Akane  Japan, 1960’s  One of the better-tasting early varieties, a cross between Jonathan and Worcester Pearmain.  The medium-sized bright red apple has a thin skin and white, crisp, juicy flesh with a hint of strawberry flavor.  It’s good for fresh eating, cooking, and drying, which is good because it doesn’t keep well.  When cooked with the peels the applesauce turns pink.  Ripens late August to early September, and hangs well on the tree allowing extended harvest time.  Thin heavily for the best fruit size.

*American Golden Russet  New York, 1845  This is a classic cider apple, which is also excellent for fresh eating or drying. The dense, sugary flesh is reminiscent of the French heirloom russets. Blossoms in July and sets a decent crop.  Ripens late November. Partially self-fertile.  We have high hopes for this one.

*American Summer Pearmain New Jersey, 1817  Widely hailed for excellent flavor. Slow-growing but productive, ripens gradually over July through August. Greenish-yellow, tender, juicy, crisp, aromatic, slightly tart. Best grown on a vigorous rootstock, needs a pollinator.

***Anna Israel  Considered the standard in low-chilling apples, Anna is Israel's gift to the world as it feeds half the tropical world.  It's kind of like fishing for bluegill; fun for the kids, decent eating, and you get something every time.  The showy blossoms burst fourth in late January and every blossom sets an apple (thin heavily).  Aggressive thinners will be rewarded with humongous, beautiful apples blushed red and yellow.  The first couple of crops may be inferior, but as it matures it seems to do well no matter how hot or cold the spring is.  The flesh is white, crisp, sweet, juicy, with a hint of zing; not high flavor, but not bad for early May.  Despite it's low-chilling requirement, Anna is hardy to Zone 4 and is grown by our friend Richard Fahey in upstate New York, where they force branches for January blossoms on the dining room table. Tough to get scionwood from because it forms spurs so fast and blossoms late January, on this one you're better off buying it at the nursery or home center, as it is widely available.  Avoid getting a multi-graft or 5-in-1 tree, as Anna will dominate all the others.

*,**,***Arkansas Black Arkansas, 1870  Thought to be a Winesap seedling, Arkansas Black is a strikingly beautiful apple with a deep burgundy, approaching almost jet black skin.  The flesh is yellow, crisp, juicy, and has a distinctive sweet wine flavor.  Those grown in the mountains are hard as a rock when first picked and need to mellow in storage a month before you can sink your teeth into it, and thus make great keepers, storing fine in the crisper bin for months.  They develop a very "greasy" skin in storage.  However, those grown down in the hot inland valleys are wonderful to eat right off the tree, and are the best I've ever tasted.  They ripen here around Thanksgiving.  Impervious to heat, they are excellent to grow in Southern California, even the low deserts.

Boskoop, Red A modern redder strain of Belle de Boskoop, which originated in the Netherlands in 1850.  The whitish-green flesh is firm and dense.  Belle de Boskoop is essentially a dual-purpose apple, suitable for both dessert and culinary uses. It works equally well in a savory salad, or can be used sliced in apple pie.  It keeps its shape when baked into a pie, and can be used as the "sharp" ingredient for cider.

Braeburn New Zealand, 1950  Thought to be a cross of Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith, Braeburn  combines modern shipping and marketing qualities with old-world flavor.  But as is typical, the ones from your tree are much, much better than from the store.  It is popular because it bears early and heavily, usually the second year.  The tree is vigorous and is a great candidate for a big seedling-rootstock tree in the front yard for the kids to climb on.  It needs a hot, dry climate to do well and the flavor quickly degrades in storage.  We had some of our crop rot on the tree during our hot summer, but a few made it through and although well-colored and juicy, the flavor did not live up to the reputation and we were quite disappointed.  We'll give it a couple more years to see if this was just an aberration.  

*Bramley Seedling England, 1800  No self-respecting Brit would have anything else but Bramley Seedling apple in his pie, as it is the counterpart to Cox's Orange Pippin which is for eating fresh.  The quintessential British cooking apple descends from the original 200-year-old tree still said to be growing in a cottage garden in Nottinghamshire.  It is firm, tart, and juicy and high in vitamin C.  They ripen October through November and keep well despite becoming "greasy" in storage.  Pollen-sterile, so it needs a pollinator and will not pollinate other apples.  Tested good in Southern California.

Coconut Crunch Homedale, Idaho- Recent  Bred by apple aficionado and all-round nice guy Garfield Shults, Coconut Crunch is an extremely solid apple that ripens fairly late, though it's hard to tell when it's ripe because you don't use it until it has been in storage a while. It’s been known to keep for a full year in ordinary cold storage. A yellow apple with a texture like a chunk of coconut. Mild, but interesting flavor, a vigorous grower and extremely productive in our climate.  Stay tuned for a report this fall.

*Cornish Gilliflower  England, 1813  Found in a cottage garden near Truro, Cornwall around 1813. The tree is tip bearing and produces very few spurs. The skin is a greenish-yellow becoming a golden yellow when ripe. One half flushed with a orange-red. Patched and netted with russeting. Rather dry but richly flavored. Ripens mid October.

***Cripp's Pink Patented Australia, 1979 Cripp's Pink apples that are grown to certain quality standards are marketed under the Pink Lady® trademarked name.  A cross between Lady Williams and Golden Delicious, it is a favorite in supermarkets because of it's dense, crisp juicy flesh and sweet-tart flavor.  It is not bothered in the least by hot weather and even excels in Las Vegas and Phoenix, once considered apple graveyards because of their intense heat.  Cripp's Pink apples that have been in storage a while will often have seeds inside that are already sprouted, useful for folks trying to start their own rootstocks from seed.  It ripens very late (November-December) and is a good companion for Fuji.  Tested good for Southern California.

