Trailman

(Trail X Osman)

Trailman originated with the Morden Research Station, Agriculture Canada, by Dr. C. R. Use for the Prairie Fruit Breeding Cooperative, and was tested and selected, at the Beaverlodge Research Station by R. E. Harris, then introduced in 1973. The tree is vigorous, upright spreading, precocious, annually productive, and a heavy bearer. It is hardy to Zone 1, and highly resistant to fire blight. The fruit is 4.0-4.5 cm (1.75") in diameter, near round or slightly round oblate, and matures in late August to early September. The skin is thin, yellow blushed or overlaid with brownish red. The flesh is golden yellow, crisp, sub acid, and juicy with a pleasant and slightly nutty flavor. It is excellent for fresh eating, cooking, canning, and fair to good for juicing. It is good dried, though best if not dried too completely as the core can get hard. The fruit is prone to water coring and reported to crack in the Anchorage area. We experienced a little cracking on very ripe fruit in the record rainfall of 2014.

Both our Trailman trees fruited well in their 4th year. The fruit is prone to water coring and reported to crack in the Anchorage area. We experienced a little cracking on very ripe fruit in the record rainfall of 2014. In our observation, Trailman is slow to ripen in years when our summers are unusually cold. It is hard to know if the delay comes from a late spring or a lack of summer sun.

This is about the hardiest apple known in Fairbanks. It will produce fruit in areas with winter lows of -50 F or colder. It a great choice if you live in low-lying areas.

From the USDA Germplasm website: Fruit: size, 4 cm, crabapple, egg shaped. Uniform golden, overlaid by distinctive reddish-brown wash on exposed side. Flesh golden yellow, spicy tart flavor. Dessert or canning, good juice and mixer. Bears at an early age. "A good crab, but too small", says Coutts (1991).