Rhode Island Greening

The 'Rhode Island Greening' is an American apple variety and the official fruit of the state of Rhode Island.

Malus domestica 'Rhode Island Greening'
Cultivar'Rhode Island Greening'
Originabout 1650, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Early Rhode Island Greening apple tree (200 years old) in Foster, Rhode Island, pictured about 1900
'Rhode Island Greening', pictured in 1913

History

The Rhode Island Greening originated around 1650 near Green's End in Middletown, Rhode Island. The first Greenings were grown by a Mr. Green who operated a tavern and developed apple trees from seed. He gave many scions from the tree to visitors for grafting elsewhere, and the original tree died. The apples became known as "Green's Inn" apples from Rhode Island. One of the oldest surviving trees was located on Mt. Hygeia farm in Foster, Rhode Island at the turn of the 20th century.[1] The Rhode Island Greening was one of the most popular apples grown in New York in the 19th century.[2]

Characteristics

It is tender, crisp, juicy, and quite tart, and similar to the 'Granny Smith'. The fruit is large, uniformly round in shape, and flattened on the ends, with a dark, waxy, green skin that turns a greenish-yellow when fully ripe. It ripens from September to October, keeping well into February or longer.[3]

References
  1. The Apples of New York By Spencer Ambrose Beach, Nathaniel Ogden Booth, Orin Morehouse Taylor, New York (State). Dept. of Agriculture, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Published by J.B. Lyon, 1905 Item notes: v.1, pg. 281
  2. "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture: Comprising Suggestions for Cultivation of Horticultural Plants, Descriptions of the Species of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Ornamental Plants Sold in the United States and Canada, Together with Geographical and Biographical Sketches" By Liberty Hyde Bailey, Wilhelm Miller Edition: 2 Published by The Macmillan Company, 1902, pg. 1515
  3. Essentials of Fruit Culture: Varieties of Apples; Apple Culture; Apple Pests and Injuries; Apple Harvesting, Storing, and Marketing; Pear Culture; Cherries, Apricots, and Quinces By International Correspondence Schools Published by International Textbook Company, 1913, pg. 36-37 (accessed on Google Book Search on February 8, 2009)


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