Ever seen a black apple? This is not a rotten apple, but a rare apple called Black Diamond that grows in the highlands of Tibet. This apple is a rare variety from the Hua Niu apple family which is also known as the Chinese Red Delicious.
This naming is actually a bit "misleading" because the apple color is not really black, but rather has a dark purple hue. Here are some other interesting facts about black apples, quoted from Goods Time.
Cause it's black
Its black color is due to the geographical conditions where it grows in the Nyingchi area, a small town in the mountains of Tibet. In this region, apple trees receive an abundance of ultraviolet light during the day, but temperatures fluctuate dramatically at night. This causes the skin of the apple to darken, but the flesh inside remains white and bright like other apples.
Sweeter taste
Not only has a unique black color, this apple also has a sweeter taste compared to other types of apples. This is because the glucose content in black apples is higher.
The price is expensive
Black Diamond apples are only sold in premium supermarkets. In China, Black Diamond is sold for 50 yuan per piece, or approximately Rp. 111 thousand. These apples require extra care and a longer harvest time.
Cultivation of these apples began in 2015 at the Nyingchi orchard. Black Diamond is cultivated in a 50-hectare garden established by the Dandong Tianluo Sheng Nong E-Commerce Trade Co., Ltd. company, and is 3,100 meters above sea level. This region is an ideal place to grow this unique plant.
Black Diamond Apples are hard to find in the market. According to one study, about 70% of the annual Black Diamond plants are not successfully marketed.
This Black Diamond doesn't grow all the time. Compared to ordinary apple trees, planting black apples has to wait up to 8 years and there are only 30% of the fruit that is perfectly black before it can be sold, even then it only lasts for 2 months.