**Delicious (Hawkeye) Iowa, 1881  Not to be confused with its unripe, watery, mealy and over-hybridized offshoot Red Delicious, Delicious (also known as Standard Delicious or Old-Fashioned Delicious) makes for very good, if not excellent, for fresh eating. Off your tree it is crisp, sweet, and flavorful. The skin will not develop the deep, hot-rod red color as in the supermarket, but you will not miss it a bit once you taste Delicious as it was meant to be. The tree is healthy and robust and ripens in October. Keeps fairly well in refrigeration. Self-fertile and is a good pollinator for other apples. Our variety is grafted from trees planted in 1912.  Tested good in Southern California.

*Devine  Alabama, 1895  An heirloom of the Devine family of Gadsden, Alabama for over 100 years, Devine is a tree with an upright growth habit that comes into bearing fairly early.  The flesh starts out bright red on the immature apples, which changes to greenish yellow and finally ripens to a red with light red stripes and splashes.  The greenish-white flesh is fine grained and slightly tart.  Ripens in late July.  Brought to us by Joyce Neighbors.

Discovery England, 1949  The upright, spreading tree is covered in pure white, cup-shaped flowers in mid- and late spring, followed by crisp, juicy, red dessert apples with a good flavor with a hint of strawberry. Keeps well for several weeks after they're harvested in mid August.  Can be slow to come into bearing.

*Disharoon Georgia prior to 1855  Previously considered extinct, Jim Lawson obtained a scion from a grandson of the Disharoon family near Jasper, Georgia and saved the variety from oblivion. Light green skin, yellowish white flesh that’s juicy and tender, pleasantly sweet-tart. Not particularly attractive, but of the highest dessert quality. Ripens September to October.

Dixie Red Delight Alabama, 1960’s  Developed by an amateur horticulturist, Oren T. Bolding, of Sylacauga, Alabama. It was patented in 1960 (Plant Patent No. 1974) and rights sold to H. G. Hastings Company of Atlanta, Georgia, who assigned their rights to the Commercial Nursery Company of Dechard, Tennessee. Fruit is medium to large, with red skin and yellow ground color. Flavor is a mild, juicy subacid. Ripe late December and blooms late.

Dorset Golden Bahamas, 1954  If you’re going to plant just one summer-ripening apple, make it this maniac, as it will grow anywhere and produces the year after planting. It ripens in the middle of July heat, but tastes like November. It will continue to blossom and fruit throughout the summer, with a second crop in late fall. Crunchy, juicy, sweet-tart with classic apple flavor, even if you live where temperatures never fall below 45 degrees F. Good fresh, in pies, and for cider. Tree may be late to leaf out following a very warm winter, best picked a little green. Keeps well in the refrigerator, needs no chilling or pollinator.  Tough to get scionwood from because it forms spurs so fast and blossoms late January, on this one you're better off buying it at the nursery or home center, as it is widely available.

*Early Joe New York, 1800  The small, red-striped fruit of Early Joe hangs on the tree fairly well until it is quite ripe.  Not commercially planted because of the small size, the fruit is none the less of excellent quality.  The skin is thin, tender, smooth, pale greenish-yellow, striped and splashed with dark red.  The flesh is tinged with yellow, fine, crisp, very tender, very juicy, mild subacid, and of the best flavor.  Ripens in mid-August.

***Fuji Japan, 1962  Despite its commercial success, few people have tasted Fuji as it was meant to be, which is sweet, flavorful, crunchy, and ridiculously juicy.  This is because it can require over 200 days to ripen to full maturity, long after the season ends in many apple-growing regions.  Here in Southern California it can hang on the tree until its heart's content, pumping the full quota of sugar and flavor into the orangish yellow flesh.  Just because the skin has colored up doesn't mean it is ripe, although the skin never does really color up well.  Fuji's grown here are world-class, and it can really take the heat.  It takes about 5 years to start producing, but reliably sets a full crop every year after that despite neglect.  Ripens in mid December, keeps extremely well, self-fertile.  A mandatory apple for home gardeners to grow.

***Gala New Zealand, 1920's  Gala seems to grow to perfection no matter what climate it's raised in, including inland Southern California.  If the only Gala apples you've had have been from the supermarket, you haven't tasted Gala.  This pretty apple is best enjoyed right off the tree when it's crisp, dense flesh and mild, sweet, aromatic flavor is at its peak.  It will keep a couple months in the refrigerator, but the flavor just doesn't stay the same.  The tree is vigorous and self-fertile.

**Golden Delicious Missouri, 1920’s  Long-time favorite for its sweetness and flavor. Reliable producer, adapted to many climates. Good pollinator, as it blooms a long time. You may be shocked at the spiciness and crisp texture of a tree-ripened sample, as the apples off the tree are much, much  better than those in the supermarket. Good for fresh-eating and pies.  September, Self-fertile. In hot climates it should be picked a little green, as it does not attain the quality as in a cooler climate.  Tested OK for Southern California.

**Gravenstein Italy, 1600's  A big tree with big leaves, Gravenstein has been in California since 1820 and is almost considered an American apple.  The skin is greenish-yellow with red stripes- pick a bit green for pies.  The aromatic flesh is tender, fine-grained with a well-balanced sugar-acid content. The crunchy, juicy apples are best eaten right away, as they don't keep well.  Ripens in early fall, pollen sterile, won't pollinate other apples or itself and needs a pollinator. Use when green for pies and yellow for fresh eating.

Greensleeves England, 1966  This golden yellow apple has the sweet honeyed flavor of its Golden Delicious parent balanced by the acidity of its other parent, James Grieve. It can be hard and sharp early in the season but mellows later.  It can be picked in October but keeps on the tree for a month, giving it a long harvest season.

**Grimes Golden  West Virginia, 1804  Believed to be one of the parents of Golden Delicious, Grimes Golden is a greenish-yellow apple that turns clear yellow with a pink blush in storage.  It has an intense sweet flavor that keeps extremely well.  Does well in a warm climate and is self-fertile and a good pollinator.  Our scionwood source is a tree planted in 1910 and still bears heavy crops.  We were not impressed with the fruit quality down here in the hot inland valley, but will give it another year to try to improve.

