Granny Smith green apple

History and origin

The Granny Smith, a tart green apple with firm flesh, was born in Australia in 1868 from a “lucky seedling” made by Maria Ann Smith, nicknamed “Granny Smith”. Legend has it that an apple core thrown into a corner of his land gave birth to this variety, a hybrid of wild apple tree and common apple tree. First marketed in Australia and New Zealand, Granny Smith reached England in 1935, then North America in 1972. Appreciated for its crunchy texture and slightly sweet taste, it is today a popular variety in the whole world.

Variety and cultivation

Granny Smiths, tart and crunchy green apples, are harvested before full maturity, sometimes tinged with pink. After storage, they can turn pinkish yellow with an intense taste. Not self-fertile, they require another apple tree for pollination. This vigorous, but not very hardy, cultivar matures in six months, around the end of October.

Did you know?

The Granny Smith Festival is held annually in the Sydney suburb of Eastwood, where the variety was born. The festival was established in 1985, in honor of Mrs. Smith, famous for the creation of this cultivar but also for bringing prosperity to the region