100+ Heirloom Apples to Try Before You Die

Heirloom apples are full of flavor, and many of these antique varieties are still available from small-scale growers.  If you love apples as much as I do, you’re going to want to try (and maybe even grow) as many of these antique apple varieties as you can in the time you have on this earth.  Each has its own unique flavor profile, and you just can’t get apples like these at any corner grocery store! 

 

Heirloom apples are some of our favorite crops here on the homestead, and every year, we try new varieties and consider adding them to our orchard. At this point, we’ve tried at least a hundred different heirloom apple varieties, and I’m finding more every day.

We grow around 30 different varieties of heirloom apples here on our 30 acres in Vermont, many of which are incredibly hard to find unless you grow them yourself.

Still, there are a number of amazing heirloom orchards keeping their antique apple varieties alive, and there’s a good chance there’s one near where you live if you look hard enough.  I asked Morgan Hyde, a former reference librarian, for a bit of help researching the origins of many of these amazing heirloom apple varieties. 

Her work will take you through everything you need to know about these varieties, from their history, to their pollination requirements and chill hours.  The tasting notes, however, are my own…and I’m still working through these juicy little beauties, crossing at least a few off my list every year.  

Please let me know your favorite heirloom apple varieties in the comments! 

(This article is written by Morgan Hyde, a former reference librarian from Arizona. Working for the library refined her passion for learning and deep research—a passion that began in her rural AZ upbringing and continues in her work as a writer and editor. If it’s something she can do on her own, it’s something wants know about.)

What Are Heirloom Apples?

You’ll likely see heirloom apples popping up in your local farmer’s markets or in gift baskets from friends with their own trees. But what makes an apple an heirloom variety? The answer is a little different depending on who you ask.

By most definitions, the apples you find at major grocery stores aren’t heirlooms. Every other apple you encounter potentially is. The reason for this comes down to how commercial apples are grown. Their varieties have been selected to produce consistency in size, color, shape, and storage life. Unfortunately, they weren’t selected for taste, which is why current-day store-bought apples don’t have the same wealth of flavor as they did in the past.

Heirloom varieties, on the other hand, are “open-pollinated.” Meaning the apples on one tree might have been cross-pollinated with another variety. Open pollinating causes significantly less consistency in size and color, and many apples will grow in an odd shape. The benefit of this system? Significantly better taste! Plus, greater variety in uses for the apples: some have longer storage lives, some are more resistant to diseases, some are better for cider, and some are perfect for canning and baking.

With commercial, hybrid seeds and saplings beginning to be widely distributed in 1945, you can guarantee any apple varieties that were discovered before this year are heirlooms. When you bite into one, you’re tasting almost a hundred years of loving cultivation.

List of Heirloom Apple Varieties

I’ve organized this list of heirloom apple varieties from A to Z, including information on their flavor, growth characteristics, and hardiness. To see the names organized by growing zones, jump to the end of this article.

If you have a favorite variety that I’ve missed, please leave me a note in the comments.  I always love to find new apples!

Allington Pippin

Originally bred in 1884 by crossing the Cox’s Orange Pippin and the King of the Pippin varieties, the Allington Pippin is a treat to grow! Considered a dessert apple, it holds up well when baked or cooked into a variety of dishes.

With a tart flavor that’s reminiscent of pineapple, Allington Pippins are a delight just to bite into. They’re juicy and sweeter after they’ve been in cold storage for about a month. Once they’ve sweetened, you’ll want to use them fast, though—they’ll start to turn on you by the end of their 2nd month.

Choosing a cross-pollinator for the Allington Pippin isn’t hard—and it technically doesn’t need one. Among the few self-pollinating apple trees available, Allington Pippins will produce quietly on their own. But given a boost of pollen from a neighbor and it’ll take off! The hardest part of growing an Allington Pippin will be thinning your produce and waiting until the end of the season to harvest.

• Origin: England in 1884
• Color: Yellowish Green with Red Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Russet Patches
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical
• Flavor: Sweet-Tart Flavor with Acid Undertones
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, Cooking, and Sauces
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid to Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Ananas Reinette

There’s some debate over the origin of the Ananas Reinette—some evidence shows it may have been discovered in France in the 1500s, but the only clear documentation shows it originating in the Netherlands in 1821. In either case, it’s an heirloom for sure!

