Rubens put to the test

The Rubens apple is harvested in early September, after Gala, and turns a vivid orange-red with red stripes. It has a good balance of sweetness and acidity, which should give it wide appeal, the variety owners say. Rubens (variety name Civni) was developed by the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti in Ferrara, Italy, and released in Europe in 2000. It is grown in northern Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, and the United Kingdom. European production this year was estimated at 7,000 tons. The long-term production target is 20,000 to 50,000 tons. The first test trees of Rubens planted in Washington […]