*Hall  North Carolina, Late 1700's  Once one of the most important commercial apples grown in the south because of it's superb flavor and excellent keeping abilities, Hall fell out of favor because of its small size, a fatal flaw for a commercial apple.  It may have passed on to extinction if it wasn't for the efforts of that venerable heirloom apple Tom Brown who found it in the mountains of North Carolina in 2002. Fruit is described as small and roundish to slightly conical in shape. Skin is smooth and thick, yellow covered with clear or dull red. The yellow flesh is tender, juicy, fine-grained, aromatic with a terrific flavor with hints of vanilla. Ripens late fall and is a good keeper.  Offered for the first time in California in 2008; the tree has lots of blind wood but is productive.  All eyes are on the tasting report this fall.

Hawaii  California, 1945 This beautiful, large, yellow apple is exceptionally sweet (even when green), and you may or may not detect a tang and scent of pineapple. The fruit has a light pinkish-orange striping which gives it an overall orange appearance. This apple is considered one of the very best dessert apples, and eating them fresh is a real treat.  A vigorous grower that ripens late September, tends to bear biannually.  Thin heavily for best results. Does well in Southern California.

*Hollow Log North Carolina, 1920’s  Originated from a seedling found near a hollow log. Popular in the South because it blooms late missing most frosts, and thus reliably produces most years. Large deep yellow fruit with a tender, very juicy, crisp flesh with a most delicious, aromatic, spicy flavor. Many sources describe it as having no superior as an eating and cooking apple. Begins to ripen the last of June and continues through July into August.

*Holstein  Germany, 1918 A open-pollinated seedling of Cox's Orange Pippin, the flesh of this larger apple is deep yellow with varying degrees of orange blush.  As is typical for Cox crosses, the first bite seems tart to the tongue and then then it mellows and becomes sweeter in the mouth.   Noted for it's yellowish-orange juice with a fairly soft, pineapple flavor.  A triploid that is pollen-sterile and needs a pollinator.

*Horse North Carolina, prior to 1800  One of the most popular apples in the South grown for home use. Very tart until fully ripe, and was used for cooking, drying, cider, and vinegar. It ripens in the heat of summer, making it especially useful for drying. Bears heavily. Medium to large, conical, ribbed, thick skin, green becoming yellow when ripe with a reddish tinge on the sunny side, with a yellow flesh that firm, rather juicy, and briskly sub-acid until fully ripe. Ripens July-August.

*Junaluska North Carolina, 1830  According to the description in Calhoun’s Old Southern Apples, the original tree was owned by a Cherokee chief named Junaluska who lived in either Macon or Cherokee County, NC. When the state began purchasing Cherokee lands in the 1800's, Chief Junaluska refused to give up the land on which the tree was growing. After meetings with State Commissioners he finally agreed to add $50 to the price of the land.  Once again credit for finding this highly sought-after apple goes to Tom Brown who discovered it in Macon County, NC.  It is described as a large to very large, high-quality apple with a distinctive irregular globular form. The dull yellow skin is somewhat rough with raised russet patches, occasional greenish spots and with a pale red flush on the sunny side. The tender yellow flesh is juicy and rich with a pleasant subacid flavor. A fine storage apple ripening in October and keeping until March

Kerr Crab  A flowering crabapple that produces excellent fruit for fresh-eating. As it typical with crabapples, the tree puts on a huge long-lasting display of fragrant blossoms that are self-fertile and will pollinate any other variety of apples. The fruit is a beautiful red and hang on the tree well after ripening. Like the blooms, the harvest is extended over a long season. The fruit has a yellow flesh that is sweet-tart and crisp, good for fresh-eating, cooking, and cider.  Tested good in Southern California.

Kidd's Orange Red New Zealand, 1924  Bred by the same man who bred Gala, Kidd's Orange Red has a warm white, crisp, juicy flesh that is sweetly aromatic.  Many consider it superior to Gala, but the apple's tendency to russet has limited its marketability.  It ripens in late September and stores well through January.

**King David  Arkansas, 1893 Solid red late-season apple that hangs late on the tree and should be picked when full color develops. Yellow flesh, firm, crisp and juicy, a favorite apple in the Oak Glen area. Would be handsome espaliered. Ripens September-October.

*Knobbed Russet England 1819  A bizarre apple with an irregular, uneven surface that is overlaid with rough gray and black russet and distinctive welts and knobs; soft and sweet creamy flesh is fine-grained with a sweet flavor; looks more like a potato than an apple. Described as an apple to be nibbled rather than wolfed. Ripens September-October.

*Lady Possibly Roman, first century AD.  One of the first apples to be brought to America, Lady was first recorded in 1628 but is thought by many to be the Appian (Api) apple described by Pliny the Elder in the Roman Empire.  Also know as the “Christmas Apple” because it was frequently used in Christmas decorations, as it still is at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.  The apple is tiny with a green skin blushed red on the sunny side.  The flesh is tender, white, crisp, and very juicy with much of the flavor in the skin.  It takes a few years to start bearing.  Needs a pollinator, ripens in October and is a good keeper.  Does well in Southern California.

*Lady Williams Australia, 1935  A Granny Smith offspring that is also a parent of Pink Lady. A pinkish-red apple that ripens very late and needs a long hot season to develop a good acid/sugar balance. In our climate it may ripen well into the New Year, probably February. Will keep until the first summer apples ripen and improves in storage.  So far it has out-produced its offspring Cripp's Pink.

*Lamb Abbey Pearmain  England, 1804    A bucolic name for a small apple with unusual flavor that's intense and exciting. Lots of sugar and acid with some hints of pineapple. Bears early, regularly, and heavily and ripens in September. 

Liberty New York  Hailed as the most disease-resistant apple by folks in humid climates, Liberty is a product of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva fruit breeding program. The beautiful apple with a sweet, spicy flavor comes from an extremely productive tree. Although best eaten fresh, Liberty does store well for several months, and then makes an excellent pie. Ripens in mid-November and is self-fertile.  Tested good for Southern California.

*Lord Lambourne England 1907  A crisp, very juicy apple with creamy white flesh and strong sweet-tart flavor. Skin is an orange flush over green. Easy to grow in the home garden and ripens in September.

