Orenco

Why you should be excited

Orenco is a beautiful, sweet, piquant apple that'll remind you (if you didn't already know) that good things do come from Oregon.

The story of Orenco

Ah, it's tricky when an apple variety has plenty to offer, but struggles with one significant peccadillo. Even if it's otherwise an outstanding apple, a single problem -- if it's big enough -- can be its downfall.

For Orenco, the weakness is its light cropping, not something that need concern those who eat the apples so much as the folks who grow them.

It was this weakness that led us to add, drop and then re-add Orenco to our top 25 varieties. We finally decided to stick with it simply because this is a great apple, in addition to one that hails from our part of the world.

Found as a chance seedling in 1840 Oregon, Orenco was introduced to the market by Oregon Nursery Company, hence the variety name. The company didn't survive the Great Depression, but the apple has lived on and deservedly so.

This is a high quality desert apple, tender, crisp and juicy, with a sweet, piquant flavour. A pretty bright red-skinned fruit, this is a variety that grows on a tree that makes up for its mediocre productivity by consistently resisting diseases such as apple scab.

All in all, we're happy we kept coming back to Orenco.

Orenco Facts

Its origins

Discovered in Oregon, USA, 1840.

Flavour, aroma, texture

High quality: tender, crisp and juicy with sweet, piquant flavour.

Appearance

Excellent. These medium-sized apples are attractive and bright red in skin colour.

When they’re available

Mid-season (usually in late September).

Quality for fresh eating

Excellent.

Quality for cooking

Mainly used for fresh eating.

Quality for cider

Not particualrly known for use in cider.

Keeping ability

Good (up to 2 months when kept refrigerated).