Dayton

Why you should be excited

Dayton is a good solid apple, another introduction from the folks at Purdue, Rutgers and Illinois Universities.

The story of Dayton

We grow a lot of apple varieties that were bred by the ‘PRI’ co-operative of three big U.S. universities. Some have names that start with the letter PRI (Pristine, Priscilla, Priam, Prima) and others don't (GoldRush, Williams' Pride). But almost all of them are good apples that grow on nicely disease-resistant trees.

Sure, the romance may be lacking when we think of scientists in lab coats breeding apples rather than Johnny Appleseed scattering seeds (which is partially a myth, anyway). But if we look at the parents and grandparents of Dayton, we see some great history behind all the science that went into its creation.

Dayton's ancestors include Melba, Rome Beauty, Jonathan and Wealthy, all worthy heritage starting points for apple excellence. And all four also growing in our orchard.

Dayton Facts

Its origins

Bred in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; 1988 introduction.

Flavour, aroma, texture

Firm, crisp, yet fairly tender flesh. Slightly spicy, rich, mildly tart, balanced by lots of sweetness.

Appearance

A large apple with red skin covering green to pale yellow.

When they’re available

Mid-season (usually in mid-September).

Quality for fresh eating

Good.

Quality for cooking

Mainly used for fresh eating.

Quality for cider

Not well known for use in cider. Could be useful to add bulk  to cider blends.

Keeping ability

So-so (1 to 2 months when kept refrigerated).