t has been 25 years in the making, but apple lovers have a new variety to sink their teeth into.
I The new apple variety, named Salish, was introduced at UBC's annual apple festival in early October. Previously known as SPA493, the Salish apple was created from a cross-pollination made in the early 1980s between Splendour and Gala varieties.
A press release from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada noted Salish is a medium-sized apple with thin skin.
The texture is crispy, firm and tangy. Its appearance is 80 per cent solid cherry-red blush over a yellow base colour. The release notes that the Salish apple variety is Canadian and non-genetically modified. The development of the new variety was led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers at the Pacific Agri-Food Centre in Summerland, working closely with the Okanagan Plant Improvement Corporation to test it with growers. Salish is grown by orchardists in the Okanagan Valley and is harvested in mid to late October. ?