Nice and crisp, with a fine grain inside, biting into an Ananas Reinette is a delight! While you can eat it directly from the tree, many growers state that leaving it in cold storage for 3-4 weeks is necessary for the fruit to fully ripen. Following this advice does allow the pineapple notes in the apple to grow stronger. And there’s no fear of leaving them for too long—Ananas Reinettes will keep in cold storage for up to four months.

Anyone with a small yard might want to consider growing Ananas Reinettes. While they are self-sterile and will require a cross-pollinator, the tree tends towards dwarfism and won’t grow to the same heights as other trees. It can be difficult to get a young sapling to put out fruit, but after the first fruits appear, you’ll find apples growing on it annually.

• Origin: France in the 1500s
• Color: Green with vague Yellow Stripes
• Skin: Profuse Russet Speckles
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Rounded to Conical and Lopsided
• Flavor: Sharply Sweet with Pineapple Notes
• Uses: Fresh eating, Juice, Cooking, and Sauce
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000 plus

Api Etoile (Star Lady)

As with many heirloom varieties, the longer they’ve been around, the less clear it is where they came from. Api Etioles began to be documented in Europe in the 1600s. It made its way to England (and eventually America) by being popularized as a table decoration—it looks like a rounded star from above. You can consider it both delicious and elegant!

Biting into an Api Etoile, you’ll find a fine grain and a taste that’s both sweet and tart. The taste is stronger when it’s fresh and it mellows out the longer it’s in storage—many growers say these apples are best for desserts after they’ve mellowed. Api Etoile’s are aromatic and are an excellent choice for ciders.

Easy to grow, it’s still important to remember that the branches of this tree are brittle. Once fruit begins to appear, you’ll need to either thin your harvest or support the branches to prevent them from breaking.  

• Origin: Switzerland or Italy in the 1600s
• Color: Yellow with Orange and Red Flushes
• Skin: Thick and Waxy
• Size: Under 2 inches
• Shape: Five Rounded Sides, Star-Like
• Flavor: Sweet to Tart and Aromatic
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, and Sauce
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Arkansas Black

Arkansas Black apples enjoyed great popularity toward the end of the 19th century. Discovered sometime between 1840 to 1879 (with a few different origin stories to its name) in Arkansas, it was the top grown apple in the state by 1909. Unfortunately, most of the trees were wiped out by a codling moth infestation and the advent of the Great Depression meant the population never recovered. You can still find and enjoy it today as an American Heirloom variety!

If you like highly tart apples, you might enjoy eating an Arkansas Black apple fresh. It does tend to be hard when first harvested, but will soften in taste and crunch when stored for a long while. Arkansas Blacks have a spicy aroma that makes for unique ciders and delicious sauces.

Best suited to regions with longer growing periods and clement weather, the Arkansas Black apple is a tall tree with long, slender limbs. It produces fruit biennially, so if you’re looking for something for a small farm, this might not be the tree for you.

• Origin: Arkansas in the 1800s
• Color: Yellow with Dark Red and Purple (almost black) Flushes
• Skin: Small Lenticels, Glossy
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical
• Flavor: Tart with a Spicy Aroma
• Uses: Cider, Fresh Eating, Sauces, and Cooking
• Season: Late October to Early November
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 500 to 600

Ashmead’s Kernel

Originating in the 1700’s, this small, misshapen apple isn’t much to look at, but looks can be deceiving.  It’s one of the prized varieties from the old world that colonists intentionally brought to the new world.  It’s been popular for centuries and remains one of the most popular heirloom apple varieties in traditional orchards today.

While it’s not the prettiest apple, the flavor is outstanding.  It’s crisp and flavorful as a fresh-eating apple but also works well in pie and cider.  It’s an excellent keeping apple, perfect for fresh eating months after harvest.

We have several of these trees on our homestead, and they’re notoriously tricky to grow.  They’re late to bear, and then when they do, crops can be spotty.  Orchardists still aren’t quite sure what varieties are best to cross-pollinate this tricky variety, so they’re best grown by people with quite a few apple trees nearby.

