Redlove apple: taste, cultivation & the best varieties

Frederike
Frederike
Frederike
Frederike

I am a student of agricultural sciences and a real country kid. At home, I love tending my small vegetable garden and spending time out in nature. When not outdoors, I love to write. Beyond gardening and writing, however, I am particularly passionate about wildlife.

Favourite fruit: currants and raspberries
Favourite vegetables: salsify, savoy cabbage and potatoes

The Redlove apple owes its name to its stunning dark red flesh. Find out everything about this apple and how to grow and care for it.

whole and halved redlove apples
The scarlet flesh and the delicious flavour of ‘Redlove’ apples leave a lasting impression [Photo: VIKTORIUS-73/ Shutterstock.com]

Apples with red flesh are often considered particularly sour and inedible. This is not the case for the apple varieties known as ‘Redlove’. Thanks to years of breeding work, the apples stand out not just for their bright red flesh but also for their delightful taste. Read on to find out what makes this apple cultivar so special as well as what Redlove varieties there are.

Redlove apple: history and origin

Red-fleshed apples are eye-catching, but they are often quite sour. As a result, apple breeder Markus Kobelt took it upon himself to develop a red-fleshed apple variety that not only impresses with its colour but also with its taste. According to Mr. Kobelt, it took almost 20 years of experimenting with different crossings until the first red-fleshed dessert apple, ‘Redlove Circe’, hit the market in 2009. The brand name was created by combining the words “red”, which refers to the colour of the apple’s flesh, and “love”, which refers to the heart-shaped pattern in the vertical cross-section. More red-fleshed apple varieties followed, such as ‘Redlove Sirena’ and ‘Redlove Odysso’, which only differ slightly from the original variety. Markus Kobelt is still breeding apples in St. Gallen, Switzerland, with the goal of increasing the diversity of red-fleshed apples.

a Redlove apple cross-section
The heart-shaped marbling of the flesh is typical of Redlove apples [Photo: Jojoo64/ Shutterstock.com]

Redlove varieties

There are currently eight Redlove apple cultivars on the market, each with unique qualities. The similarities, however, outweigh the differences. All Redlove apples, for example, have red flesh with a heart-shaped pattern in longitudinal cross-sections. The flesh’s red colour is due to the higher anthocyanin content compared to other apple varieties. The anthocyanins are not only responsible for the striking colour, but they also act as antioxidants. As a result, the flesh of Redlove apples does not turn brown when exposed to air, and they are also particularly healthy for us. The pink to dark red apple blossoms are another distinguishing feature of the Redlove cultivars. To top it off, all currently available Redlove varieties are resistant to apple scab.

Redlove Odysso

The ‘Redlove Odysso’ variety is known for its large fruits and mild taste.

  • Appearance: large fruits; 95% dark red colouration of peel when fully ripe with light russeting
  • Flesh: firm, fine-grained and very juicy
  • Taste: one of the sweetest Redlove apples with high sugar content and low acidity
  • Growth: medium to strong, upright, slender growth with a final height of 3 – 4 m; weak to medium branching
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady; nutrient- and humus-rich soil depending on the rootstock
  • Flower: pink blossoms from April to May
  • Care: regular pruning is recommended due to weak branching
  • Health: frost hardy; scab resistant, some mildew resistance
  • Harvest: ripe for picking from the beginning of October, ripe for eating from the middle/end of October
  • Storage: can be stored until April
dark red Redlove Odysso apples
‘Redlove Odysso’ apples have a very dark red peel [Photo: Jrimicane/ Shutterstock.com]

Redlove Era

Since 2010, ‘Redlove Era’ has impressed with its berry aroma, and it is excellent for snacking on straight from the tree.

  • Appearance: medium-sized, round fruits; radiant skin with slight russeting
  • Flesh: firm flesh with a fine texture
  • Taste: sweet and tart with a balanced acid-sugar ratio; pleasant berry aroma and rounded taste
  • Growth: low-growing, spherical tree crown; weak to medium branching
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady
  • Flower: pink blossoms from April to May; very fertile
  • Health: scab resistant
  • Harvest: ready for picking and eating from mid-September
  • Storage: can be stored until December
Redlove Era apples in tree
‘Redlove Era’ apples are medium-sized [Photo: Gardens by Design/ Shutterstock.com]

Redlove Circe

If you are looking for a red-fleshed variety that ripens early, the ‘Redlove Circe’ is a good choice. These juicy apples are ripe for consumption come mid-August.

