Ever Had a ‘Streaked Pippin?’ A ‘Nero?’ Washington Lost Apple Project Finds Them

Scientists and archaeologists study long gone dinosaurs and other creatures that have disappeared from the earth.  But the same apparently can be said for...apples?

  The  Lost Apple Project makes Fascinating Finds

Because WA State is the apple capitol of the US, if not the world, our fruit heritage is long and illustrious.  Every few years a new variety is brought to market, thanks often to genetic food engineering.  The most recent apple craze was the Cosmic Crisp, which has led to another variety expected around 2029, the Sunflare will be available to farmers this year, and consumers by 2029.

A WA State legislator, Gloria Medoza, from the 14th Legislative District, has introduced House Bill HB 2525  which would create a Heritage Orchard Program in cooperation with WSU.

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Mendoza says the rich apple heritage would benefit from preserving historic orchards around the state, where much of the industry began. The project would also help call attention to making sure the state's apple industry stays robust.

This led to us looking up the  Lost  Apple Project.  Since 2014, researchers, including founder Dave Benscoter, have scoured Eastern WA, looking for remains of ancient orchards and other signs of 'unusual' apple growth.

Between Pullman, Colfax, Steptoe Butte and other regions in SE WA,  a number of old formerly common apples that were thought to have 'vanished' have been found.

They include names like Nero, Almota, Ivanhoe, Eper, Streaked Pippin and others. Experts say these varieties, many of which are considered good tasting, stopped being grown as the industry consolidated around newer and fewer mass-selling varieties.

The Project even gives enthusiasts opportunities to purchase scions and trees. A scion is a branch that can be grafted onto a root or tree to grow.

So far, the Project has been credited with discovering 29 varieties thought to be 'extinct' or long gone.

These 'extinct' varieties are growing in popularity, but will likely never be mass-marketed on the level of what we find in the store.