• Origin: England in the Early 1700’s
• Color: Green, with a Red/Yellow Blush
• Skin: Slightly Russet
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Irregular
• Flavor: Aromatic, Crisp, and Sweet
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juicing, Hard Cider, and Baking
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: 3 months on average, but up to 5 with ideal conditions
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Baldwin

Discovered growing on an abandoned farm, tucked between the house and a barn, the Baldwin apple likely has been around for longer than we know. A cutting was gifted to Colonel Loammi Baldwin in the late 19th century who popularized it by gifting further cuttings to his neighbors. The Baldwin apple population was almost wiped out by a freeze in 1934 and was widely replaced by the McIntosh apple, a cold hearty variety.

Describing a Baldwin apple can be difficult as multiple variants have been recorded within the same strains. According to the standard for them, though, you can expect them to have a high sugar content, be sweet, juicy, and exceptionally firm. With thick, tough skin, they aren’t the best for fresh eating. But they cook well and hold their shape wonderfully in pies. Some growers report these apples are at their best after 2 months in cold storage.

Growing a Baldwin apple isn’t particularly difficult—they’re vigorous and will spread out quickly. However, it’s difficult to get a young tree to bear fruit for the first time. Technically listed as a biennial tree, you may still have a few apples on the tree during “off years” which may last one to two years between large harvests.

• Origin: Massachusetts in 1740
• Color: Yellow with Red Mottling and Dark Red Stripes
• Skin: Tough with Lenticel towards the Base
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical and Highly Irregular
• Flavor: Sugary and Juicy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauces, Jellies, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Beauty of Bath

One of the first commercial apples, the Beauty of Bath was originally cultivated near the town of Bath in England in 1864. However, as grocery markets and stores began to favor foods with longer shelf lives, it fell out of favor. Today, picking a Beauty of Bath apple from the tree is one of the best ways to celebrate the beginning of the apple season.

If you aren’t familiar with Beauty of Bath apples, you might be in for a rude shock when you first pick one—until they’re completely ripened, they’re extremely tart! Waiting for them to ripen can be tricky, though, as the tree tends to drop many of its fruits before they mature. Easily bruised and becoming mealier each day they’re off the tree, you’ll want to eat these straight away! Some growers report success in making sauces from the tiny apples—they’re sweet and flavorful.

Beauty of Bath trees aren’t known for being cold hardy. Nor are they known for producing apples quickly once saplings have begun to mature. However, if you have the right environment and a good amount of patience, you’ll find them producing nice, consistent crops each year.

• Origin: England in 1864
• Color: Yellow with Pink to Red Blushes
• Skin: Occasional Russet Patches
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Rounded and Flattened
• Flavor: Tart or Sweet
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Sauce
• Season: August
• Storage Life: Does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Belle de Boskoop

Originally a bud mutation discovered on a tree in a nursery in the Netherlands, it’s a little unclear how Belle de Boskoop apples managed to stick around long enough for them to become popular. But popular they are! One of the best apples around for cooking and ciders, it’s highly sought after for its strong, tart flavor.

Unlike many of the apples on this list, Belle de Boskoop apples actually change color in storage, becoming redder as time passes. Like many apples, though, it also becomes sweeter! So if you’re hoping to keep the Belle de Boskoop’s signature tartness, use it early.

You’ll find that Belle de Boskoops live up to their heritage and do best in colder climates. They produce heavily and are a great choice for those looking for more apple for their tree. However, Belle de Boskoops do have a tendency to become biennial, though it isn’t always clear why.

• Origin: Netherlands in 1856
• Color: Green with some Red Blushes
• Skin: Rough with Large Russet Patches
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Slightly Conical, Lumpy, and some Ribbing
• Flavor: Fruity, Tangy, and Aromatic
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Ciders, Cooking, and Sauces
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Bethel

Bethel apples have an origin story that reads almost like a fairytale or a myth. In 1855, while making his way back to his home in Vermont after being kidnapped and brought to Quebec, David Stone happened upon a cidery. Foraging from the apple trees there, he found the flavor so delightful that he stored some of the seeds in a bag and planted them around his home in Bethel, Vermont. It’s believed the apples he’d eaten were open pollinated Blue Pearmains that had formed a new variety.

