Today in the orchard
Before we leave Malus baccata and turn our focus in other directions, let’s look at promising Baccata selections with cider potential. Two of the early twentieth century champions of Malus baccata were the breeders Niels Hansen and Isabella Preston. Hansen was into dessert and culinary selections. Preston was into ornamentals. Both found Baccata to be valuable for their purposes, and both introduced apples that are now being considered for their value as cider apples. Both also made extensive use of Niedzwetzkyana which Hansen found in Kazakhstan and brought back to the US.
One of Preston’s introductions—Geneva—is a selection of Niedzwetzkyana likely crossed with Baccata. It is red-fleshed, generally available and has been adopted by cider-makers. (We are not currently growing Geneva though we should.) We are currently growing two of Hansen’s Baccata introductions with cider potential: Amsib and Kensib. The “sib” in their names indicates Baccata (ie Siberian Crab) in their parentage. Kensib is 2” and bitter. Amsib is nearly 2” and mild. Hansen also introduced the famous Dolgo which is a seedling of Baccata parentage.
