There are few grafted Canistel cv’s available in Australia and poor information on grafted varieties from seedling selections. Daley’s sells a one called Lyndall. It is supposed to be a moist variety. I picked up a Lyndall a few years ago and could find no real information about it. It gave a few fruits this year so here is a comparison with some other moist type seedlings that are at a friend’s place.
#1, Lyndall, #2 left to right
#1
#2
Lyndall
Canistel seem to ripen from the seed out, so really seedy varieties are often quite moist, but have terrible flesh recovery. Fleshy Varieties can be dry near the skin. Seedy ones also seem to ripen faster/uniformly which means that there is less time for skin lesions to grow. I tend to let Canistel sit until the first skin blemishes threaten to become rot spots.
#1- Rounded with a point, furrowed skin. 4-5 large seeds. Stem end cracks at egg yolk stage. Ripens quickly and has moist to wet flesh with classic Canistel taste. Flesh between seeds is fibrous and core is corky.
#2- Elongated with bulge at seeds. 1-3 medium seeds. Very rarely cracks. Takes a while to ripen and if handled carefully can be very moist. This one got a rot spot before it was fully ripe. Good flesh recovery. Classic Canistel taste. Minimal flesh between seeds, and seed cluster separates out easily.
Lyndall- Top shaped. The 2 so far had 1 seed, might be poor pollination. Fine cracks develop on ripening, but don’t furrow into flesh. I wanted to compare taste to the others so ate it before it was fully ripe. Texture was creamy and smooth like mousse. Less musky taste than the others but still classic Canistel.
Long story short Lyndall was good. If it didn’t crack on ripening that would be nice. Lyndall would have held out for another day or two and gotten moister had I let it. It was better than most of the seedling fruit I’ve had and better than Aurea. For what is available in Australia I think you’d be better off with a grafted Lyndall than risking a seedling.
Rob