- 'Red Autumn Kalvill': Profile
- Origin and history of the apple
- Flavours and properties of Red Autumn Kalvill
- Cultivation features
- Harvest time and use of the 'Roter Herbstkalvill' apple variety
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The 'Roter Herbstkalvill' apple lives up to its name: it is characterized by its bright red fruits. What else makes the apple variety special and how to grow the 'Red Autumn Kalvill' in the garden, we reveal here.
The 'Red Autumn Kalvill' is considered a pomological speci alty and also a diva. The variety, also known as 'pomegranate', 'large red summer raspberry apple', 'raspberry apple', 'red autumn calvill', 'strawberry apple' or 'gypsy apple', has high demands on its location. In less than perfect locations, it requires a lot of care. In return, the apple variety rewards every devoted lover with an unmistakable strawberry and raspberry aroma, wrapped in a unique red fruit.
'Red Autumn Kalvill': Profile
| Synonyms | 'Pomegranate', 'Big Red Summer Raspberry Apple', 'Raspberry Apple', 'Red Autumn Calvill', 'Strawberry Apple', 'Gypsy Apple' |
| Fruit | medium; dark red body color |
| Flavour | balanced sweet and sour; Strawberry and raspberry aroma when fully ripe |
| Yield | not very high; regularly |
| Harvest time | from the end of September |
| Maturity for pleasure | End of September to November |
| Shelf Life | bad; Can be stored until Christmas |
| Growth | strong |
| Climate | warm and sheltered location |
| Diseases and Pests | susceptible to apple scab, powdery mildew, fruit tree canker and fruit rot on unsuitable sites |
Origin and history of the apple
The 'Roter Herbstkalvill' is a veteran: It was allegedly mentioned as part of the princely pleasure garden in Stuttgart as early as 1565. However, this story is not entirely certain. A certain André Leroy claims in a historical document that the 'Red Autumn Kalvill' was found in the French Auvergne and was only mentioned in 1617. At least in Central Europe it wasformerly very commonly cultivated, now it is rarely found.
By the way, the name 'Edelkönig' is not a synonym, but a variety, i.e. a variety that differs slightly from 'Roter Herbstkalvill'. It is more ovoid and less irregular in shape than the original variety.
Flavours and properties of Red Autumn Kalvill
The 'Red Autumn Kalvill' can be small, medium-sized or, rarely, large - the latter is the case when the tree only bears a few fruits. The shape is broadly frustoconical or flattened and spherical and fairly irregular with strong ribs. The cross section is almost angular. The skin of the fruit is smooth and very greasy with a greenish-yellow base colour, which is rarely seen. It is covered almost everywhere by a dark, almost black-red body colour. The lenticels are easily recognizable as fine white rust spots. The flesh is white, but marbled in bright red directly under the skin and in strips extending inwards. If you bite into it, you will notice that it is fine-celled and fluffy as well as very juicy. The taste is sweet and sour and balanced, with a raspberry or strawberry-like perfume when fully ripe.
By the way: Because the nucleus is often very large in relation to the pits, it can happen with some specimens that the pits come loose and so-called "rattle apples" develop. The seeds then rattle loudly in the shell when you shake the fruit.
Cultivation features
The 'Roter Herbstkalvill' has high demands on its growing climate and soil. It requires sufficient warmth, a sheltered location such as in a good fruit-growing area, and fertile and deep, moderately moist soil. If he does not find these conditions, he acknowledges this with susceptibility to diseases, especially scab, mildew, fruit tree cancer and fruit rot. Premature fruit drop and low yields are also common on unsuitable locations.
However, if it feels comfortable where it grows, the following properties can be fully exploited: When young, the 'Roter Herbstkalvill'l has vigorous growth and becomes high- and broad crown. The leaf is large and he althy. Because of its strong growth, the culture is suitable as a half or standard tree, but not for forming in a trellis or as a bush tree. If you don't try to force the apple tree into an unsuitable shape, you will hardly have any time-consuming pruning after training.
Flowering is early to mid-early and may be susceptible to frost. Alternation - i.e. yearly fluctuating yields - occurs with 'Roter Herbstkalvill', but under good conditions the yields are regular, albeit not very high.
Suitable pollinators are the varieties 'Landsberger Renette', 'Schmidberger Renette', 'White Clear Apple' and 'Red Maiden Apple'.
Harvest time and use of the 'Roter Herbstkalvill' apple variety
Harvest time is already at the end of September for the 'Red Autumn Kalvill' to get storage apples. In order to enjoy the fruits directly, they should only be harvested between the end of September and November. The storability is short, in a cool and slightly damp earth cellar the fruit only remains tasty until Christmas. Overripe red Herbstkalvill apples become floury.
This particular variety is suitable as an extravagant dessert apple. It can be preserved by pressing apple juice, which is light red in color. The variety is also very suitable for drying, the dried apple slices are pink. The 'Roter Herbstkalvill' is not well suited for baking because of its fluffy flesh.
The forest-prone bloom of the 'Red Autumn Kalvill' can become a problem. Read all about the special features of apple blossoms for everything you need to know about blossom frost and its effects.