Blue Pearmain

Blue Pearmain has been planted in the islands since at least 1891. It is still growing in at least one orchard on Lopez and one on San Juan Island (and scions are available through our annual scion exchange and grafting workshops on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan). It is an American variety of uncertain origin, but once common around Boston and in New York State. The term pearmain, used for a number of apples, does not have an agreed upon meaning. Blue Pearmain is a large, late apple, with a bloom on the fruit that gives it a distinct blue-purple look. It is a good keeper, with dense flesh, but also excellent for fresh eating, baking, and pressing into cider. It makes excellent pies and is particularly well suited to baked apples. Honestly it is an underappreciated apple that grows well in our climate. 

You can view watercolors of Blue Pearmain in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection.