These apples were thought to be extinct. They’ve been discovered growing in Northwest

Several apple varieties thought to be extinct were discovered growing across the Northwest, experts say.

Volunteers with the Whitman County Historical Society’s Lost Apple Project found seven variations of apples scattered across old orchards in Washington, Oregon and Idaho and sent them to the Temperate Orchard Conservancy for testing, according to a news release provided to McClatchy News.

The conservancy identified the varieties as follows: Almota, Carlough, Eper, Iowa Flat, Ivanhoe, Kay and Steptoe.

The Almota, Steptoe and Kay varieties were first recorded in the Northwest over 100 years ago. The Almota and Steptoe originated near Pullman, Washington, and the Kay was first mentioned in a Milwaukee, Oregon nursery catalog in 1890, according to the release.

The other four variations originated in New Jersey or New York (Carlough), Iowa (Iowa Flat), Virginia (Ivanhoe) and Hungary (Eper).

In the fall of 2020, LAP volunteers collected the apples in several orchards.

• Almota: Found southeast of Pullman, Washington
• Steptoe: Found near Waitsburg, Washington
• Kay: Found south of Lewiston, Idaho near Flora, Oregon
• Carlough: Found west of Salem, Oregon
• Eper: Found north of Colfax, Washington
• Iowa Flat: Found in Moscow, Idaho
• Ivanhoe: Found west of Pullman, Washington

“Once a previously lost apple is identified, two apple trees are immediately grafted and planted at the Temperate Orchard Conservancy so it can never be lost again,” according to the release.

The Lost Apple Project is an organization that searches for “homestead era apple trees,” the release says.

The Temperate Orchard Conservancy is a nonprofit “dedicated to preserving and sharing the genetic diversity of tree fruits that can be grown in the temperate climate zones of the United States and other countries,” the website says.

The two organizations have collectively re-discovered 29 varieties of apples that were believed to be extinct, according to the release.

This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 4:19 PM with the headline "These apples were thought to be extinct. They’ve been discovered growing in Northwest."