The 'Merkur' apple has only been on the market since 2013 and is therefore a fairly new variety. Here we tell you where the apple comes from and how you can grow it in your own garden.
If you are looking for an easy-care, robust and ornamental apple tree, you have come to the right place with the 'Merkur' apple variety. It's still a fairly new phenomenon on the market, but in many ways it rivals or even surpasses tried and tested strains.
Apple 'Mercury': Profile
| Synonyms | Sweet Topaz |
| Fruit | Initially greenish-yellow, dark red with increasing maturity |
| Flavour | Sweet-sour, juicy, crunchy-al dente |
| Yield | High, early onset |
| Harvest time | Late August to early September |
| Maturity for pleasure | From September |
| Shelf Life | Until March |
| Growth | Medium strong, upright |
| Climate | Cultivable in many locations, not very sensitive to frost |
| Diseases and Pests | Low susceptible to scab and mildew |
History and origin of the apple 'Mercury'
The 'Merkur' apple variety was only launched in 2013 as a new product. The 'Merkur' apple was bred at the Institute for Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. The apple variety is a cross between the varieties 'Topaz' and 'Rajka'. The 'Merkur' variety shows potential for domestic cultivation, particularly because of its high resilience, but also because of its characteristic, highly aromatic, fruity-sweet taste.
Flavour and characteristics of the apple variety ‘Merkur’
The medium-sized apples of the 'Merkur' variety have a characteristic, slightly flattened, spherical shape and a pleasantly dry, non-greasy skin. The skin color of the apple is initially greenish-yellow and later changes from the typical geranium tocrimson overlay with distinct shell spots and a slight but noticeable russeting at the peduncle.
The apples with their creamy-white to slightly yellowish flesh develop an aromatic, intensive, juicy-sweet taste and have a crispy-fresh, al dente consistency. The taste of the 'Merkur' apple is rounded off by its unique, subtle olfactory note with the scent of plums.
Apple 'Merkur': special features of cultivation and care
The 'Merkur' apple grows medium strong and very upright. Depending on which rootstock is used and how high it is grafted, the 'Merkur' apple is suitable as a standard, half-stem and bush form. Yields often begin at a young age, which is why the Bavarian State Institute for Horticulture and Viticulture recommends it especially for home and allotment gardens. However, the richly branched growth requires regular thinning cuts in spring. This promotes fruit quality, since the apples can develop better on the one hand and retain a high proportion of the red body color on the other. For more apple tree pruning tips, see this article.
The 'Merkur' apple tree prefers a sunny to partially shaded location with nutrient-rich and fresh to moist soil. The tree does not tolerate any waterlogging and therefore not too heavy, clayey soil; here he becomes susceptible to diseases.
You can plant your apple tree in late autumn or towards the end of winter. For ideal development, it is advisable to fertilize the apple tree in spring. For an even supply of nutrients, it is best to use a primarily organic long-term fertilizer, for example our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.
For insect lovers, the 'Merkur' apple tree is a real speci alty in spring: Its characteristic, light pink, almost white blossoms make it a real bee magnet in the garden from April to May. Because of its mid-early flowering period, the 'Merkur' apple is also ideal as a pollinator tree for apple varieties with the same flowering period as, for example, the 'Mars' or 'Golden Delicious' varieties. In addition, the variety is partially self-fertile, so it will bear some fruit even without a pollinator.
In terms of he alth and robustness, the 'Merkur' apple variety has a lot to offer, for example its low susceptibility to powdery mildew and scab. However, unfavorable locations - especially where soil tends to waterlogging - can induce some susceptibility to collar rot.
Harvesting and use of the ‘Merkur’ autumn apple
When the fruit is ready for picking from September, it is ready to eat almost immediately, so you can enjoy the delicious apples right after the harvest. For storage, a somewhat earlier harvest is required when the fruit is hard ripe. In this way, the 'Merkur' apple can be stored very well for a period of up to six months after harvest. In natural storage, in cool and humid conditions, the apple can retain its excellent bite well into March.
Because of its aromatic and sweet taste and its firm, juicy, crunchy flesh, the 'Merkur' apple is predestined for use as a table apple. Its full-bodied taste comes into its own when consumed directly. But the 'Merkur' apple can also fully develop its aroma when processed as juice or cider, as applesauce or as an ingredient in various cakes and desserts.
Haven't had enough of apples yet? In our article we will show you the best apple varieties for the home garden.