Arkansas Black

*Malus domestica* 'Arkansas Black'
Malus domestica 'Arkansas Black'
Cultivar	'Arkansas Black'
Origin	about 1870, Benton County, Arkansas

The Arkansas Black is an apple cultivar, that originated in the mid-19th Century in Benton County, Arkansas.^[1] It is not the same as the cultivar 'Arkansas' or 'Arkansas Black Twig'.^[1]

Arkansas Black apples are generally medium-sized with a somewhat flattened shape. Generally a very dark red on the tree, occasionally with a slight green blush where hidden from the sun, the apples grow darker as they ripen, becoming a very dark red or burgundy color. With storage the skin continues to darken. Arkansas Black is one of the darkest of all apple cultivars, hence the name.

The flesh in good years is notably hard and crunchy when fresh, though it does soften somewhat with keeping. Fairly tart when fresh-picked, the apples mellow with storage. The apple will be come extremely bitter and will lose all flavor and juice after just couple of weeks. Arkansas Blacks are considered an excellent keeping apple, and can be stored for six months in appropriate conditions.

Though the cultivar is grown throughout the United States, it is said that the best apples come from western Arkansas where the cultivar originated. Popular as a fresh picked apple at roadside stands and produce markets, the apple has begun to enter commercial distribution and so is now becoming more widely available.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Beach, S.A.; Booth, N.O.; Taylor, O.M. (1905), "Arkansas Black", The apples of New York, Albany: J. B. Lyon, pp. 49–50{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

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[ANY-1] Beach, S.A.; Booth, N.O.; Taylor, O.M. (1905), "Arkansas Black", The apples of New York, Albany: J. B. Lyon, pp. 49–50{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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