The special apple variety 'Rubinette' from Switzerland is protected. Here you can find out what else you need to know about properties, taste, harvest time and use.
An apple tree (Malus domestica) can be found in almost every large garden. Of the numerous apple varieties that exist in the world, the 'Rubinette' is probably one of the most popular. No wonder, after all, the delicious apple captivates with a particularly intense aroma and exceptionally juicy fruit. In this article we will tell you what other characteristics have made the 'Rubinette' an insider tip among enthusiasts.
Rubinette: Wanted Poster
| Synonyms | 'Rafzubin' |
| Fruit | small to medium sized; green-yellow, orange-red striped on the sunny side |
| Flavour | intense, sweet and sour, juicy |
| Yield | tends to alternate |
| Harvest time | October to December |
| Maturity for pleasure | October to December |
| Shelf Life | until January/February; Vulnerable to Storage Rot |
| Growth | weak to medium strong; sparse |
| Climate | wind protected; Can be grown up to medium altitudes |
| Diseases and Pests | susceptible to scab, fruit tree canker and monilia |
Origin and History
We owe the existence of the 'Rubinette' apple variety to a coincidence: In fact, the variety that is popular today arose from a chance seedling that grew in the Hauenstein tree nursery in Switzerland. The parent varieties of the newly created variety are 'Golden Delicious' and 'Cox Orange', two well-known dessert apples. The 'Rubinette' has been under plant variety protection since 1985 and is now cultivated both conventionally and by hobby gardeners.
Properties and taste of 'Rubinette'
The 'Rubinette' apple often looks a bit inconspicuous at first glance: with its small bismedium-sized fruits and its green-yellow color, the 'Rubinette' often hardly stands out from other apple varieties. On the sunny side, the apples often show an orange-red, striped color. If you prefer a more intensely colored version of the Rubinette apple, you can also choose the 'Rubinette Rosso' variety - the mutant of the well-known apple variety impresses with a particularly strong red colour.
In terms of taste, the 'Rubinette' convinces above all with its intense aroma and pleasant taste. The sweet-sour note and the high sugar content in particular make the apple extraordinarily delicious. The pleasure is rounded off by the firm flesh, which is both crisp and juicy.
Cultivation features
Although its apples score with an outstanding taste, the 'Rubinette' apple tree has no unusual demands on its environment: a nutrient-rich soil and a sunny location are enough for the tree. However, the soil around the Rubinette tree should be kept constantly moist until it grows, but later it usually only needs to be watered in particularly dry times.
In theory, the variety is suitable for any form of cultivation due to its rather low requirements, even in the bucket as a columnar apple tree, the 'Rubinette' is well suited. However, the tree tends to sparse, unbranched growth and alternation, which is why you should not do without regular care cuts.
One of the main problems encountered when growing 'Rubinette', however, is its high susceptibility to apple tree diseases. As a descendant of two high-performance varieties, the 'Rubinette' is particularly susceptible to scab (Venturia inaequalis), a fungal disease that spreads particularly well in wet and warm conditions, which is why regular care (including pruning ) must not be neglected. But fruit tree canker (Neonectria galligena) and Monilia (Monilinia) are also more common on trees of this variety. In order for the Rubinette apple tree to remain he althy in the long term, it should therefore be checked regularly for signs of disease. In addition, they should be treated as soon as possible. In addition, it is advisable to only visit a specialist shop to buy a 'Rubinette' - here the young trees are checked for signs of possible disease before sale.
Harvest time and use of the 'Rubinette' variety
The Rubinette apple harvest season starts at the beginning of October and can last until…last through December. Since the variety is one of the real dessert apples, it is ready to eat from this moment on and can be eaten without after-ripening. Due to its excellent taste, the 'Rubinette' is used as a dessert apple, i.e. it is mainly eaten raw. However, the fruits are also wonderful for cakes or pastries. In addition, the Rubinette apple is considered to be very allergy-friendly, even if intolerance to apples often varies from person to person. The apples, on the other hand, are not suitable for diabetics - they have too high a sugar content.
The 'Josef Musch' is also a table apple, which is also very suitable for cider. In addition, the 'Josef Musch' is a somewhat easy-care and not so susceptible apple tree representative.