Rajka apple
Malus domestica
A modern variety from the Czech Republic, bred specifically for disease resistance.
Parentage: Golden Delicious, Lord Lambourne
Origin: Czech Republic
Introduced: 1990s
Season: Oct-Dec
Apple cultivar ID: 104500
A good modern variety from the Czech Republic. Like most new varieties it is a well-shaped, good-size apple, with a very attractive appearance.
The colour is deep-red over a golden yellow background. The flesh is a creamy-yellow colour and is open-textured, fairly crisp, and snaps cleanly when you bite into it. The flavour is sweet, but with good acidity - probably the nearest comparison is with Elstar.
The parentage of Rajka is complicated, but the similarity to Elstar gives a clue that Golden Delicious must be in there somewhere. One of Rajka's immediate parents is Sampion, also raised in the Czech Republic and this in turn is a cross between Golden Delicious and Lord Lambourne. Lord Lambourne is a James-Grieve style apple, and the combination of the sweetness of Golden Delicious with the juicy acidity of James Grieve is the key to the flavour of Rajka.
Intriguingly, in a good summer Rajka can have a hint of the elusive strawberry-apple flavour which almost always indicates Worcester Pearmain - one of the parents of Lord Lambourne.
Rajka has been bred specifically as a disease resistant variety. This means that it can be grown with minimal use of chemical pesticides, which benefits the environment and the consumer. This makes it an increasingly popular garden variety, although it does still appear to have some susceptibility to scab.
If there is a a failing, it is that Rajka seems to need a warmer climate than is often found in the UK, and in a typical (sun-less) UK summer can end up with a slightly bleak metallic taste as a result of incomplete ripening.
Relationships to other apple varieties
Parents and other ancestors of this variety
See also
- Topaz - Rajka and Topaz were both developed at the Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Republic
Where to buy apple trees
The following fruit tree nurseries offer Rajka apple trees for sale:
-
Keepers Nursery
, Kent, United Kingdom (Deliver nationally)
Available November-March
More supplier details
Where to buy fruit and related products
No fruit suppliers listed for this variety.
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