Vintage Virginia Apples

VIRGINIA GREENING has the synonyms Green Mountain Pippin, Green Mountain Pippin of Georgia, Rose Greening and Ross Greening. The Virginia Pippin name is sometimes given, but it is questionable. It likely originated in Virginia, and there is an 1829 record of it, but there are even 18th century mentions of it. Medium to large in size and oblate in shape, the greenish-yellow skin is sometimes blushed reddish and sometimes a pale-bronze color on the sun-exposed side. Russet dots cover the surface. The yellowish-white flesh of this dessert apple is dense, breaking, coarse-grained and juicy, with a subacid flavor that sweetens as the fruit ripens. The skin is thick, tough and slightly rough, and the stalk is long. The vigorous tree grows large and bears heavy crops annually. It stores exceptionally well, even under adverse conditions, and ripens in Virginia in early October, unless exceptionally hot and humid weather conditions accelerate the ripening time.