ARKANSAS BLACK

About the Variety: Arkansas Black is a 19th-century heirloom apple discovered in Arkansas, likely a Winesap seedling. It's known for its strikingly dark, nearly black-red skin and its reputation as one of the best long-keeping heirloom apples. Its rock-hard texture at harvest and dramatic transformation in storage make it a favorite for people interested in heritage varieties.

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Fruit Description: Medium apples that start deep red and darken to a purplish near-black as they mature in storage. Flesh is pale yellow, extremely dense, and hard at harvest. Flavor is tart and firm when picked, mellowing into a rich, wine-like sweetness after months of storage.

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Harvest Window for Cincinnati/Southern Ohio: Mid to Late October

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Ripeness Indicators:

• Skin darkens toward deep maroon-black

• Fruit is very hard, does not soften on the tree

• Seeds fully brown

• Can hang late into fall without dropping

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Disease Resistance:

• Susceptible to scab and fire blight

• No special resistance bred in

• Requires more attentive management than modern disease-resistant varieties

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Best Uses:

• Storage: exceptional keeper, 4-6+ months refrigerated, improving the whole time

• Baking: firm texture holds up well in pies

• Cider: tannic, adds structure to blends

• Fresh eating: best after 6-8 weeks storage

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How to Share This Fruit: Treat Arkansas Black like GoldRush: harvest and store, don't distribute fresh. It's an excellent heirloom storytelling variety for history-focused events, and a good candidate for a midwinter tasting alongside GoldRush and White Winter Pearmain to show how different heirlooms age.