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Arctic
type: Culinary
summary: Among a small handful of extremely cold-hardy apples developed, the Arctic was a popular culinary apple of the northeastern U.S.A. and into eastern Canada. It has, unfortunately been supplanted by varieties that keep better and is likely no longer available.
identification: Medium to large size, round to round-conic fruit, sometimes faintly ribbed. The base colour is yellow, covered with a red wash over which are dark red striping. Sometimes marked with visible light tan lenticels. The stem is somewhat stout and quite short, set in a moderately deep and wide cavity which is often lightly pleated. A network of russetting spreads out of the cavity and over the shoulder. The calyx is large and partly open, set in a wide and deep basin.
characteristics: The flesh is yellowish. Firm, coarse grained, crisp. Juicy, sweet and slightly tart.
uses: Used for culinary purposes and generally traded on the farm markets.
origins: Described in S.A. Beach's "The Apples of New York; Volume 2" (Published, 1903) in which he states that it originated 1862 as a chance seedling in the garden of John H. Esseltyne near Cape Vincent, New York (U.S.A.). In 1887, O.K. Gerrish purchased the tree, collected a large quantity of scionwood and then burned it to the ground in order to limit access to the propagation of the varietal. Gerrish subsequently introduced the Arctic to orchardists throughout the northeastern and northcentral United States and eastern Canada. Unfortunately, the market was not nearly as interested as hoped and many orchardists switched their trees over to varietals that may not have been quite as hardy, but definitely kept much better in storage.
cultivation: Vigorous, upright spreading with heavy branching.
notes: Similar to the Baldwin , but more cold-hardy.
ploidism: Diploid. Self sterile.
hardiness: 2
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