‘Arkansas Black’ (Malus domestica)

🍎What it isn’t:

It isn’t a modern, explosively juicy apple like Honeycrisp. Its appeal is more old-fashioned, intense and wine-like.

🍎 What it IS:

It is an American heirloom that originated around 1870 near Bentonville, Arkansas, in Benton County. It was apparently discovered as a seedling, traditionally associated with Winesap. The University of Arkansas describes it as originating in Benton County in 1870.

The apples are typically medium-sized, round to slightly conical, with exceptionally dark red/purple skin. With maturity and especially storage, the skin can become so dark that it looks almost black. 

A freshly harvested Arkansas Black can be extremely hard, tart and almost unpleasantly tannic. (But I do like them)That’s normal. It’s a storage apple.

After several weeks or months in cold storage, the flesh softens somewhat and the flavor becomes much more complex—sweet-tart, aromatic, spicy and sometimes described with notes of vanilla, honey, cinnamon, pear and other wine-like flavors. 

And reports are that it is exquisitely Aromatic as it ripens. The aroma is so marvelous, it may be reason enough to buy them just for this.

The University of Arkansas historical material actually describes it as a “splendid keeper,” with historical storage extending from roughly October into the following spring. With Flavor and texture.

Once properly conditioned by storage, it is described as:

Firm → crisp → dense → sweet-tart → highly aromatic → complex

It’s also an excellent cooking apple because it holds its structure and develops considerable flavor. It’s used for pies, cobblers, applesauce, cider, apple butter and savory applications, as well as fresh eating after storage. 

Why it became famous 

Arkansas had a substantial apple industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s, particularly in the Ozarks/northwest Arkansas.

Arkansas Black became an important commercial variety. Historical estimates put it at roughly 10–15% of Arkansas apple production in the late 1800s, and it was still a significant crop into the early 20th century. 

Then the Arkansas apple industry got hit by a combination of problems—codling moth, increased production costs, drought, and ultimately the Depression—and the commercial industry largely collapsed. Arkansas Black survived primarily through smaller orchards and backyard trees. 

It’s still grown commercially today, but it’s a specialty crop rather than a mainstream supermarket apple. You have to know the best Growers.  We do.