Apple Red Hill

This summer variety was obtained at the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M. A. Lisavenko by crossing the Altai and Melboy with Belfler-Chinese (pollen mixture) in 1969. Breeders: I. P. Kalinina, T. F. Kornienko, N. I. Dorokhina, G. V. Chupina. Widely grown in the Altai Krai. Accepted into state variety trials in 1992. Included in the State Register for the West Siberian region. The variety is valuable for home gardens.

Trees are low-growing with round, moderately dense crowns. Branches are few, medium-thick, red-brown, with densely spaced rings and lenticels, where fruiting occurs on them and on one-year growths.

Shoots are short, red-brown, straight, round in cross-section, with short internodes, heavily hairy. Leaves are small, dark green, shiny, slightly hairy underneath, elliptical in shape, with a slightly pointed tip, curved along the central vein, with finely toothed margins. Petioles are short, moderately hairy, with small lanceolate stipules.

Fruits (see illustration) are small to medium-sized, one-dimensional, flat-round in shape, smooth. Main color is yellow-green, covering color is a solid bright red over the entire fruit surface, with clearly visible large white subcutaneous spots. Peduncle is medium-length, thin. Calyx is medium, open, above a shallow cup-shaped calyx tube. Seed chambers are half-open.

Flesh is creamy with pink veins, juicy, fine-grained, sour-sweet, good taste. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugar content — 13.4%, titratable acids — 0.67%, tannins — 120 mg/100g, ascorbic acid — 18.0 mg/100g, P-active substances — 195 mg/100g (66-375), pectin substances — 3.46% on dry weight.

Ripening period is summer.

Fruits are of universal use, primarily consumed fresh, and can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 30 days.

Fruit production begins on the 4th-5th year. Yields are medium, annual. Winter hardiness is moderate. Resistant to scab.

Advantages of the variety: regular yields, high commercial and consumer qualities of fruits.

Disadvantages of the variety: in dry years, fruits become smaller and drop off.

Of interest as a base for breeding.