4 months. And in conditions of optimal temperature and humidity, fruits can lie until December.

Apples are large, average weight varies from 180 to 350 grams. The skin is dense, smooth, shiny, with a slight wax coating. The color of the fruits is sunny yellow, with clearly visible gray dots around the perimeter. On the sunny side there is a slight reddish blush. The pulp is white-yellow, juicy, elastic, with a sour-sweet taste and rich aroma. Apples have a persistent aftertaste of pineapple, which is why the tree got its name. The fruits are firm when harvested, but after a short storage they become looser. The shape of the fruit is round, somewhat reminiscent of a truncated cone.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Each type of apple tree has advantages that make it stand out from other varieties, and Pineapple is no exception. The advantages of the variety include:

• palatability (the only apples with a slight aftertaste of pineapple);
• winter hardiness (the variety is not afraid of low temperatures and well survives weather fluctuations);
• high resistance to common apple diseases such as scab and powdery mildew;
• long shelf life (4-5 months);
• annual fruiting;
• easy to transport.

But there are also a number of disadvantages. Among them, the apple tree of the Pineapple variety is distinguished:

• tree is tall, making maintenance difficult;
• low yield;
• inconspicuous fruit appearance, dull color;
• fruiting is possible in a year if the apple tree is not cared for and branches are not cut;
• have low resistance to other diseases and pest attacks.

Mature tree size

The Pineapple apple tree is considered a vigorous tree, which makes harvesting difficult. Even with the help of a ladder, it is often difficult to reach the fruits. If they are not removed from the tree and wait until they themselves fall, the shelf life of fruits will be significantly reduced. But at the same time, the crown of the apple tree is rare, not wide, which makes it easier to care for the apple tree.

In many sources there is information that the Pineapple apple tree is literally 2-3.5 meters in height, but in reality the apple tree easily reaches a size of 5 meters.

Yield and palatability of fruits

Apple variety Pineapple is a medium-yielding species, but it pays off with the size of the fruit. Apples are large, elastic, about the same size. With proper care (pruning, watering, fertilizing), the tree bears fruit annually. If nothing is done, then the Pineapple apple tree will delight with fruits in a year.

Standard care steps include:

• if the summer is dry, then the apple tree needs to be watered on a regular basis;
• periodically weed and loosen the near-trunk area;
• whitewash the trunk in spring and autumn;
• spray with pest control;
• fertilize.

The fruits of this species have a dessert sweet and sour taste with a rich aroma and a slight aftertaste of pineapple. Hence the variety and took the name. Apples are juicy, revealing the main taste after they are removed from the tree. Tasting score on a five-point scale - 4.6 points.

Winter hardiness

Apple trees of the Pineapple variety are distinguished by high winter hardiness. Trees easily tolerate sub-zero temperatures, weather changes and do not need additional insulation. However, some gardeners recommend (this applies to the cold regions of the country) in especially severe winters to cover the near-trunk circle with a layer of peat at least 10 centimeters thick, and lay dry leaves on top of it.

Choose an area for the apple tree that is better and longer than others, illuminated by the rays of the sun during the day. If the gardener just planted Pineapple, then it will not be superfluous to cover the trunk for the winter.

Disease resistance

Pineapple has an average resistance to many diseases of apple trees. At the same time, trees are almost never exposed to scab, powdery mildew. To protect the apple tree from other diseases, you need to treat the tree with special means, feed it.And in order to avoid pest attacks, you need to whiten the trunk in autumn and spring.

Terms of flowering and fruit ripening

Pineapple apple tree is characterized by long flowering at a later time. More precise dates depend on the temperature in the region. It should be set at a mark from plus 15 to plus 20 degrees. The first years you need to pick off the flowers so that the tree puts all its strength into growth and further pleases with a delicious harvest.

The fruits usually ripen in September. But if it's a warm summer, and the area where the tree grows is sufficiently lit by sunlight, the apples may be ready for picking as early as August.

Growth regions

Given the characteristics of the variety, the Pineapple apple tree has taken root perfectly in regions with a cold climate. Now it is grown in other regions of Russia: the Volga region, Central Russia, the North-West. The tree is unpretentious in care and produces good large fruits in almost any climate.

Reviews of gardeners

Kirill, Volgograd: “I planted this variety on the advice of a neighbor. Now the tree is 5 years old, and every year it pleases with a good harvest. The taste of apples is amazing, unlike others (and we have 5 varieties of these trees in our garden). For sale, of course, one tree is not enough. We grow for ourselves. And given the shelf life, we eat fresh juicy apples until spring.”

Kristina, St. Petersburg: “I don't like wood. I will leave myself literally 1 branch for the collection of varieties. The yield is very low, not enough even for themselves, not to mention the sale. In addition, apples crumble quickly. Of course, they taste great, but for the sake of several fruits, I don’t see the point in keeping a whole tree.”

Alexander, Yaroslavl: “I planted this tree on the advice of the seller. The fruits are not just big, they are huge. Of the benefits: apples are delicious, stored for a long time, no special care is required.We eat them fresh, my wife sometimes adds them to pastries or preserves them. But the tree bears fruit poorly. If you have a large family or are in sales, one tree will not be enough. Another disadvantage is that the tree is tall, which makes harvesting and delimbing difficult.”

Stanislav, Nizhny Novgorod: “What I like about this tree is its unpretentiousness and the taste of fruits. After I received the first harvest, I planted 3 more such trees. Now I have enough for myself and the whole big family.”

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