*Mattamuskeet North Carolina, prior to 1888  Originated near Lake Mattamuskeet in coastal North Carolina.  An old legend says that it came from a seed found in the gizzard of a wild goose by Mattamuskeet Indians.  It was prized as a winter "keeper" that did well in the warmer coastal plains, a rarity that would be quite valuable before refrigeration.  It keeps without chilling for months and like many winter keepers improves in storage, often reaching peak in April.  It is a very late ripening apple, sometimes waiting until November.  The skin is tough, greenish-yellow covered with a rusty red, with a firm, pale yellow flesh that's moderately juicy and a bit tart when first picked.  It mellows out in storage.  Such qualities make it a great apple for Southern California, and our testing confirms this.  Thanks to Lee Calhoun who rescued it from obscurity in 1986.

Melrose Ohio, 1944  The official state apple of Ohio.  A bright red colored apple speckled with tan spots that has a slight green to yellowish background. With a white flesh that is crisp textured, the Melrose provides a sweet but slightly tart flavor. It is a good eating apple and works well as a fresh apple in salads, pies and applesauce. Raccoons stole two off our tree, which is usually a good sign as they're quite the picky connoisseur here.  Ripens October.  Does well in Southern California.

Mollie's Delicious 1966  An excellent apple for mild winter climates, but is not related to Red Delicious. Sweet, flavorful, aromatic. Has a beautiful red blush over yellow. Pollinator required: Fuji, Granny Smith, or Yellow Delicious, ripens early September, keeps rather well, improves after a month in storage.  Tested good for Southern California.

Mutsu (Crispin) Japan 1948  A favorite of connoisseurs: very large, crisp and flavorful. Late September/October harvest. Pick when green or wait until partly yellow. Large, vigorous tree. Pollen-sterile; pollinated by Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Gala.

Mystery Apple KSM Unknown  We have no idea what this apple is, but it was so good we decided to offer it to others as it made our Favorites List.  It was labeled as Kandil Sinap a tall, skinny apple, which it obviously is not since it is tiny, short, and fat. We gave it the suffix KSM (Kandil Sinap Mislabel) until we get a positive ID.  It has deep red skin with some russeting, and is only about the size as a golf ball and ripens in early November.  We can't tell if it's a full-sized apple that is just stunted, or if it's a sweet crabapple.  The flesh is yellow, crisp, juicy, and of outstanding quality.  We're looking forward to more next year.

Orin  Japan, recent  A Golden Delicious cross, it resembles it's parent  in that the yellow skin is blushed red-orange and dotted with conspicuous white lenticels. It has sweet, very honeyed, pale yellow flesh with not much acid. 

Pink Lady™See Cripp's Pink

*Pitmaston Pineapple England 1785  Tall and conic in shape. Small golden-yellow fruit covered with fine russet. Sweet, juicy, sugary, and somewhat pineapple flavored. It’s small size and rough covering keeps this gem from commercial markets, but the tree’s small stature and wonderful fruit makes it excellent for the home garden. Keeps well, ripens in September.

Pixie England, 1947  A little apple with a lot of clout! Pixie was raised at England’s National Fruit Trials, and thought to have either Cox's Orange Pippin or Sunset as one of its parents. The apples are medium in size, round and squat in shape. The skin is green-yellow flushed with orange-red, and painted with tiny broken stripes of red on top. The flesh inside is creamy white, crisp and refreshingly juicy, sweet and highly aromatic. Tends over crop loads of tiny fruit, but the size can be increased by heavy thinning when the apples are dime-sized. Ripens mid-October, improves some in storage.

*Pomme Gris  Canada, 1850 ("Grey Apple")  A smaller greenish-gold russeted apple with a delicious, sweet, nutty taste.  The flesh is yellowish and firm.  Ripens late September and keeps well. 

Prairie Spy University of Minnesota, 1940  Unrelated to Northern Spy, Prairie Spy was once widely commercially grown but is now limited to backyard orchards. Here in our climate the skin is red-blushed and the flesh is sweet, crisp and creamy-white but was rather dry and lacked much character.  It withstood the heat quite well.  Ripens the end of October. Tested OK for Southern California.

Princess Nobel  Australia  Oblong apple with a yellowish-green skin that's described as sappy and flavorful.  A popular apple for growing in the tropics, with millions planted in Indonesia. Very rare in the United States, self-fertile.

**Putty Henck  California, 1970  A seedling that sprouted next to the cider press of J. Putnam ("Putty") Henck in Skyforest, California.  Medium to large with a green skin with a red blush.  The crisp white flesh has a sweet-tart flavor that holds up well in cooking and cider.  Keeps well and gets greasy in storage, where the flavor mellows and improves.  Ripens late October well into November, needs a pollinator.

Rescue Crab Small greenish-yellow fruit with striped dull red over top with a cream-colored flesh.  A profusion of white long-lasting blossoms will pollinate any apple. Very sweet for eating fresh and good for preserves.  Ripens early August.  A reliable annual bearer.

*Ribston Pippin England, 1707  Also known as the Glory of York, this is the most famous Yorkshire variety. It's a strong-tasting aromatic' traditional apple, almost certainly the parent of the world- renowned Cox's Orange Pippin, and was very popular in Victorian times. A beautiful classic English dessert apple. Bears early and heavily in Southern California, ripens in October.

**Rome Beauty   Ohio, 1848  The most popular apple in our local mountains because of it’s versatility and reliable late blossoms that miss the killing frosts. Fruit medium to very large with handsomely striped to almost solid red, thick skin. In our climate the skin develops a beautiful sunburst coloring  fading from straw yellow on the sunny side to red to green.  A favorite baking and drying apple, a good keeper on and off the tree. When first picked  the apple is tough, juicy, aromatic, and well flavored.  The fresh-eating quality degrades in storage but they still make good pies, dried apples, and cider.  Especially sweet and flavorful grown in a warm climate or the tropics. Ripens October, self-fertile, bears early and heavily.  Tested good in Southern California (and Central Mexico for that matter).

