How does the old German business apple ‘Altländer Pancake Apple‘ taste? We will introduce you to the apple and explain all the specifics about cultivation and care.
The ‘Altländer pancake apple is wonderfully suitable as a commercial apple: large, very storable, with good taste and can also be used in various ways. However, it is unclear where the appetizing name comes from. It may be due to the somewhat flat shape of the fruit. In addition, the fact that the apple can be easily processed into a delicious puree, which can then be eaten with pancakes, could be eponymous.
In 2006 the ‘Altländer Pfannkuchenapfel‘ was chosen as the orchard variety of the year in Northern Germany because it is reliable and healthy even in extensive cultivation.
contents
- Altländer pancake apple: fact sheet
- Origin and history
- Flavor and characteristics of the pancake apple
- Special features of cultivation and care
- Altländer pancake apple: harvest time and use
Altländer pancake apple: fact sheet
| Synonyms | ‘Altenländer winter apple‘, ‘Real pancake apple‘, ‘Thurgau Kent‘ |
| fruit | medium to large in size; greenish-yellow basic color and light red, streaky covering color |
| taste | mild, spicy, more sour than sweet; always sweeter with longer storage |
| Yield | high; but tends to alternate |
| Harvest time | Late October to late November |
| Ripe for enjoyment | March to May |
| Shelf life | very good; Can be stored for up to 8 months |
| growth | initially strong, later medium strong |
| climate | not suitable for very dry locations |
| Diseases and pests | low susceptibility to apple scab and powdery mildew |
Origin and history
The ‘Altländer pancake apple was discovered as a chance seedling near Hamburg in 1840. Its success story speaks for itself: for a long time it was an important crop variety, the big one on the Lower Elbe Areas occupied and distributed and recommended throughout northwest Germany, including Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania became. Because of its "unappealing fruit shape" and the "streaky red color", the old variety no longer fit into the chic range of retailers at some point. The shelf life was also no longer relevant because fresh produce could always be imported from southern countries.
The ‘Altländer pancake apple is now one of the endangered indigenous crops and is only kept alive by highly specialized fruit tree nurseries, enthusiasts and hobby gardeners.
With the trend towards sustainable and more regional agriculture, the robust northern German ‘Real Pancake Apple‘ could perhaps soon experience a well-deserved resurgence.
Tip: Synonyms for the name of the variety are the following locally occurring names: ‘Altenländer Winterapfel‘, ‘Echter Pfannkuchenapfel‘, ‘Thurgauer Kent‘ (Switzerland).
Flavor and characteristics of the pancake apple
The ‘Altländer pancake apple‘ forms medium-sized to large fruits that look spherical and slightly angular. The skin is firm, fine, smooth and has a matt sheen. The basic color is greenish-yellow and a maximum of half of the fruit is decorated with the light red, streaky covering color. The meat is fine and firm, but eventually becomes tender after a long period of storage. Young apples clearly taste more sour than sweet, but with storage the ratio shifts more and more towards sweetness. Overall, the taste is mild and has an appealing spiciness. The apple gives off almost no fragrance.
Special features of cultivation and care
The ‘Altländer pancake apple‘ thrives on any sufficiently moist and nutrient-rich garden soil. Neither slightly more sandy nor slightly clayey soils can slow down its growth. The tree with its roots in North Germany can also endure cool locations without complaint, only very dry locations are unsuitable for it. If your garden soil is rather poor in nutrients, you can use a mainly organic complete fertilizer like ours for the young tree when you are planting it Plantura organic universal fertilizer give a good jump start.
The growth is strong in the youth phase, later still medium strong. In the youth the branches grow steeply upright and should be formed by tying them up. The crown becomes spherical and the entire tree is medium-sized. A regular cut is urgently needed for the ‘Altländer pancake apple‘ in order to always ensure young and high-quality fruit wood. Otherwise it tends to bear an extremely large number of but inferior fruit on old fruit wood.
The upbringing succeeds as a high trunk, half trunk, quarter trunk or bush tree, if appropriate documents are used in each case. Especially as a high trunk or half trunk, it is absolutely necessary that strong, forest-hard bases such as seedlings of the varieties ‘Bittenfelder‘ or ‘Graham's Jubilee Apple‘Or the medium-strong M4 underlay can be used.
The bloom appears mid to late in spring and is rather insensitive. Good pollinators for the ‘Altländer pancake apple‘ are ‘Gold parmane' and 'James Grieve‘. Unfortunately, the ‘Altländer pancake apple tends to alternate in some locations, so it alternately bears a lot and then almost no fruit at all. This behavior can be done with an expert Apple pruning be counteracted.
There is little susceptibility to scab and powdery mildew, which makes regular pruning even more important: in one loose crown dries the leaves better in the morning hours and a fungal infection is much less likely probably.
Tip: If you want to prevent fungal diseases on apple trees, plant them in more wind-open locations. The ‘Altländer pancake apple in particular tolerates stronger winds and cool temperatures well and is ahead of apple scab and mildew well protected. In overly rough locations, however, the ‘Real Pancake Apple‘ can only thrive with a frost-proof base.
Altländer pancake apple: harvest time and use
The ‘Altländer pancake apple‘ can be harvested from the end of October to the end of November when they are ready for the trees. However, it is only ready for consumption after a long period of storage, namely between March and May. The apples harvested early can easily be stored for 8 months at 0 ° C and sufficient humidity.
The ‘Real pancake apple is a commercial apple, it is only rarely used for direct consumption. The processing into juice, compote and puree is highly recommended and the firm pulp is also perfect for baking.
The Altländer pancake apple as a rather strongly growing tree is not the right one for every home garden. A slower growing variety that is armed against many diseases is ‘Reglindis‘. It is perfect for processing in the kitchen or as a must, but can also serve as a tasty dessert fruit in a short time frame.