Prized in the 19th century for its cider-making qualities, Bethel apples still enjoy that same enthusiasm today among the New England states. Coarse-grained interiors with thick, tough skins make Bethel apples a bit difficult to eat fresh. But if you’re looking for a good all-around apple, you can’t go wrong with Bethel’s!

One of the easier apple trees to grow and cultivate on this list, Behel trees are vigorous, produce apples while young and produce them heavily every year. The most difficult thing you might encounter with them is finding scion wood or grafted saplings—check with nurseries that specialize in heritage varieties.

• Origin: Vermont in 1855
• Color: Yellow with extensive Red Blushes and Stripes
• Skin: Thick with Large Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Conical, and Irregular
• Flavor: Dry yet Flavorful
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauces, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Binet Rouge

Noted in 1873 as an ancient cider apple, we’re not entirely sure when the Binet Rouge began to be cultivated in France. But we do know one thing—there has only ever been one purpose for the Binet Rouge, and that’s cider making.

You’ll find the Binet Rouge produces a bittersweet and aromatic juice that’s excellent for making either cider or brandy. It doesn’t store well and should either be pressed or sweated immediately after harvesting. The apples tend to be hard and aren’t suited for fresh eating, nor do they hold up well under cooking. Truly a one-purpose apple.  

Binet Rouges flower for longer than average, making them an excellent pollinating pair for other apple trees. If you’re only mildly interested in cider making, it tends to provide heavy harvests every other year. One of the best cider apple trees to grow in cold climates, you’ll want to avoid planting this tree if you’re in an area with regular high winds or droughts.

• Origin: Normandy, France
• Color: Greenish-Yellow with Red Blushes
• Skin: Small Grey Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Flattened, Round Middle, and Ribbing
• Flavor: Sweet, Slightly Bitter, and Dry
• Uses: Cider and Pollinating
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Sweats for up to 3 weeks, does not do well in storage
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: About 600

Black Gilliflower

Unsurprisingly for many of the apples on this list, we’re not sure how the Black Gilliflower came to be. It was widely known by settlers in Connecticut in the early 1700s and they brought cultivars of it with them as they began to spread out along the south. 

Also known as Sheep’s Nose apples from their conical and oblong shape, Black Gilliflowers are highly versatile. Useful in everything from pies to applesauce, they hold their shape well and provide a flavor similar to ripe pears. They’re best for fresh eating immediately from the tree as they’ll begin to dry out in storage—by the end of a month, they’ll be too dry to make eating them worth it.

Black Gilliflowers will start to produce fruit while they’re young and so are a great choice for people just starting out. While they have a wide range of hardiness zones they’re suited to, humid and warm climates will serve them best.

• Origin: Connecticut in the 1700s
• Color: Yellow with a Red to Purple Wash
• Skin: Thick, Smooth, with Russet Dots
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Oblong, Conical, Ribbed, and Lopsided
• Flavor: Tangy and Aromatic, Dry when Overripe
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauces, Cooking, Juices, and Jellies
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Black Oxford

Today you’ll still be able to find Black Oxford apples growing in abundance in Maine. Discovered in that same state in 1790, it has enjoyed quiet popularity in that locality for hundreds of years.

You’ll enjoy eating this apple straight from the tree, though leaving it in storage for a few months will help sweeten it. Perfect for making pink applesauce (if you cook it with the skins) you’ll also find Black Oxfords make wonderful dried apple rings. They hold up in pies, desserts, and can be pressed into a cider. Almost any way you slice them, you probably won’t go wrong!

Black Oxfords aren’t difficult to grow. They do need a different variety nearby for pollinating purposes, but are otherwise vigorous trees. The only thing to consider before planting one, is that they are biennial and will only produce every other year.

• Origin: Maine in 1790
• Color: Yellow with an extensive Red Wash and a Black Bloom
• Skin: Many Russet Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round to Round-Conical
• Flavor: Sweet, a Little Tart, and Juicy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Drying, and Ciders
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Blenheim Orange

Yet another apple tree discovered tucked against a building, the Blenheim Orange is notable for having been found growing next to Blenheim Palace (the birthplace of Winston Churchill), in 1740. Originally called the Kempster Pippin after the basket weaver who found it, the Blenheim Orange was renamed and popularized in 1804.