*Roxbury Russet Boston, 1600’s  A fine cider or dessert apple with great flavor. Roxbury is among the first American varieties developed. Enjoy the beautiful large golden brown, orange blushed fruit each October. Like most russets, it keeps well for months without refrigeration, and even after the skin is soft the flesh may remain crisp and juicy.  Blossoms very late (July) but is quite productive in our climate, a good combination actually. 

*Royal Limbertwig Illinois, prior to 1896  A large apple with a green skin and red to orange blush that is well adapted to warmer areas.  A high-quality apple that makes outstanding apple butter.  The flesh is greenish-white, crisp, tender (not mushy), juicy, and has a nice classic "appley" taste with a bit of tartness.  If they ripen too early in summer they're a mushy glob, but those that last until the first of October are really good. The tree has a weeping habit and ripens over a long period in October.  Bears early and heavily, train so the leaves shade the apples.  Tested good in Southern California.

Rubinette®  Switzerland, 1964  "Yummy"!  That was the consensus of our taste test this year on this Cox/Golden Delicious offspring.  It had a nice sweet/tart, effervescent quality that I assume it gets from Cox's Orange Pippin.  In our climate it had a green skin with only a hint of the orange stripes and blush it would get in a colder climate, and some russeting around the stem end.  The flavor of the crisp, tender flesh develops as you bite into it, starting out sour but becoming sweeter as you chew, finally resulting in a wonderful aftertaste that begs for another bite.  Because of it's scab susceptibility it is considered difficult to grow in damp, cool climates, but It did well through our heat wave and leafed and blossomed just fine.  Intense sun did not bother the young fruits.  Timing is everything when picking, as it hangs on the tree well past its prime and degrades in quality.  Ripens in early October.  I'm happy to add it to our "tested good in Southern California" list.  This is a patented variety and we just got licensed to distribute it, add $1 per tree for patent fee.

Sekai-Ichi  Japan, 1974  ("Number One") A quintessential Japanese apple, which is to say very large, bright red, very juicy, and very sweet.  It holds the world's record for the largest apple and averages 1-2 pounds.  It won't fit on the slicer/corer.  Ripens early October. 

*Shockley Georgia, 1840  An apple famous for its reliable productivity in most climates and good keeping qualities. The tough, smooth skin is pale yellow and overspread with bright red. The flesh is yellowish white and crisp, juicy, mildly subacid to almost sweet. It ripens in October and will keep until April or later.

*Sierra Beauty California, 1890  A byproduct of the gold-rush era, Sierra Beauty was discovered as a seedling high in the Sierras. Offered by nurseries for a few years, it became extinct except as an heirloom of the Gowan Family of Philo (Mendocino County) until "rediscovered" around 1980. A beautiful apple with striking appearance, brisk flavor, and firm texture. Ripens late October.

*Simirenko Reinette  Ukraine, 1895  May be the same as Wood's Greening.  Was popularized by Soviet cosmonauts, who took the apple into space for dessert. Medium in size, the greenish-yellow waxy skin has a brownish-orange flush, and is russeted in the cavity and dotted on the surface. The greenish-white flesh is tender and crisp with a subacid flavor. It bears early and heavily and will also hang long on the tree after ripening. The tree top develops into a wide pyramidal crown and the variety is very drought resistant.  It stores well and ripens in October.

*Smokehouse  Pennsylvania, 1830  The original tree grew up near the smokehouse of Mr. Gibbons in Lancaster County, and thus its name was derived.   The apple has greenish-yellow skin covered with shades and stripes of red. The flesh is yellowish, crisp and firm with a pleasing spicy flavor.  Good for fresh-eating, cooking, and baking.  Ripens in October.

*Snow France, 1730  Also called Fameuse, Snow apple is delicious for eating out-of-hand. During the American Revolution a contingent of Hessian soldiers planted an orchard with Snow apples near Winchester, Virginia where they were interned.  One of the McIntosh’s parents. Popular in the United States for more than 150 years. A very vigorous tree that bears early and heavily.  Deep crimson, very tender, aromatic, juicy, sweet and tart with a distinct cider flavor, hardy and long-lived. Snow white flesh. Ripens in late September, still testing in Southern California as this year's crop was quite mushy.

Spigold New York, 1962  With Northern Spy and Golden Delicious as parents, how can you go wrong? This apple has the best traits of both. It’s complex flavor and crisp texture stands out in taste tests. A beautiful apple that ripens late September through November and keeps up to three months.  Takes about 5 years to start bearing, but is reliable after that.

Sweet 16 Minnesota, 1978  Introduced by the University of Minnesota’s Horticulture Center to withstand brutal winters. A rosy red, smooth finish, fine-textured, crisp, high sugar, moderate acid apple with a unique pleasing flavor. The fruits are medium to large sized, normally fully colored by both stripes and a solid wash of rosy red. The flesh is fine-textured and crisp and sweet.  Bears heavily in September.

*Sweet Bough America, 1817  A sweet, early-season apple. Praised as a good fruit for fresh eating and cooking. This medium to large apple has smooth, pale yellow to white skin, sometimes with a faint red blush. The tender white flesh is crisp, juicy and very sweet. Ripens June to July.

*Swaar  New York, 1770  ("Heavy") Large, dull yellow fruit with russet dots of uncommon flavor and richness; spicy and aromatic. When first picked the firm white flesh may have a dull or unpleasant taste. In storage it will soften and mellow somewhat like a pear until slightly soft, at which time it has sweet, aromatic, velvety, tender and beautifully balanced flesh.

*Tarbutton Georgia, late 1800’s  Possibly named after a one Humphrey Tarbutton, this little-known apple is rather flat, red-striped, and was once popular in the Northern Georgia mountains for fresh eating, cooking, and drying, also considered the best for jelly. It ripens in August.  Tested good in Southern California.

*Terry Winter Georgia, 1850’s  An excellent old southern apple noted for its long-keeping abilities for warm winter areas. It originated before the Civil War with a Mr. Terry of Fulton County, Georgia, and was soon widely sold throughout Georgia and neighboring states. Medium-sized fruit with thick, tough yellow skin covered with stripes and splashes of red and crimson. The white flesh is crisp, sweet/tart and juicy. This is one of the most prolific varieties we have, setting a huge crop the second year.  Make sure to thin heavily for the best quality.  Ripens early December and tested very good in Southern California.

