Beacon Apple

Malinda X Wealthy cross, developed by the University of Minnesota. Introduced in 1936. This is not the same variety described in 1873, as the one synonymous with Fenton. . This apple lives up to its name as this bright red apple really appears to be a beacon on the landscape. It becomes a 100% rich red when ripe. This skin can, however be a bit tough to some folks for out of hand fresh eating. We slice them here and enjoy them quite a bit. They are a good summer cooking variety, and create red skinless applesauce due to the red staining in the flesh. Flesh is slightly cream in color, with fully ripe fruit in the late pickings becoming 50% red within. Juice is pink. Flavor is a good sweet-tart balance, at about medium intensity. Brix measurement (Walden on Sept. 20,2010) was 10%. About medium in texture ripe, but earlier pickings yield a pleasantly dense character. Flesh oxidizes readily. Fruit weight is 150-200gms. Consistently well sized, at about 3" wide and a tad less in height without much thinning. Generally an easy fruit to grow, being resistant to apple scab and sporting that tough skin which repels some insect ovipositing, particularly that of apple maggot fly. Susceptible to cedar apple rust. There are conflicting reports on the susceptibility to fireblight. The tree is vigorous, strong and well formed in overall structure and crotch angles. It is a good cropper, being somewhat annual...a heavy crop followed by a year of light fruiting. Fruit ripens over a long period for successive pickings. This last aspect makes for a good choice for backyards and homesteads. Ripens in August at Walden Heights (in 2010 we did our last picking on August 22). Although the fruit stays in good appearance for a long time, as with most summer apples its texture deteriorates quickly. It will make itself useful in the kitchen for a month or so after picking, but is certainly not a storage apple. The purplish gray wood on young trees and new growth make this a beautiful tree in the landscape. Coupled with the bright scabless fruits it presents itself as a specimen of good growing, ie- you'll look like you know what you are doing. Extremely cold hardy, with reports of survival to -50F.