Good for all uses, you’ll enjoy cooking with or biting into a Blenheim Orange. It’s a preferred baking apple in England, but it should be noted the apples will lose their shape as they’re cooked. One of the sweetest apples on this list, it comes with hints of a nutty flavor to it.

Growing a Blenheim Orange is a labor of love. It needs to be almost 10 years old before you’ll see any fruit forming on the branches. It has a tendency toward biennial growth but can be pruned and trained into an annual. Though the apples it grows would prefer to have more branches—they grow singly instead of in clusters.

• Origin: Oxfordshire, England in 1740
• Color: Yellow with Orange-Red Stripes
• Skin: Dull with Russet Spots and Patches
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round and Flattened
• Flavor: Very Sweet with a Nutty Flavor
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, and Cooking
• Season: Mid to Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800

Blue Pearmain

Perhaps one of the most common heirloom apples to come across today, Blue Pearmains once enjoyed widespread delight. Discovered in New England sometime in the 1700s, by the 1800s they were commonly grown for ciders, among other delights.

Tasty and firm, biting into a Blue Pearmain is a treat—you’ll find a blend of sweet, tart, and spicy flavors waiting for you. Useful in baking, cooking, and of course in ciders, Blue Pearmains are extremely popular amongst hobbyists.

Slow to fruit and with inconsistent crops, the Blue Pearmain isn’t the right choice for you if you’re hoping to harvest well from it. It does need a pollinating partner from a different variety to bear fruit, but I was unable to find any research or stories about how those partners affect the harvest yield.

• Origin: New England in the 1700s
• Color: Green with a Dark Red Blush and a Blue Bloom
• Skin: Rough with Numerous Russet Spots
• Size: 2 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened to Conical with Faint Ribbing
• Flavor: Spicy, Sweet, and Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Jellies, Sauces, Ciders, and Cooking
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Bramley’s Seedling

Discovered in England sometime between 1809 and 1813 and eventually gifted to Henry Merriweather, the Bramley’s Seedling had a quiet beginning. Henry Merriweather then began to promote Bramley’s Seedling apples, causing them to become a staple in the region.

A highly tart apple, many people find that eating it fresh off the tree is like biting into a lemon. Leaving it in cold storage for a month will help sweeten it, but the lemony flavor will remain. Outside of fresh eating, Bramley’s Seedlings are excellent for cider, pies, and cooking in general. Applesauce made from this apple turns out golden and very fluffy.

Bramley’s Seedlings are vigorous and easy to grow. Every year they’ll bear heavy crops—so be prepared for a vigorous harvest season! They are triploids, so you’ll likely need to pair them with a couple pollinators, preferably with one that’s self-fertile.

• Origin: Nottinghamshire, England in 1809
• Color: Green with Broken Brown-Red Stripes
• Skin: Raised Dark Lenticels
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened, 5 Crowning Knobs, Ribbed, and Lopsided
• Flavor: Tart, Juicy, with a Lemony Flavor
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Pie, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Brettacher

Discovered by chance on a farm in Germany, sometime in the 1900s, the Brettacher apple isn’t well known in America. This likely is due to its narrow hardiness zones: Brettacher apples only are viable in zones 4 and 5.

You can make an enjoyable, tart juice or cider from pressing Brettacher apples. Generally, they’re at their best after 2 months in cold storage, but there’s nothing stopping you from eating them straight off the tree. They are very large apples, so be prepared to have a lot to work with!

A solid apple producer, Brettacher trees are fairly low-maintenance. Every 2 to 3 years you’ll want to heavily prune them to promote continuous growth. It’s possible that Brettachers are triploids and will do best when a few different trees are nearby.

• Origin: Germany in the 1900s
• Color: Greenish-Yellow with a Red Wash
• Skin: Greasy at Maturity
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round with Angular Faces
• Flavor: Slightly Tart, Juicy, and Spicy
• Uses: Juice, Cider, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 5
• Pollination Requirement: Potentially Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Calville Blanc d’Hiver

We know that the Calville Blanc d’Hiver was being grown and cultivated in Europe by the late 1500s—particularly in France—and is believed to have originated in Switzerland. It’s commonly said they were planted in King Louis XIII’s gardens at Versailles and are featured as one of the apple varieties in Monet’s “Apples and Grapes” painting.

