Apple Trees

Info

The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The tree is small and deciduous, reaching 8 to 20 ft tall. The leaves are alternately arranged 5 to 12 cm long and 3 to 6 centimeters broad. Blossoms are produced in spring simultaneously with the budding of the leaves. The flowers are white with a pink tinge that gradually fades. The fruit matures in autumn.

The tree originated from Asia, where its wild ancestor is still found today. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples resulting in range of desired characteristics. It should be noted however, that cultivars vary in their yield and the ultimate size of the tree, even when grown on the same rootstock.

Apples can be canned, juiced, and fermented to produce apple juice, cider, and vinegar to name a few. Apple wine, apple butter, and apple jelly can also be made. Apples are an important ingredient in many desserts and are often eaten baked or stewed; puréed apples are generally known as apple sauce.

Varieties

  • Arkansas Black

    Late Season. Extremely beautiful, medium size, smooth, round, dark, purplish-red fruits that turn black at maturity. Waxy skin. Crisp, juicy, very firm, yellow flesh. Distinctive aromatic flavor. Very good quality. Requires cross-pollination. Excellent keeper; mellows in storage. Large, vigorous tree.

  • Cameo

    Mid Season. Medium to large, cone-shaped fruit with a bright red stripe over a creamy background. Super sweet and very crunchy. Thin skinned. Fast growing, highly productive tree. Self-fertile. Good pollinator.

  • Fuji

    Mid Season. High quality apple with reddish-pink color. Tall, rectangular, medium size fruit. Crisp, juicy, slightly subacid, white flesh with outstanding texture. Vigorous, productive, somewhat bushy tree. Requires cross-pollination.

  • Gala

    Early Season. Heavy red striping on golden skin gives it a red-orange color. Crisp, dense flesh. Fine flavor for a Golden; subacid or semi-sweet. Excellent quality. Large, vigorous tree. Some self-fertile characteristics, but requires cross-pollination.

  • Golden Delicious

    Mid Season. Generally large, conic, golden yellow fruit. Firm, crisp, juicy flavorful flesh. Mild, sweet, distinctive flavor. High quality; all purpose. Medium tall, moderately vigorous, round-headed tree. Bears very young and annually if properly thinned. Self-fertile. Ideal pollinator.

  • Granny Smith

    Late Season. Large, waxy, grass-green fruit; firm and bruise resistant. Hardy, crisp, juicy, white flesh. Moderately sweet, snappy flavor. Superb eating and cooking qualities. Very vigorous; annual and early bearing. Very heavy producer. Self-fertile.

  • Jonathan

    Late Season. Medium to large, almost round fruit. Highly colored in sunny climates; striped red in cool climates. Thin, tough skin. Fine, juicy flesh. Sprightly, subacid flavor. This tree is a naturally small, moderate grower that bears young, annually and heavily. Self-fertile, but crops are improved with cross pollination.

  • McIntosh

    Late Season. Medium to large, bright or dark red fruit; variable size. Very tender, thin skin. Subacid, sweet, crisp, white flesh. Tart, spicy flavor; delicious aroma. Makes an aromatic cider. Large, vigorous, productive, tree bears young, annually and abundantly. Self-fertile.

  • Mollie Delicious

    Early Season. Attractive, large fruit with unique, slightly conic shape. Light yellow background about half covered with red blush. Snappy, high quality flesh. Good, very distinctive flavor. Vigorous, productive tree. Requires cross-pollination. Some disease resistance.

  • Mutsu

    Late Season. Large, round, yellow fruit. Crunchier flesh; more juice and tartness. Distinctive, delicate, spicy flavor. Extra good for cider. Large, spreading, vigorous tree; reliable, annual, early producer. Requires cross-pollination.

  • Red Delicious

    Mid Season. Most widely grown apple in the U.S. Large, waxy, dark red fruit. Fine grained, tender, crisp, juicy flesh. Mild flavor; pleasing aroma. High yielding, fast growing tree. Tends to produce full crops every other year unless properly thinned. Needs full sun all day for best fruit production. Requires cross-pollination.

  • Stayman Winesap

    Late Season. Medium to large, roundish to cone-shaped fruit. Dull red bloom over greenish base; striped red in less highly colored fruit. Firm, tender, juicy, yellowish flesh. Tart, rich wine-like flavor. Medium to large, moderately vigorous tree. Early, abundant bearer. Requires cross-pollination.

  • Yellow Delicious

    Late Season. Large, tapered, conical fruit with golden yellow skin, sometimes blushed with rose. Crisp, aromatic, white flesh. Unusually fine, sweet flavor. Very vigorous tree bears quite young and heavily. Self-fruitful. Excellent pollinator for other apples.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Preparing the Hole

    Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.

  2. Placing Your Tree

    Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree's root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don't dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2") higher than ground level because of possible setting.

  3. Filling the Hole

    Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don't plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.

  4. Mulching

    Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

  5. Watering

    Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.