Shockley

Good Apple Info Snapshot:

Old southern apple. Hit REALLY hard by CAR in the spring at our location, bounced back by the fall. Any northern apple that struggles this bad with CAR, I would be reluctant to put in the ground, but seeing as this is an old southern heirloom, might be worth the risk and effort.

Good Apple Info Difficulty Rating:

Not a lot of info. Some concerns of brown rot during bad summers.

Tree Habit:

Vigorous and upright and bears heavily annually.

Apple Color:

Yellowish-green skin is very smooth, and flushed a light- to dark-red with reddish stripes on the unflushed area. There are conspicuous yellow dots over most of the surface, and the basin cavity is russeted, but little russet shows elsewhere on the fruit.

Size:

Ranges from small to large in size on the tree, roundish, conical in shape.

Flavor:

sweet – crisp, rich, slightly vinous flavor

Bloom:

Midseason.

Ripe:

Late October

History:

Found as a fruiting tree by Gideon Shockley of Jackson County, Georgia (U.S.A.) at a cemetery while attending a funeral. Finding some fallen apples under the tree, he tasted one and liked it. The story fancifully suggests that Shockley snapped off a branch and planted it in his garden where it grew and continued to produce apples. Exhibited at the Georgia State Fair in 1852.

Storage:

Superior, 6+ months. Rumors of 12+ months!

Uses:

Fresh eating, excellent for jellies and pies. Exceptional pollinator for other varieties in same bloom period.