A squat apple, Calville Blanc d’Hivers aren’t known for having the smooth, glossy skin common among many apples. Neither do they taste purely like an apple—they have distinct notes of banana present. Used almost exclusively in making traditional French apple tarts, they hold up well when cooked. Also excellent for ciders and fresh eating, you’ll likely want to store them for a month to bring out their full flavor.

Willowy limbs will help keep Calville Blanc d’Hiver apples low to the ground for easy picking. They are self-sterile trees and will need a nearby pollinator to produce. But they will produce young and steadily. Viable in hardiness zones down to zone 5, Calville Blanc d’Hiver will do best in environments with long and hot summers.

• Origin: Europe in the 1500s
• Color: Dull Green and Yellow with a Red Blush
• Skin: Thin Russet Patches and Brown Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: 5 Crowned, Misshapen, with Angular Faces
• Flavor: Sweet, Aromatic, with Hints of Bananas
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juice, Cider, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000

Chenango Strawberry

We don’t know which tree(s) we have to thank for producing the Chenango Strawberry apple. Early reports of it being cultivated and grown in a few areas near the heart of New York began appearing in the late 1800s. But it was certainly around longer than that.

Perfect as a home garden tree, you’ll enjoy picking fruit from it for a long time during its harvesting season. Some reports indicate the apples don’t store well, and others say they’ll keep for up to two months. Whether eaten fresh or made into delicate sauces, you’ll enjoy the sweet taste and aroma of strawberries in the Chenango Strawberry apple!

A medium tree, it won’t take up too much space in your yard (though it will need a pollinator pair nearby). Chenango Strawberries are high maintenance and will require regular, vigorous pruning to keep their harvests full and annual.

• Origin: New York in the 1800s
• Color: Yellowish with Crimson Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Smooth
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Long, Conical, and Ribbed
• Flavor: Juicy, Aromatic, with Hints of Strawberry
• Uses: Sauces and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-August
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 400

Chestnut Crab

Developed by the University of Minnesota in 1946 and given the rather boring name of Minnesota 240, there are certainly people out there who will debate whether this apple belongs on a list about heirloom varieties. Despite having been cultivated by a research department, you’ll find there’s a lot to love about the Chestnut Crab!

First, the flavor: sweeter than most crabapples, Chestnut Crabs are nutty and have hints of pear, honey, and occasionally vanilla. They’re incredibly complex for being about the size of a ping-pong ball. Second, harvest: with large harvests, you can easily sit outside and snack on them for hours. Third, uses: you can use those large harvests to turn them into jellies or ciders.

Chestnut Crabs are incredible pollen producers and would make an excellent pairing choice. Some people choose to grow them ornamentally (though they’re messy if you’re not willing to harvest the apples). Many others, however, have started to use them to reclaim and revitalize wild spaces—they’re vigorous trees able to grow well in difficult conditions and produce enough fruit to help feed nearby wildlife.

• Origin: University of Minnesota in 1946
• Color: Bronze with Red Stripes
• Skin: Russetted
• Size: About 1 inch
• Shape: Round to Flattened
• Flavor: Slightly Tart with Hints of Pear, Honey, and Nuts
• Uses: Pollination, Ciders, Jellies, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800

Claygate Pearmain

Discovered in 1821 by the same man that happened upon the Braddick’s Nonpareil, the Claygate Pearmain was a favorite apple tree in Edwardian and Victorian gardens. Awarded multiple high merits by the Royal Horticultural Society in the early 1900s, it nevertheless began to go out of production and eventually was considered lost. Re-discovered in Australia in 2000, Claygate Pearmains have begun to make a comeback.

With hints of pineapple and a sweet, nutty flavor, Claygate Pearmains are delicious eating apples, though perhaps with rougher skin than usual thanks to their russeting. Because of the russeting and lower storage life, Claygate Pearmains have found their niche as a fresh eating species.

