The pedigree of this variety is not established. It is clear that it was created by folk selection. It is an old autumn Russian variety. According to M. V. Ryтов (1960), Borovinka gained considerable fame not only in our country but also in Western Europe and Northern America, starting from the end of the 18th century. In different countries, it was given various names: Naliva Kharamovskogo, simply Kharamovskoe, Kharamovka, Borovitskaya, Duchess of Oldenburg (named in America), Bravinskoe (Bravina). It was believed that Borovinka, or Borovina according to Moscow, meant a “borovoe” apple, grown in a “bor” (a type of thicket).
Currently, Borovinka is widely distributed not only in central regions but also in the south — in Krasnodar and Stavropol krais and several republics of the Caucasus. It is included in the State Register for use in the following regions of Russia — Northern, Northwestern, Central, Volgo-Vyat, North Caucasus, Middle Volga, Lower Volga, Ural, West Siberian, East Siberian. Few varieties have such a wide distribution area. M. V. Ryтов in 1862, citing Lodygin, gave the following description at that time: “…It is very true to say that Borovinka belongs to the most common varieties of apples in the middle belt of Russia; that in Oryol and Tамбовskaya gubernias this variety is not highly regarded (valued), probably because these apples neither in taste nor in firmness can compare with Antonovka and are valued much cheaper; besides fresh consumption, they are not suitable for any other use and are not good in compote; however, merchants do not neglect Borovinka as a cheap apple, which always has good sales locally. …. It is more accurate to recognize Borovinka apples as suitable only for an unpretentious taste”.
The tree has medium growth vigor and medium size, with a rounded, rather sparse crown (with sparse main branches). Young trees often have a bottle-shaped or vertically-oval, densely-leaved crown. Main branches diverge from the leader at an angle of 30-45º, curved, slightly knotted, pressed against the leader in young age, smooth, green, with a dark-brown tint on the sunny side. Fruit set in young age is primarily on spurs and shoots, later — on frequently located, terminal, branched buds.
Medium-sized and thick shoots, curved, slightly knotted, dark-brown color with a purple, sometimes greenish tint, slightly hairy with small, round and elongated glands. Internodes are rather long.
Leaves are green with a dark tint, fairly large, broad, oval with a rounded base and a fairly short, sharply pointed tip. Leaf surface is fairly flat, nearly uncreased along the main vein and slightly curved. Characteristic depressions with a diameter of a pea are found in various places on the leaf blade. Leaf surface is glossy with a graphite sheen. Leaf margins are wavy, serrated. Hairs are sparse. Petioles are long, thin, dark-magenta in color. Leaves are positioned at a right angle to the shoot.
Flowers are medium-sized, inflorescences in the form of a umbel, white with a slight pink tint. Stigma is relatively short and medium-sized, fused in the lower half of its length, strongly hairy only at the fork, its size equals the length of the stamens.
Fruits (fig.) are medium and above-medium sized, uniform, regular in shape, without noticeable ribs, nearly round, with smooth surface. Basic color is light-green or yellow, with a pink tint, covering — speckled-striped blush on a pink (often basic) background on a significant or larger part of the fruit. Numerous light-colored, subcutaneous dots are visible on the skin. Waxy bloom is weak, skin is smooth and dry. Calyx is deep and fairly wide. Peduncle is long, thin, protruding from the depression, light-green in color. Receptacle is fairly small, wide, with small folds, usually with bumps at the base of the calyx lobes. Calyx is large, closed. Subcalyx tube — cup-shaped, rarely conical, medium in width and depth. Axial cavity is poorly expressed or absent. Seed cavity is fairly large, chambers closed. Seeds are fairly large, broad, dark-brown in color.
Flesh is yellowish at maturity, juicy, slightly coarse, tart-sweet flavor (with noticeable predominance of acidity). Chemical composition of fruits: dry matter — 15.3% (maximum 16.3%), total sugars — 9.9% (11.5%), titratable acids — 0.62% (0.87%) on fresh weight, ascorbic acid — 8.2 (15.3) mg/100g, sugar-to-acid ratio — 16.5 (24.5).
In the middle zone, fruits ripen in autumn, while in the south — in summer. Apples in the Lower Volga region ripen in mid-August and weigh 78-113 g.
Fruits are transportable, relatively long-storing. Fruit quality is high — 80-90%, including 12-14% of top-grade fruits, 26-35% of first-grade fruits.
Fruits are mainly consumed fresh; the variety is table type, suitable for drying and processing into juice.
Trees begin fruiting at 5-6 years and by 10 years produce fairly high yields (60-80 kg per tree), and at 25-30 years — 150-200 kg. The variety suffers from sharp periodicity of fruiting. The variety has high winter hardiness; drought resistance is insufficient, and under air drought or inadequate watering, fruits drop heavily. The variety is undemanding and relatively resistant to diseases.
Advantages of the variety: trees begin fruiting early, high yield, adaptability to various ecological conditions, high winter hardiness, therefore the variety is cultivated throughout the country from north to south, suitability of fruits for fresh consumption and certain types of processing.
Disadvantages of the variety: mediocre fruit taste, periodicity of fruiting, insufficient drought resistance, which is accompanied by fruit drop.
The Borovinka variety proved valuable as a parent form in selection. With the participation of Borovinka, 19 new varieties have been created, of which the following are currently included in the State Register (regionally adapted): Volga Krasavitsa (Renet Kryudner x Borovinka) by Tatar Research Institute of Horticulture, Zhigulskoe (Borovinka x Wagner) by Samara Experimental Station of Horticulture, Zimneye Polosatoye (Borovinka x Renet Shampanskii) by VNIIS of Horticulture named after I. V. Michurin, Pamyat Zhavoronkova (Borovinka x Uralskoye Rebristoye) by South-Ural Research Institute of Fruit and Potato Growing, Podругa (Borovinka x Ranetka 3499) by Krasnoyarsk Station of Fruit Growing.