  • Appearance: medium-sized, round fruits; smooth, radiant skin with 80 % dark red colouration of the peel when fully ripe; no russeting
  • Flesh: firm, juicy flesh with a beautiful pink hue
  • Taste: refreshing taste with slight sweetness and some acidity; light and pleasing aroma
  • Growth: medium to strong, semi-upright, slender growth with a final height of 3 – 4 m
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady position; nutrient- and humus-rich soil depending on the rootstock
  • Flower: pink blossoms from April to May; very fertile
  • Health: scab resistant
  • Harvest: ripe for picking and eating from mid-August
  • Storage: can be stored until September

Redlove Calypso

Small but mighty – ‘Redlove Calypso’ may look inconspicuous at first, but it stands out with its mighty aroma.

  • Appearance: small, round to slightly flat fruits; green base colour with up to 70 % dark red peel and slight russeting
  • Flesh: firm, fine-celled, very juicy flesh that retains its structure even during storage
  • Taste: aromatic taste with a sweet-sour note
  • Growth: weak to medium growth with good branching; final size 3 – 4 m
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: sunny or semi-shady; nutrient-rich soil depending on the rootstock; can be grown to medium altitudes
  • Flower: crimson blossoms from April to May
  • Health: scab resistant
  • Care: tends to alternate growth habits, so pruning and thinning should be done carefully
  • Harvest: ripe for picking from mid-September; ready for eating about 1 – 3 weeks later; only develops its full aroma when stored
  • Storage: can be stored until November
Redlove apples on a table
‘Redlove Calypso’ apples also have a striking flesh [Photo: Alexander Prokopenko/ Shutterstock.com]

Redlove Kohlhaas

‘Redlove Kohlhaas’ is considered the mildest of the Redlove apples, but its flesh has an especially beautiful red and white marbling.

  • Appearance: small cylindrical, elongated fruits; dark red peel
  • Flesh: red and white marbling with good firmness; very juicy, at harvest time the peel is also juicy
  • Taste: mild and sweet with a high sugar content
  • Growth: weak to medium growth with good branching
  • Cultivation: standard or semi-dwarf rootstocks
  • Location: sunny to semi-shady; humus- and nutrient-rich soil depending on the rootstock
  • Flower: pink blossoms in May, very fertile
  • Health: scab resistant, some mildew resistance
  • Harvest: ripe for picking and eating from mid-September
  • Storage: can be kept until Christmas

Redlove Lollipop

Pink blossoms, pink flesh and particularly juicy – ‘Redlove Lollipop’ apples are especially pretty and delicious.

  • Appearance: small and round with a typical apple shape; marbled, pink-striped peel when fully ripe
  • Flesh: inner marbling that matches the peel; firm and crisp flesh; very juicy
  • Taste: sweet aroma, hardly any acidity
  • Growth: low-growing, good branching; final height approx. 3 m
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: sunny and shady; nutrient- and humus-rich soil depending on the rootstock
  • Flower: pink blossoms from mid-April to the end of May
  • Health: scab resistant, some mildew resistance
  • Harvest: ready for picking and eating from the end of August
  • Storage: can only be stored for a few days; remains fresh on the tree until the end of September
pink Redlove Lollipop flowers
‘Redlove Lollipop’ blossoms are bright pink [Photo: Fedorov Oleksiy/ Shutterstock.com]

Redlove Jedermann’s

The ‘Redlove Jedermann’s’ is a favourite due to its mild, sweet taste and easy cultivation.

  • Appearance: large apple with a very red peel when fully ripe
  • Flesh: crisp, firm flesh; very juicy
  • Taste: sweet with mild acidity and hardly any astringency; round, full-bodied flavour
  • Growth: medium growth with good branching; shallow side shoots; final height 2 – 3 m
  • Cultivation: suitable for dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstocks, can be espaliered
  • Location: full sun to partial shade; nutrient- and humus-rich soil depending on the rootstock
  • Flower: pink blossoms from mid-April to end of May
  • Health: scab resistant
  • Harvest: ready for picking and eating from mid to late September
  • Storage: can be stored until January

Tip: All Redlove varieties prefer a nutrient-rich soil. Therefore, before planting your apple tree, it is important to prepare the ground. If the soil in your garden is poor in nutrients, improve it by adding some good compost, such as our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost, which has the optimal nutrient composition to ensure a healthy start for your apple tree in its new home.

Using Redlove apples

Not only is the appearance of the Redlove varieties a big plus, but Redlove apples taste milder and sweeter than many other red-fleshed apple varieties, making them perfect for eating fresh or as dessert fruit. Because of their stunning red flesh, Redlove apples are beloved in the kitchen. The beautiful red colour of the flesh remains even after processing, so they make spectacular apple pies and other baked goods and even look pretty when preserved. Their juice, too, has an appealing red colour, making Redlove apples popular for juicing. Imagine how spectacular Redlove apple cider would look.

dried Redlove apples slices
The red colour of the apples is retained even when processed [Photo: elena moiseeva/ Shutterstock.com]
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