Claygate Pearmains are a vigorous, easy to grow species. They provide a large harvest every year and are actually well-suited to being trained to grow on a trellis. If you need something to grow close to a wall, this may be the tree for you!

• Origin: England in 1821
• Color: Greenish with an Orange-Gray Flush
• Skin: Silvery Scales and Russeting
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Oblong to Conical
• Flavor: Sweet, Nutty, with Hints of Pineapple
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Cornish Gilliflower

Found accidentally growing in a cottage’s garden in the early years of the 1800s, the Cornish Gilliflower was popularized by Sir Christopher Hawkins. Named after the Gilliflower (a flower that smells of cloves), the Cornish Gilliflower has maintained its popularity on multiple continents.

Similar to the flower of the same name, Cornish Gilliflowers smell like cloves and honeyed melon when you cut them open. A bit dry, but very sweet, they’re suited to making pies, ciders, desserts, and are good to cook with.

As versatile as the Cornish Gilliflower is, it does have a reputation for being difficult to grow, and even grown well it produces light crops. It prefers marine environments with high humidity, warm summers, and mild winters. Trellising is an option and may actually be preferred for encouraging stable growth.

• Origin: England in the early 1800s
• Color: Green with a Red Blush
• Skin: Rough with Russet Spots and Patches
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Irregular, Ribbed, and Long-Conical
• Flavor: Dry, Sweet, and smells like Clove and Melon
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, and Cider
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Unknown—likely a low chill variety

Cortland

Developed at the Cornell Experimental Station in Geneva, NY, the Cortland apple is perhaps the most commercial heirloom variety on this list. A cross between a McIntosh and a Ben Davis, they’re favored by commercial and home gardeners alike for their ease of harvest, cold resistance, and long storage life.

Cortland apples have a complex flavor to them that includes both floral hints and the scent of white wine. Highly prized for fresh eating, they’re also great in ciders, baked goods, and make excellent dried apple rings.

Capable of withstanding temperatures down to negative 30 degrees, the Cortland apple tends to be a bit precocious in its fruit production. Given proper care, it will produce good harvests every year. However, the apples will need to be picked manually as they ripen at different stages and will remain on the tree after ripening.

• Origin: New York in 1898
• Color: Yellow with Red Washes and Stripes
• Skin: Speckled with Gray Russeting
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Oblate
• Flavor: Sweet to Tart with Hints of Roses, Strawberries, and White Wine
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Drying, Cider, and Cooking
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months in cold storage
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Court Pendu Plat

A delicious fresh eating apple, the Court Pendu Plat bears the distinction of having been once listed among the top 10 favorite dessert apples in England during the Victorian era. However, it’s been around for even longer—first documented in Normandy during the 1400s, it’s thought the Court Pendu Plat existed during the Roman Empire.

Known as a dessert apple, it’s very sweet yet still rich in flavor. It won’t hold up well when baked or cooked but will provide plenty of sugar and a touch of aniseed to anything they’re added to. Leaving them in storage will cause them to sweeten further—so if you prefer tart apples, this may not be the one for you.

Growing a Court Pendu Plat is relatively easy and it does particularly well in areas hit by late frosts. If you’re looking for an apple tree that suits a small yard or that can be moved freely, this variety does well in pots and containers.

• Origin: France in the 1400s
• Color: Light Green with a Red-Orange Flush
• Skin: Light Brown Russeting
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Squat with a Round Middle
• Flavor: Very Fruity and Sweet with an Aniseed Aftertaste
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Likely 800, but not fully determined

Cox’s Orange Pippin

Raised by Richard Cox on his hobby farm in the 1830s, the Cox’s Orange Pippin came to be from an open pollinated Ribston Pippin Seed. When ripe, the apple seeds will loosen and begin to rattle around inside the core, making it easy to tell when harvesting can begin.

Tasty and complex, Cox’s Orange Pippins can have hints of pears, oranges, and even melons present when you bite into them. While well-suited for desserts due to their flavor, because they tend towards the smaller side, it can be time-consuming to process them. However, they make delicious preserves and make some of the best apple butters and jams you can find!

Not the easiest tree to grow, the Cox’s Orange Pippin is very particular about its growing conditions—anything less than ideal will cause it to produce small or no fruit. Dry climates suit it best, and it can also be trained on a trellis to save space.

