Description
In a 7 gallon container
Key Characteristics
- Fruit: Medium to large, with a slightly flattened, ribbed, and irregular shape. Skin is thin, pale green to yellow, with red-orange stripes.
- Harvest Time: Early season (summer), with fruit ripening over several weeks.
- Tree Size: Standard trees can reach 12-15 ft, though dwarf/semi-dwarf varieties are commonly available (8-12 ft).
- Taste: Exceptionally flavorful, with a "honey-like" sweet-tart profile.
- Pollination: Triploid variety. It does not produce pollen for other trees and requires two other compatible, early-blooming apple varieties (like Golden Delicious or Gala) nearby to set fruit.
Growing Requirements & Care
- Zones: Extremely hardy, suitable for zones 3 through 9.
- Soil: Thrives in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 - 7.0.
- Water: Needs regular watering (12-15 gallons/week in summer) for best production.
- Pruning: Annual winter pruning is recommended to manage shape and remove dead wood.
- Ripening Indicator: When the apples turn yellow-green with red, and start to drop, they are ready to harvest.
- Common Issues & Usage Storage: Poor storage life; best consumed within a couple of weeks of harvest.
- Uses: Known as one of the best baking, cooking, and cider apples.
- Growth Rate: Moderate; bears fruit in 3-5 years.