The ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ is also ‘Applesauce’ called and is ideal for making applesauce. However, the tree needs an optimal location and good care. You can find out here how to properly cultivate and care for the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’.
The ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’ is an apple with high demands, which only under the best conditions develops spicy, large apples with a fine honey aroma. The fruit disintegrates into a frothy apple sauce and is therefore sometimes also called applesauce ’.
Further synonyms for the variety are ‘Deutsche Schafsnase’, ‘Frankfurter Matapfel’, ‘Leichter Matapfel’ and ‘Grenadier’.
"Contents"
- ‘Rhenish sheep nose’: profile
- Origin and history of the apple
- How does the Rhenish sheep nose ’apple taste and what does it look like?
- Cultivation and care of the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’: That must be observed
- Rhenish sheep nose apple: harvest and use
‘Rhenish sheep nose’: profile
| Synonyms | ‘Applesauce’, ‘German Sheep Nose’, ‘Frankfurter Matapfel’, ‘Leichter Matapfel’, ‘Grenadier’ |
| fruit | medium to large in size; when fully ripe, it has a golden yellow base color with bright red marbling |
| taste | juicy, spicy, depending on the location, sour or with a honey aroma |
| Yield | quite high and regular; tends to alternate in cold locations |
| Harvest time | from mid-August |
| Ripe for enjoyment | from September |
| Shelf life | middle; storable until September |
| growth | initially strong, later medium strong |
| climate | not suitable for wind-open, cool and cold altitudes |
| Diseases and pests | very susceptible to apple scab, fruit tree canker, fire blight, powdery mildew, Nordic apple bug |
Origin and history of the apple
The origin of the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ is unclear: According to its name, its origin is assumed to be in the Rhineland. It is said that it was first mentioned there around 1600 as "applesauce". The variety is still common today near the Main, Danube and Rhine rivers. On the other hand, the variety is often used as a synonym for the apple variety ‘Grenadier’. This is said to come from the United Kingdom, where it is said to have been presented for the first time in 1862. Her breeder received and was also awarded a Victoria Medal of Honor Royal Horticultural Society excellent. If you compare the fruits of ‘Grenadier’ and ‘Rhenish sheep nose’, there are similarities but also clear differences. A close relationship between the varieties is possible. For example, the ‘Grenadier’ could have developed through a coincidental mutation of the ‘Applesauce’ or a crossing partner brought in other properties.
How does the Rhenish sheep nose ’apple taste and what does it look like?
The apples of the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ are medium to large in size and can take on a round, flattened or conical shape, which is usually very uniform. Often five clear edges (fruit ribs) are recognizable. The stem is quite short and thick and sits deep in the stem pit, it does not or hardly protrudes from it. The basic color of the skin is green, with increasing ripeness it tends to be dark green-yellow, ultimately golden-yellow. The opaque color is only developed on the sunny side and forms bright red, irregular lines up to almost flat, marbled red. The lenticels can be clearly seen on the entire shell.
Under the hard skin of the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’, a greenish-white, later yellowish-white, juicy flesh is hidden. It has a medium to coarse cell structure and a tangy taste. The aroma is strongly related to the growing conditions: In unsuitable locations, the apples are described as sour with sufficient sweetness without a special aroma. In other places a taste of honey evidently develops, which is perceived as very tasty.
Cultivation and care of the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’: That must be observed
The ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’ has a strong and upright growth at the beginning, later a medium strong growth. After the youth phase, many broadly spreading fruit branches emerge, on which there are a number of short fruiting shoots. The tree grows to a medium height on medium-strong growing substrates such as M7, so it does not grow unrestrained in height. An annual pruning of the main branches and the fruit wood is recommended in order to maintain a high fruit quality. You can read more about this in our article on the Apple tree cut Experienced.
It needs a sufficiently good, warm and nutrient-rich soil, sandy loam soils are ideal. Heavy, clayey soils and also very sandy soils are therefore not suitable for cultivation. If in doubt, the future location should be replenished with plenty of ripe compost, clay flour or high-quality potting soil like ours Plantura organic universal soil be upgraded extensively and profoundly.
The ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ is also susceptible to frost: Cold altitudes, cool, damp valleys and wind-open, rough areas lead to frost damage to bark and wood.
A place in full sun is not a must for the ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’: It also grows in partial shade satisfactory as long as there is sufficient air movement to keep diseases and pests out of the way to have. Unfortunately, the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ is also highly susceptible to apple scab and Fruit tree cancer, both of which occur mainly in humid and cold micro climates. Fire blight and powdery mildew as well as the Nordic apple bug also occur more frequently on the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’. The best possible location and good care are the most effective means of preventing this.
The light pink flowers appear mid-early to late and are not very susceptible to frost. The ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ produces plenty of pollen and is a reliable pollinator for the ‘Gold parmane‘, ‘Cox orange‘, ‘Landsberger Renette‘, ‘Champagne Renette‘,‘ Luxenburger Renette ’and practically all other medium-early Renette, all of which can fertilize him in return.
In the best locations and with the right care, the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ yield is quite good and regular. In too cold locations or after a radical pruning, however, the tree is all too easy to alternate, so every year an extremely large number of fruits and then again almost no fruit begins to grow.
Rhenish sheep nose apple: harvest and use
In very mild locations, apples can be harvested from the ‘Rhenish sheep nose’ tree for storage as early as mid-August. They keep under the best storage conditions - cool, damp and dark - until December at the most. Ripe fruits of the ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’ are not wind-resistant, so they easily fall to the ground and develop pressure points because the peel is not pressure-resistant. The fruit is ripe for consumption from September and can then be used optimally. As an excellent commercial apple, which disintegrates into a foamy purée when cooked, it is particularly suitable for must, preserving and making desserts. Its special consistency after cooking also earned it its common name “applesauce”.
A special feature of the ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’ is that it retains its color during processing, so the flesh does not oxidize and brown as quickly at the cut edges.
The ‘Rheinische Schafsnase’ is too diva-like for you and you want a variety whose robustness you can rely on in (almost) every location? Then we recommend that you take a look at the ‘Sun host appleTake a closer look at ‘, a regional Baden-Württemberg variety and a real all-round talent.
