Rhode Island Greening Apples

Learn about this really old apple variety that is the best apple for making a pie or cobbler I have ever come across.

What are Rhode Island Greening Apples? An heirloom apple dating back to the 1600s. This tart green apple is the official state fruit of the state of Rhode Island. Known for being an excellent baking apple.

After you taste an heirloom variety for the first time, it makes you feel like all of our modern day grocery store apples are lacking. I think that would be the case with the apple I am talking about today which is the Rhode Island Greening. Let's take a deep dive into this apple.

Jump to:

• 📜 History
• 🚜 When Are They Harvested?
• 👅 What Does It Taste Like
• 🛒 Where to Buy

📜 History

It's fun to find a piece of fruit that has an interesting story to tell. This is the case with the Rhode Island Greening apple. This apple first appeared around 1650. People were eating this apple long before the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. It was first grown in of course Rhode Island, where it is the official state fruit today.

🚜 When Are They Harvested?

As for availability, this apple is harvested in early October and can keep well in storage for months. It can be found mainly in the northeastern part of the country. In the northwest there is a counterpart called the Northwest Greening that is suppose to be similar.

It does not grow well in southern climates. Most of it's commercial use is in applesauce and pies, so you will most likely only find this apple in it's whole form from a local farmer.

👅 What Does It Taste Like

Here is my review of this apple. Categories are on a scale of 1-10.

Crispiness	5
Tartness	7
Flavor	9
Sweetness	3
Juiciness	7

If like the Granny Smith apple, you will love the Rhode Island Greening. I think it has a much better flavor than a Granny Smith. It can be eaten out of hand if you like more tart apples. I would get them fresh as you can off the tree as I don't think they stay as crisp as Granny Smith do as we get further from fall, although I have never had a Rhode Island Greening outside of the fall season

The best thing about this apple is how good it is when baked. I actually believe that the flavor gets better in a pie or cobbler. If your apple pie recipe calls for Granny Smith you will definitely benefit from using Rhode Island Greening instead.

🛒 Where to Buy

I have a list below of several orchard you can find this apple at. If you know of any others make sure you leave a comment below and let me know so I can add to the list.

• Scott Orchard (Dummerston, VT)
• Brookwood Fruit Farm (Almont, MI)
• Rittman Orchards (Doylestown, OH)
• Steere Orchards (Greenville, RI)
• Sunset Orchard (North Scituate, RI)
• Smolak Farms (North Andover, MA)
• Hackett's Orchard (South Hero, VT)
• Hopewell Furnace Apple Orchard (Elverson, PA)
• Thompson's Cider Mill (Croton-on-Hudson, NY)
• Red Apple Farm (Phillipston, MA)
• Happy Valley Orchard (Middlebury, VT)

Have you tried this apple? What did you think? Leave a comment below telling us. Be a helper and share where you found it. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews.