Apples commonly come in vivid reds, greens, yellows or a mixture of the three colours, but they can apparently grow dark purple, almost black, as well. These rare apples are called “Black Diamond” and they are only grown in the mountains of Tibet. Black Diamond apples are a breed of Hua Niu apples (also known as Chinese Red Delicious) that get their unique dark purple colour from the geographical conditions of Nyingchi, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The Chinese company Dandong Tianluo Sheng Nong E-Commerce Trade Ltd has set up a 50-hectare orchard at an elevation of 3,100 meters above sea level.
The main cause of why these fruits turn dark are the notable temperature differences between day and night, and the intense sunlight and ultraviolet light which causes their skin to go from the characteristic deep red to dark purple.
Only selected high-end supermarkets in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are selling these rare apples in gift packages of 6 to 8 fruits. According to tribune.com.pk, the price of Black Diamond apples is around 50 yuan (€6.37) per fruit.
