Kimmeria

The Kimmeria apple variety is a winter variety bred at the Crimean Experimental Station of Horticulture by crossing the Champagne Renet and Golden Delicious varieties. The tree is of medium height or vigorous with a sufficiently dense, compact, and round crown; skeletal branches depart from the trunk at an angle of 45–60° and are directed upwards. The variety is characterized by a late flowering period and partial self-fertility, as well as high bud wakefulness and shoot-forming ability. The fruiting type is mixed, which contributes to early productivity—the apple tree begins to bear fruit in the second or third year after planting.

Kimmeria variety fruits are large, weighing 180–200 grams, flat-round in shape with a wide base. Apples are golden-yellow with an uneven pink blush; the flesh is white, tender, juicy, and possesses a balanced sweet-sour taste, providing a high sensory rating of about 4.5 points. Harvest maturity occurs in mid-September, and fruits are well preserved at temperatures from 0 to +4°C in a refrigerator for 210–230 days, allowing them to be used during the winter period.

The Kimmeria variety is distinguished by winter hardiness, drought resistance, and resistance to fungal diseases, making it a reliable choice for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. Despite this, the variety has low frost hardiness for the central regions of Russia. Yield is high, reaching about 177 centners per hectare, which confirms its economic attractiveness for horticulturists.