Late-winter variety selected by the North Caucasus Research Institute of Mountain and Submontane Horticulture. Obtained by crossing Golden Delicious × Red Delicious. Breeders: R. S. Shidakov, A. S. Shidakova. The variety has undergone State testing since 1996 in southern Russia.
Tree is weak-growing, with a compact, dense, narrow-pyramidal crown. Main branches are thickened, dark brown, with slight pubescence and small white stipules. Fruit-bearing is concentrated on elongated spurs, rings, and spurs.
Shoots are straight, thickened, reddish-brown with white dots, internodes shortened. Leaves are elongated, egg-shaped, with a pointed tip, margins finely toothed, dark green coloration. Bracts are lanceolate.
Flowers are fairly large, light pink, medium length, weakly pubescent stigmas.
Fruits are medium-sized (135-150 g), elongated-conical, ribbed. Skin is smooth, glossy, light green, with red russet coloration covering 2/3 of the fruit surface. Peduncle is long, calyx closed, receptacle deep and narrow.
Flesh is greenish-white, juicy, finely-grained, tart-sweet taste. Sugar content: 7.8%, titratable acids: 0.34%, ascorbic acid: 6.4 mg/100g.
Late-winter ripening. Fruit-bearing begins on the 4th-5th year after planting in orchards. Yield is average, fruiting periodicity is not pronounced. Winter hardiness is average. Resistance to scab is average, to powdery mildew is high.
Advantages of the variety: weak growth and compact crown shape, high fruit quality.
Disadvantages of the variety: fruit size reduction under water deficiency, high soil requirement.
