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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Red Astrachan apple

Eating, cooking and cider apple. Medium sized, crimson colored, flesh is juicy, tart and crisp with good flavor. Very short storage.

USDA identification images for Red Astrachan

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

    Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

    Visitor reviews

    • 29 Mar 2020  WASHINGTON, United States
      The Astrakhan variety of apple figures prominently in "The Emigrants" series of novels by Vilhelm Moberg. These books tell the story of farmers who emigrated to Minnesota from Sweden. The wife of the main character misses the apples, so her husband arranges for seeds to be sent to their farm from family in Sweden.
    • 07 Sep 2019  NH, United States
      In the South of Russia there is a city called Astrakhan. That's where the Apple tree comes from. There is another Apple tree, which is called White Astrakhan. It was widespread in America a century ago. It's rare now. White Astrakhan in the past was very famous in Russia. It is an Apple that is often described in fairy tales as an Apple for a Princess-"nalivnoe yablochko :)) on a gold plate"
    • 05 Dec 2015  Canada
      I have grown an Red Astrachan for two decades. The summer of 2015 fruit was ripe before the end of July here on a south slope on Vancouver Island. Picked from the tree: red, sweet and still crisp, these are an early season treat. Then quickly, only apple sauce is an option.
    • 29 Sep 2015  NOVA SCOTIA, Canada
      I believe we have an old Astrachan apple trees on the North Mountain, including two on our acre of land. They are wonderful apples, but more green than red — tart and crisp, but ours get wormy before they really ripen. But I still eat around the spots and make the best apple sauce.
    • 06 Sep 2015  PA, United States
      I grew up in western PA and our old farmhouse came with a very old orchard of several different apple varieties. My favorites were Astrachan-- but I have never seen the name written until your website. As I remember those our family called Astrachan were very beautifully striped and not mostly solid red as in your picture. Otherwise description is fairly accurate as I remember. Are there other varieties of Astrachan?
    • 27 Aug 2015  IL, United States
      I believe this is the apple tree we have on our farm. I have old pictures (pre-1940) that show this tree.
    • 23 Oct 2013  MAINE/LINCOLN, United States
      When I was growing up, my family owned a wonderful apple orchard. We had mostly Macs, Delicicious, Gravensteins. Also had Wolf River, Russets, so-called Strawberry apple. Just a few Red Astrachans which were my absolute favorite. Have not had a bite of one for years and miss that experience sorely! Will chase down the two listed sites that grow them here inMaine.

    Tree register

    United States

    Poland

    Norway

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2011 season

    • 15th May  2011  - tree owned by Pennsylvania in Montrose, United States

    2009 season

    • 18th April  2009  - tree owned by Leonard in Roanoke, United States
    • 18th April  2009  - tree owned by Leonard in Roanoke, United States

    Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.


    Harvest records for this variety

    2015 season

    • 1st week October  2015  - tree owned by Melody in Hardwick, United States
    • July  2015  - tree owned by Roger in Madison Heights, United States

    2013 season

    • 3rd week July  2013  - tree owned by Alison in Albion, United States

    2011 season

    • 2nd week August  2011  - tree owned by Pennsylvania in Montrose, United States

    2009 season

    • 3rd week August  2009  - tree owned by Leonard in Roanoke, United States
    • 3rd week August  2009  - tree owned by Leonard in Roanoke, United States

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Originates from: Russia
    • Introduced: Early 1800s
    • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1999-084

    Identification

    • Country of origin: Russia
    • Flesh colour: White
    • Fruit size: Small
    • Fruit size: Average
    • Fruit shape: Round
    • Fruit shape: Conical
    • Fruit shape: Flat-round
    • Fruit size: Variable

    Using

    • Picking season: Very early
    • Picking season: Early
    • Flavour quality: Very good
    • Flavour quality: Good
    • Flavour style (apples): Sweet/Sharp
    • Flavour style (apples): Sweeter
    • Flavour style (apples): Aromatic
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Culinary
    • Food uses: Drying

    Growing

    • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer

    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Red Astrachan:

    United States


    Canada




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