*Tompkins County King  New York, 1804  Large apple that is ribbed at the eye and on the body. The yellow skin is flushed a pale-red with darker red stripes and white or russet dots. The stem cavity is also russeted. The yellow flesh is coarse, crisp, and tender, with a subacid, sweet and aromatic flavor. The skin has a greasy finish especially after storage. Vigorous and spreading, the tree grows naturally small, and the shiny leaves are highly folded with sharp, closely set serrations. The limbs grow nearly horizontal with many crossing branches. A pollen sterile triploid, it will not pollinate other trees. Ripens in September.

**Twenty Ounce Pippin   New York, 1840.  A whopper of an apple.  Attractive huge fruit, red stripes over a greenish background with a curiously "peened" surface.  Semi-firm, crisp, sweet, mild white flesh.   The tree is vigorous and bears early in its lifetime (precocious).   Ripens unevenly September to October.  One of the premier cooking apples of the nineteenth century.

Tydeman’s Late Orange  England, 1945  A cross between Cox’s Orange Pippin and Laxton’s Superb, Tydeman’s is more productive and much easier to grow in a hot climate that Cox and has better flavor and quality in hot summer climates.  Reddish-orange stripes over greenish-yellow skin with some russeting.  The Yellowish flesh is firm and juicy with a spicy Cox flavor.  It is a good keeper and a vigorous tree with long, weeping branches that bear on the tips.  Needs heavy and early thinning for the best size fruit.  Needs a pollinator, bears late September to early October.  It does well in the heat of Southern California.

*Wealthy   Minnesota, 1860   One of the most cold-hardy apples that is also low-chill, popular for growing in tropical climates. Flesh whitish sometimes stained with red, tender, very juicy, flavorful sweet subacid, makes good pies. The flavor and quality was excellent here.  Pick yellow for cooking, red for fresh eating. Skin red, sometimes striped red. Mid-October harvest, tested very good for Southern California.

*Westfield Seek-No-Further  Massachusetts, 1700’s  An ugly apple that can be very russeted and coated with a bluish bloom. It has a memorable astringent flavor with a unique aroma. The pale yellow flesh is crisp and juicy and browns rapidly with a tough skin. People usually either love it or hate it. Mostly used as a dessert apple, it also is a good cooking apple. Ripens September through November, does not keep well.

**White Winter Pearmain  England, 1200s  An English apple that dates back to Norman times that is still in cultivation, and for good reason.  The green waxy, tough skin that resembles Granny Smith covers a crisp, tender, fine-grained flesh.  The flavor is rich and aromatic, good for fresh eating and cider.  In storage the skin will turn yellow and shrivel a bit with a rubbery feel, but the flesh stays crisp and flavorful for months, even unrefrigerated.  We found this being grown all over our local mountains, and it was once quite popular in the Midwest.   Despite its English heritage it does quite well in warm climates and is considered a "low chill" apple that fruits reliably every year.  We're doing what we can to see that it's around another 800 years.

Wickson Crabapple California, 1930's An Albert Etters hybrid named after Edward J. Wickson, who was called the "Father of California Agriculture" and a mentor to Etters and Luther Burbank. Originally bred for cider, the crisp, yellow-fleshed golf ball-sized apples pack a lot of flavor into a small package, and excel in making flavorful cider, both sweet and hard.  They're also good for eating out of hand, and like most sweet crabapples, bear heavily and do quite well in our Southern California climate and ripen from Thanksgiving to New Years.

***Williams' Pride Indiana, 1985  Highly rated for flavor. Utterly reliable in a hot climate.  It ripens in early August and is one of the best of the early apples. The fruit colors deep red, burgundy, to almost purple and has a sweet rich spicy flavor. The tree is very productive with strong well-angled branches. It is popular in disease-prone areas because it is immune to apple scab and resistant to mildew, cedar rust and fire blight. It is an early season bloomer with unusually long lasting blossoms.  Does well in Southern California; we suspect it will do well most anywhere.

*Yates  Georgia, 1844  Early pioneers brought this variety to the South, being highly prized as an all purpose apple. The skin on this tiny apple is bright red with yellow markings, being small in size but tender and juicy. Ripens in October, keeps all winter.

*Yellow Newtown Pippin New York, 1759  Popular export to England during colonial times because the apples endured the three month voyage with little degradation, and fetched a higher price because of it. Improves in storage, and peaks at about three months. Shape oblate; skin green to yellow, often russeted at the stem end, with white dots. Flesh yellowish or tinged with green, firm, crisp, moderately fine grained, sprightly aromatic flavor. Ripens late October. A good keeper and a favorite apple of George Washington.  Still considered one of the best apples in the world.  Tested good in Southern California.

**Yellow Bellflower New Jersey, 1817  This lemon yellow apple has a tender skin that is easily bruised, dooming it from the commercial market.  Too bad, as the warm white flesh is crisp, firm, and delightfully sweet/tart.  Also used for pies and tarts, it makes a good cider ingredient.  Freshly picked they can have a starchy component, but this resolves after a stint in cold storage.  It would be a great apple tree for the front lawn, as the blossoms are especially large and attractive.

*Yellow Transparent  Russia, 1870  One of many old Southern apples of Russian origin brought into this country by the USDA. Resistant to cedar apple rust and scab and can be grown in all areas of the South including the warmer coastal plain. Fruit is medium sized with smooth transparent yellow skin and white flesh. A marginal-quality apple in even the best apple-growing areas, in our climate it varied from horrible to pretty good (Anna and Dorsett Golden are much better). Ripens in late May in cold climates, but any time from early in June to September here. Needs heavy thinning and a pollinator.

