Thompkins County King

Borers had ravished this tree a couple years ago, and I gave it up for dead, replacing its name in my inventory list with one I wanted to plant there.  But the tree sprung back, and I had to scramble to see what name it originally was.  The red skin and translucent watercore gives it away as Thompkins County King.  It hails from New Jersey around 1804, and is renowned for being a regular bearer in adverse conditions.

It supposed to ripen in September, but here at Thanksgiving they are just starting to ripen.  This is fine with me, as our days are warm and nights are getting cold, excellent apple ripening weather.  This one in the photo was very dense, sweet, aromatic, and enough acid to make me need a Tums later on (which doesn’t take much now that I’m in geezerville).  There are about a half dozen more left on the tiny tree, and so I’m happy to pronounce it excellent for growing in Southern California.

From its origin and background no one would have expected this variety to do well in a hot climate; “experts” would have said it is too high-chill or would me mushy or bland.  All of this is wrong of course, and just goes to show there is no substituting actually sticking the tree in the ground and seeing what happens.