Scarlet Surprise apple

This is an American variety, also known as Bill's Redflesh and Firecracker, and one of the most extreme examples of a red-fleshed apple variety.  The red tendency dominates this apple, with not only the skin and flesh but also the leaves, wood, and blossoms all having a very pronounced red stain to them.

The apples are fairly small, round-conical and often slightly elongated in shape, usually about two inches in diameter, and two and a quarter inches deep. The stalk is of medium length, fairly thick, in a shallow cavity, projecting beyond the base. The skin is wholly red and smooth, sometimes with pale dots (lenticels). The flesh is deep pink to red, soft, and tender; the juice is sweet and tart. The eye is closed and there is little or no cavity. The appearance is very similar to Almata (also American) and Huonville Crab (Australian). There are apples in most years, though there is some tendency to be biennial.

This apple is more acidic than most dessert varieties, having an intense sharp brisk flavour. It keeps in good condition for about a week. After this time the acidity declines and the apple begins to shrink slightly. After a fortnight the acidity is less pronounced, the taste is sweeter and the texture rather soft and doughy.

The tree is slender and partial tip-bearing. The blossom is wholly red, new leaves are bronze-coloured, and the wood is red-stained. The flowering period is extremely early; about 20 days earlier than Bramley. It is one of the first apple trees in the orchard to flower. It is a very poor pollinator. The tree grows rapidly and vigorously.

We are grateful to Nigel Deacon, an English apple enthusiast with a particular interest in red-fleshed apple varieties, for samples and background of this apple variety. There are details of many more red-fleshed apples on his website and he can supply / exchange seeds and scionwood - see Diversity website.