*Zabergau Reinette Germany 1885  A German Russet with all the subtlety of a Panzer tank.  Intensely sweet-tart, the firm flesh has a nettle taste to it right off the tree that mellows in storage.  The ugly apple resemble a potato, but those preferring classic russet taste will enjoy this late-ripening and long-keeping gem.  Bears heavy crops early in it's lifetime.  Prune the tree so the apples are shaded by the leaves (they don't color worth a darn anyway).  It would make great cider and killer apfel strüdel.  Triploid (sterile pollen), needs a pollinator.  Tested good in Southern California.

Cider Apples  These are traditional cider apples that make a classic dry hard cider in the European tradition.  They are not always good for fresh eating.  These will make a hard cider with a low alcohol content (5% to 7%, about half that of wine).

*Foxwhelp England, 1600's There are many strains of Foxwhelp apples, but they all are considered "bittersharps", and make a classic dry cider as a single-variety vintage or blended.  The bright-red apple blooms early and makes a musky, intensely aromatic cider. They keep well and ripen mid-October.

*Hewe's Crab  Virginia, 1717  Also known as Virginia Crab, the small but vigorous tree produces small round red and yellow apples with a high astringency.  Thomas Jefferson likened crushing them to "wringing out a sponge".  It makes a high-quality cinnamon-flavored cider that slowly ferments and was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite cider apples.  The tree has strong biannual tendencies and ripens in late September.

*Kingston Black England, 1820  Classed a bittersharp, the medium-sized apple has a dark mahogany over an orange background, and the juice is a tawny red. It is moderately sweet, with a strong astringent aftertaste. The smaller tree blooms late and does not bear heavy crops. It is used in blends and also makes an excellent single-variety "vintage" cider.  Ripens in late September.

*Tom Putt  England, late 1700's  Considered both a culinary and cider apple, Tom Putt is classified as a "sharp" variety that also can have some bitterness.  In our climate the apples are green with red stripes and has a white, tart flesh. The tree is precocious and bears a reliable crop annually.   Ripens in September.

*Trembletts Bitter  England, 1700's  Moderately vigorous and precocious, the tree is a reliable bearer.  The apples are deep red and have a white, wooly flesh that is sweet and astringent.  Considered a bittersweet it is high in tannins, it produces a clean-tasting, mild cider.  It blooms very early and ripens in early October.  Pollen sterile, requires a pollinator

*Yarlington Mill  England, 1800's  Considered a bittersweet, the tree is moderately vigorous and very productive but with a gangly habit and lots of bare wood near the trunk.  The apples are small and pale yellow with a red blush and have a poor juice yield.  The flesh is sweet and astringent with high tannins.  Produces a dark cider that's light and very aromatic.  Ripens in October. 

INFORMATIONAL ONLY- The below are apples that we've tested and found either lacking in quality or unsuited to our climate.  We do not carry these varieties anymore.

*Buckingham  Virginia, 1790 Described by Lee Calhoun as the "quintessential Southern apple", Buckingham has been grown in the South for over 200 years. Its history is unclear, but believed to have originated in Louisa Co., Virginia in the late 1700's.  Fruit is large and slightly conical with thick, smooth yellow skin mostly covered with dark red striping. The yellow flesh is tender and juicy with a sprightly subacid flavor. Ripens in the early fall in the mountains.  Here in Southern California it has been mushy and flavorless.  We were disappointed with this, as it seemed by the description to be the perfect apple for us.  We'll try picking earlier next year before abandoning it all together.

Co-op 35 Illinois, 1972  An experimental apple from the PRI breeding program grown at the University of Illinois.  It has a Yellow Delicious shape and a green, smooth skin with some pink blushing on the sunny side.  The crisp, white flesh was juicy but decidedly bland.  It held up very well in our heat and bore a good crop, but the lack of taste relegates it to the "reject pile".  On the other hand, pretty exterior, heavy producer, bland taste; sounds like the perfect supermarket apple!

*Court Pendu Plat England prior to 1611 This apple may date to Roman times, and was widely planted by Tudor ages. In translation, the name means "suspended short flat," which describes the apple as very flat with a stem that is hardly seen, causing it to lay tight against the branch, like a peach grows. The skin is a bright-yellow or orange, flushed with rose over a fawn-russet skin. The flesh was described as a creamy-yellow, firm and fine-grained, with a rich, brisk, acid flavor. It has a very high Vitamin C content and ripens in October.  Ours set a heavy crop and held on fine through the heat, but the finished product had much to be desired as it was really dry, chewy, sweet, but bland.  We plan to pull it out.

Freyberg New Zealand, 1934  A Kiwi apple from down under.  Like a fine wine, the complex flavor has hints of brandy, cinnamon, peach, lemon, pear, banana, and cedar.  A relative of Gala, it is a cross between two great apples, Golden Delicious and Cox's Orange Pippin.  The flesh is creamy white and fine-grained, juicy and aromatic.  It is used for fresh-eating, cooking, and cider.  Ripens September through October.   Needs a pollinator.  Unfortunately, the quality did not live up to its reputation and it was quite bland here.

*Maiden Blush New Jersey, 1817  The thin skin is tough and smooth and a pale waxen-yellow in color with a crimson blush. The white flesh, with a slightly yellow tinge, is crisp and tender with a sharp, acid flavor that mellows when fully ripe. Ripens over a period of about a month in August, good for fresh eating and cooking. In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, it was a favorite apple variety for drying because the flesh remains white and bright.  It held up through the heat and fruited well here, but we waited too long to pick it and it was tasteless and mealy.  I'm afraid it doesn't "blush" much in our climate, so start testing it the middle of September.  We'll try again next year, but for now it's on our replacement list.

Northern Spy  New York, 1800  We grew this just to prove that any apple will fruit in Southern California.  Not surprisingly, the quality was terrible as Northern Spy needs a cold climate like the Northeast to achieve perfection.  But it fruited just fine with our low chilling hours, proving the chilling hour theory wrong. 

 *Washington Strawberry New York, 1849  A colorful, attractive apple sold by Georgia nurseries from 1885 to 1902. The tree is vigorous and is a heavy, dependable bearer. Fruit is large and roundish-conical with waxy yellow skin mottled and striped with brownish-red and carmine. The yellow flesh is slightly coarse, crisp, juicy and tender. An early season variety ripening in late July in warmer areas, later in the mountains.  The fruit quality has been poor in Southern California, and we plan to pull it out.

