The Black Limbertwig apple is very
disease-resistant in my orchard so far. Of all the old southern varieties
I have it has been virtually immune to cedar apple rust.
Tim Martin
Zone 7 NC Piedmont
----- Original Message -----From: Lucky PittmanSent: Friday, February 23, 2001 3:09 PMSubject: [nafex] Limbertwig ApplesJohn Fears asked for general or specific info on the various "Limbertwig" varieties.
I would suspect that Lee Calhoun's "Old Southern Apples" &/or Joyce Neighbor's "Apples: Collecting Old Southern Varieties" would probably have good descriptions/discussions of most.
Here's what I've been able to glean from several catalogs that offer a number of them; as is always the case with catalog descriptions, caveat emptor.
Red Limbertwig - This old VA apple has also been called: Limbertwig, James River, Green Limbertwig, Mountain Limbertwig, Common Jewel. May be the parent of the many cultivars in the Limbertwig 'family'. Described in a turn-of-the-century nursery plate as "an Old Southern variety that ought to be in every orchard south of the Potomac River; Dull red color, subacid flavor, fine grower, bearer, and keeper."
Black Limbertwig - A spicy and aromatic variety, excellent for fresh eating. Highly prized for cider and apple butter. Weeping type. Ripens October. Described at a 1914 GA Horticultural Soc. meeting as a very disease resistant apple.
Brushy Mountain Limbertwig - A dull red and lemon yellow apple. Round, slightly pointed but not conical. Very juicy with a most unusual aromatic flavor. Will keep until June. An excellent commercial variety still grown in the Brushy Mountains of Alexander Co., NC. Ripens Oct., a weeping type.
Old-Fashioned Limbertwig - NorthGA strain of a late winter keeper. This strain has a rather rough skin with greenish yellow color with a red blush. The apple is one of the best keepers and after a mild GA winter, thes old Limbertwig apples lying on the ground, as late as March, will still be good to eat. Many people plant these trees on their hunting properties for deer and other wildlife. This apple is also good for eating out of hand, pies, jelly and extra good for cider.
Summer Limbertwig - This strain of Limbertwig has a sturdier branch structure than any other limbertwig. The branches do not droop as much as the other varieties. The apples ripen in August(N.GA) and are bright yellow with a tart flavor. Very fine for jelly and other culinary uses.
Ramsey's Smoky Mountain Limbertwig - tree has long, drooping branches. Apples are beautiful red in color and a very fine flavor. A good keeping apple.
Meyer's Royal Limbertwig - Also known as Carolina Baldwin. A very large apple. Ranges from dull red to crimson on yellow. High flavor rating. Excellent quality. Juicy, firm and very aromatic. Semi-weeping. A dependable cropper. Said to make a wonderful cider.
Victoria LT - An apple of striking beauty with its purple color and white dots. Very juicy, rich flavor, excellent quality. Rated tops for fresh eating. Keeps all winter. Weeping type.
I've got 4 of these in my orchard, from my recent "Old Southern" period, but none have fruited yet - expect(hope) the Old-Fashioned LT to fruit this year, maybe some of the others.
Lucky PittmanUSDA Zone 6Hopkinsville, KY
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