Apple tree (Malus domestica) EDĪTE

Apple (Malus domestica) 'Edīte'

A Latvian winter variety with beautiful fruits and high disease resistance.

'Edīte' is a modern Latvian early winter variety that is an ideal choice for organic cultivation and home gardens. It stands out primarily for its attractive, bright orange-red fruits and its comprehensive disease resistance, especially complete resistance to scab. The taste is pleasantly sweet-tart and improves even further with storage. Thanks to its medium-strong growth, it is also suitable for smaller spaces.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Attractive and colorful fruits: The bright orange-red color is a garden ornament.
• High disease resistance: Resistant to scab (Vf/Rvi6 gene) and good tolerance to powdery mildew and rot.
• Suitable for organic growing: Does not require intensive chemical protection.
• Excellent taste after storage: During storage, acids break down, and the flavor becomes more balanced.
• Good storability: Keeps in a good cellar until February/March.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Latvia, Dobele
• Breeder: R. Dumbravs
• Cross: ‘Latkrimson’ × BM41497
• Year of registration: Protected variety in Latvia since 2012.

Variety Characteristics

Tree

Growth is medium-strong with a spreading crown. It comes into bearing early, with medium and regular yields. It requires regular pruning to thin the canopy and encourage new fruit-bearing wood.

Fruit

• Size: Medium to large (70–80 mm).
• Skin: A yellow base color is overlaid with a vibrant orange-red blush.
• Flesh: Yellow, with a pinkish hue under the skin, quite firm, crisp, and juicy.
• Taste: Sweet-tart, which harmonizes and improves during storage.

Resistance and Requirements

• Scab: The variety is resistant.
• Other diseases: Overall a very healthy variety with good resistance to powdery mildew, fruit rot, and canker.
• Frost hardiness: Medium, making it ideal for better, protected growing locations. It can suffer frost damage in frost pockets.

Growing Recommendations

• Use: Excellent for organic orchards and home gardens in warmer and moderate climates.
• Suitable rootstocks: B.396, MM 106.
• Fruit thinning: Not necessary.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Early October. The fruits hold well on the tree.
• Eating maturity: Reaches its best flavor from November onwards as the taste profile fully develops.
• Storability: In a good cellar, it lasts until February, sometimes even March.

Important note: Towards the end of the storage period, the skin may tend to brown, which is a signal to consume the fruits soon.