*Whitney Crabapple Illinois, 1869  Unusual crabapple in that it is considered good for fresh eating. Large (in crabapple terms, that means about 2") beautiful fruit with yellow skin overlaid with red blush and red striping. Flesh is crisp, juicy, subacid, almost sweet, with crabapple overtones. Like all crabapples, is a good pollinator for other apples, bears heavily, and is self-fertile. Flowers and ripens over a long period. Mentioned by a nursery as their favorite fresh eating apple, but I'm sad to say this is the second year in a row that the apples have been mushy and disappointing.  I've bud-grafted Rubinette onto the trunk and intend to remove it this winter.

Imported Varieties Available Spring 2010 These are apple varieties that are extinct from cultivation in the USA that we found growing at the Heritage Orchard at the Grove Research and Demonstration Station in Tasmania, Australia.  Importing apple scionwood to the USA is an arduous 3-year process as it needs to be cleansed of any latent viruses.  This is done through the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Beltsville, MD by Dr. Joseph A. Foster or the University of Washington NRSP5 program.  We're proud to be a part of bringing these varieties "back from the brink" and making them available again.

Babbitt Illinois, 1838  (Western Baldwin) Originated about 1838 from seeds of Baldwin in Tazewell County, Illinois.  Sold by several southern nurseries around the turn of the century, often under the name Western Baldwin.  Reportedly a large and beautiful apple but too acid to be anything but a cooker until after January when its acid subsides.  The tree was a shy bearer in Maryland in 1900.

Fruit large, roundish oblate, somewhat irregular; skin yellow mostly mottled and striped with carmine; stem short in a moderately shallow, rather broad cavity; calyx nearly closed; basin rather deep, somewhat furrowed; flesh whitish or a little yellow, fine-grained, rather crisp, sprightly subacid to acid.  Ripe October to April.  Listed in catalogs in MD, VA, KY, TX 1897-1910.

Clayton Indiana, 1860  Supposedly of Indiana origin but sold by six southern nurseries. 

Tree moderately productive and bears early.

Fruit large, roundish conical, flattened on the ends; skin greenish yellow covered with stripes and splashes of dull red’ dots minute, scattered; stem medium length, stout, in a wide, deep, acute, waxy, green cavity; calyx closed; basin narrow and abrupt; flesh yellow, crisp, subacid.  Ripens late and keeps until January or later.  Catalog listings; MD, VA, GA, TN, KY (1871-1913)

Cloud South Carolina, 1850 A South Carolina apple sold by a Georgia nursery in 1861.  Fruit oblate, red striped, subacid.  Ripe Winter.

Ladys Finger  Ireland, 1800’s  A markedly oblong dessert apple.

Magnolia Tennessee, 1870  Apples were sent to Charles Downing before 1878 by the prominent Tennessee nurseryman J.W. Dodge. 

Fruit large, roundish oblate, somewhat conical; skin yellow striped and splashed with red.  Flesh yellow, slightly coarse, juicy, slightly aromatic.  Ripe December-January.  No catalog listings.

Poorhouse  Tennessee, 1860  (Suwannee, Winter Green, Winter Queen)  From an 1895 letter to the USDA written by B.A. Craddock, Curve, Lauderdale County, Tennessee; “Originated in Sumner County, Tennessee, as an accidental seedling found on the grounds of the poorhouse.  It was first propagated by Dr. Bains of Haywood County to which county he brought five scions about 1860 and grafted a few trees for his own planting.  The fruit ripens in late autumn and keeps better than Ben Davis.  Some specimens weigh one and a half pounds.  Baskets of the fruit often average one pound to the apple.  The tree is a heavy, annual bearer and holds its fruit well.”

The poorhouse was grown mostly in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia as a high quality apple for both market and home use.  In 1920 it was sold by a Georgia nursery under the name Suwannee.

Fruit large, roundish to slightly oblate; skin pale yellowish green to yellow with numerous russet dots’ stem short in a narrow, deep, russeted cavity’ basin medium size, abrupt; flesh yellowish, compact, moderately juicy, mild subacid.  Ripe November-February but keep much longer in good storage.  Catalog listings: GA, TN, KY (1893-1920)

Taunton Georgia or Alabama, 1840  This fine, high flavored apple was sold for forty years by Georgia nurseries and by several nurseries in other southern states as well.  Its origin is unknown but is believed to be either Georgia or Alabama.  The tree is an open, straggling grower which requires careful pruning, and it bears heavy annual crops.

Fruit large, roundish to oblate, conical skin greenish yellow striped and splashed with red especially on the sunny side (some references day a red cheek, others say the fruit is mostly red); dots large, light colored; stem long and slender in a deep, acute, russeted cavity; calyx closed; basin usually shallow an slightly corrugated; flesh whitish (also described as yellow) tender, juicy, aromatic, acid when grown on rich clay soils but less acid and of higher flavor on sandy loams.  Ripe September and keeps until November.  Catalog listings: VA, GA, AL, MS, LA, KY, TX (1858-1898).

Wallace Howard Georgia, 1870  Originated from seed by Robert Boatman, Dillon, Walker county, GA and first described as Boatman’s Seedling.  It was afterwards called Wallace Howard by the Atlanta Pomological Society in honor of Reverend Wallace Howard of Georgia.

In Apples of New York S. A. Beach describes it as tested at the Geneva Station as “lacking character” and did not recommend it for planting in New York, but also stated that as grown in the South it has been called “a magnificent fruit of best quality” and “one of the finest apples cultivated in that region”.

How to order Benchgrafts, Scionwood, and Budwood

For benchgraft trees, click to help you decide what rootstock to order

Note:  Utmost care is taken to make sure the variety you receive is properly labeled.  Should it fruit out and prove to be a different variety, we will be happy to either refund your money or ship a different variety, either in budwood/scionwood or benchgraft, depending on the season. 

However, you may decide that you really like the variety that was mislabeled anyway, in which case we will do what we can to help you to identify the variety.

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