NJ 90. A unique taste characterizes this McIntosh-type apple. It is medium sized, extremelyattractive apple that has a deep-ebony-red color that may be masked by a very heavy bloom on the surface. The fruit is juicy, and when eating the apple, the juice appears to be quite viscous. It has some preharvest-drop tendencies. The skin is quite thick, and when eaten, it give the impression of being tough. This tough skin is its most serious flaw. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Hampson, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC.

Pinova has been a difficult apple to follow, since it has gone though several name changes in the past several years: Pinova, Corail, and most recently, and perhaps finally, Pinata™. It is a medium sized, and somewhat-red apple. It is slightly tart, and the Cox’s Orange Pippin in its parentage is quite evident in the taste. It ripens in late September. The taste of Pinova may improve after a period of cold storage. The rights to plant and sell this apple have been purchased. Special permission is necessary to grow and sell Pinova/Pinata™. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Hampson, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC.

Sansa fruit can be harvested starting about 3 weeks before Gala, a variety that Sansa resembles insize, shape, color, and taste. When ripe, it has an aromatic and tropical-fruit taste that is rivaled by few apples. Good light exposure is required to achieve good red color. Fruit will store for up to 2 months. It is moderate-to-weak-growing tree, and the leaves have a mottled appearance that resembles but is not, apple mosaic virus.

Shamrock is a medium to large sized apple that has the potential to be marketed as two different forms of the same apple. When harvested in mid September it is a green apple that has a taste that resembles Granny Smith. It is not ripe at this time, but because it has a low phenol content, it does not taste like a green apple. When allowed to ripen in late September and early October, the color changes to a light green and then it has a taste that is very similar to a very good McIntosh. The flesh is white, and it is slow to brown when cut.