ames 550

Brier x Mercer; Iowa State U, 1928; USDA PI_151489 (GMAL 1429) Ames was originally selected as a seedling rootstock. The fruit is small to very small (3.5 cm x 4.5cm) ovate, oblong, and ribbed. It ripens in late summer-early fall and is colored purply-red and yellow with a bluish bloom. The yellow contrasts and glows. It resembles Centennial crab in shape.

Cammy and I first tasted it at the Geneva NY collection in October 2016. The fruit has a very interesting flavor, bitter and tannic without being astringent. Although it will be years before we have a large enough crop to give it a good test, we think it could be good for cider.