In 1958, an apple that would become known as Prima was first breed at the orchard of the Department of Horticulture at the Illinois Experiment Station, Urbana, Illinois. It was introduced to the market place in 1970. This is an early ripening variety that ripens about a month before the so-called Delicious apples. The apple is related to the Rome Beauty.
As with every apple this one has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Prima apples don’t drop off the tree early as other varieties might. They are resistant to scab, so farmers don’t use as much spray with them. The apple also are slow to oxidize when cut. Now the drawbacks of the apple is like many early season apples, the don’t store all that well. They will soften up in a couple weeks and the flavor will mellow out even when keep cold.
My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
Crispiness: 5
Tartness : 4
Apple Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 6
Juiciness: 7
Overall Feeling: This apple is very fragrant. It is juicy with a good flavor, but that flavor fades the longer the apple is off the tree. So these are apples you want to use up quickly. I still have some left that aren’t that great anymore, so I will probably just toss them into a batch of applesauce.
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