Apple Alpinist

Late-winter variety selected by the North Caucasus Research Institute of Mountain and Piedmont Horticulture. Obtained by hybridizing Renet Simirenko with Pepin Chernenko. Author: P. P. Kostyk. Approved for cultivation in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. Efficiently cultivated in all republics and regions of the North Caucasus. Occupies large areas in Moldova and Ukraine.

Strong-growing tree. Young crown is round or flat-round, with hanging, thin, moderately dense branches at the base. In full fruiting, crown is spreading and broadly round. Trunk has smooth, light-gray bark. Main branches are light-gray, thin, inclined-vertical, drooping with age. Predominant fruiting structures are simple, complex rings, short and long fruiting spurs.

Medium-thickened shoots, light-gray, straight with long internodes. Leaves green, shiny, medium-sized, elongated, curved upward, with serrated edges, long petioles, hairy.

Flowers large, small-cup-shaped, white with pinkish tinge, with long hairy stigmas, stigma higher than anthers.

Fruits above-average size (168 g), one-dimensional, round-oval shape, with weakly expressed ribbing. Skin smooth and glossy. Main color at harvest maturity — green, at consumer maturity — light-yellow with well-defined subcutaneous dots. Peduncle short and thick. Seed chambers closed, with medium-sized, oval, brown seeds. Receptacle tube short, medium-sized, reverse-conical.

Flesh greenish-yellow, firm, fine-grained, very juicy, sweet-sour flavor with slight aroma. Fruit contains: sugars — 8.6%, titratable acids — 0.75%, ascorbic acid — 7.9 mg/100g.

Late-winter ripening (can be stored until May). Fruit production begins on 3rd–4th year. High yield, fruiting periodicity is not strongly expressed. Winter hardiness is medium, comparable to Renet Simirenko. Variety is weakly resistant to scab and powdery mildew.

Advantages of the variety: high productivity, excellent commercial quality, long storage life while preserving firm, detachable flesh and fruit flavor.

Disadvantages of the variety: weak winter hardiness, susceptibility to scab, and exposure of long branches inside the crown.