The Granny Smith Green Apple is a tip-bearing apple cultivar, which originated in Australia in 1868. It is named after Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling. The tree is thought to be a hybrid of Malus sylvestris, the European Wild Apple, with the domestic apple M. domestica as thepolleniser. The fruit has hard, light green skin and a crisp, juicy flesh.
Granny Smiths go from being yellow to turning completely green. The acidity mellows significantly, and it then takes on a balanced flavour.
Granny Smith apples are light green in colour. They are commonly used in pie baking, can be eaten raw, and at least one company makes Granny Smith varietalcider.
It is moderately susceptible to fire blight and is highly prone to scab, powdery mildew, and cedar apple rust.
Granny Smith is much more easily preserved in storage than other apples, a factor which has greatly contributed to its success in export markets. Its long storage life has been attributed to its fairly low levels of ethylene production, and in the right conditions Granny Smith can be stored without loss of quality for as long as a year. This cultivar needs fewer winter chill hours and a longer growing season to mature the fruit, so it is favoured for the milder areas of the apple growing regions. However they are susceptible to chilling injury and special precautions need be taken to store the apples at low temperatures.
Granny Smith is one of several apple cultivars that are high in antioxidant activity, and they boast the highest concentration of phenols amongst the apple breeds. Some sources recommend Granny Smiths (among other apples) as a particularly efficient source of antioxidants, particularly the flavonoids cyanidinand epicatechin, especially if eaten with the skin intact. Granny Smiths are also naturally low in calories and high in dietary fiber and potassium, making them commonly recommended as a component of healthy and weight-loss diets
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