• Origin: England in the 1830s
• Color: Golden Yellow with Orange Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Russet Lenticels near the Stem
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Conical
• Flavor: Sweet-tart, Spicy, with Hints of Orange, Pear, and Melon
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Canning, and Preserves
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800

Dabinett

Growing in the midst of a shrub, the Dabinett apple was only discovered by chance in the early 1900s. It has since become a staple crop for cider producers and can be found growing at almost every cidery in the world.

Considered to be a single-use apple, Dabinetts aren’t grown for any other purpose than cider. Growers and nurseries state it isn’t “favored” for any other use—which implies to me you can feel free to experiment with other ways to use it!

And you’ll likely want to experiment. Dabinetts produce heavy crops despite being a dwarf-sized tree and you can expect an annual harvest from it. It’s reported to be a bit precocious while growing, and may do best with a variety of apples nearby (though it is self-fertile). Be prepared to add potash to any Dabinetts in your yard to avoid potassium deficiency.

• Origin: England in the early 1900s
• Color: Greensh-Yellow with Crimson Stripes
• Skin: About 3 inches
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened
• Flavor: Bitter-Sweet and Aromatic
• Uses: Cider
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

D’Arcy Spice

A D’Arcy Spice seedling was found growing by chance on the grounds of Toleshunt D’Arcy Hall in 1785. Not the prettiest apple in the bushel, you’ll be surprised to find a complex and delicious taste waiting for you.

Sweet to tart in flavor, the D’Arcy Spice is at its best after a few weeks of storage. With a strong aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice, it’s easy to see why it’s a favorite for making desserts and juices. For those of you who enjoy russeting, you’ll also enjoy eating D’Arcy Spices on their own.  

Tolerant of poor soil and salty air, the D’Arcy Spice is suited to environments that aren’t typical for apple production. You’ll find it actually thrives best in sandy soil, hot summers, and requires plentiful sunshine in the summer and fall. It will need a different variety nearby, and it may be difficult to find a pair that can thrive in a similar setting.

• Origin: England in 1785
• Color: Bright Green with Brown to Red Flushes
• Skin: Ochre Russeting
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Oblong, Irregular, Ribbed, and 5 Crowned
• Flavor: Tart, Sweet, and Aromatic with Spicy Notes
• Uses: Desserts and Juices
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Dolgo Crab

Hailing from the Imperial Botanical Gardens in St. Petersburg, the Dolgo Crab began life as an open pollinated seedling of the Siberian Crabapple. With golf ball sized apples and a wealth of pollen, the Dolgo Crab has become popular among larger and more commercial orchards.

While many people use crabapples purely for pollination or ornamental purposes, you’ll find that the Dolgo Crab has a wealth of uses. Good for snacks on a hot day, Dolgo crabs are suited to canning to help them keep for longer as they don’t store well. Almost everything you make with this apple is going to turn a vibrant red—including jellies, sauces, juices, and even ciders!

Highly resistant to most apple diseases, you’ll find Dolgo Crabs easy to grow and very cold hardy. Dolgos will produce apples at a young age and early in the apple harvesting season. In milder years, the tiny apples will cling to the tree well into December and are a favorite winter snack for wildlife.

• Origin: Russia in 1897
• Color: Bright Red
• Skin: Heavy, Waxy Bloom
• Size: About 1 inch
• Shape: Round to Oval
• Flavor: Sweet-Tart, Acidic, and Cranberry-like
• Uses: Canning, Cider, Dessert, Jelly, Juice, Cooking, and Sauce
• Season: Late August to September
• Storage Life: Doesn’t Store Well
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 400

Duchess of Oldenburg

Named after the Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, Catherine Pavlovna, in the late 1700s, the apples have been a consistent orchard apple for generations. Cold hardy, Duchess of Oldenburg apples were considered a life saver by many orchardists living on the prairies.

Juicy and aromatic, the apples are delicious off the tree, if a little acidic. Leaving them in storage helps to mellow the taste, but you can’t leave them in storage for very long—at best, they’ll last a month before becoming mealy. Sauces, ciders, and dried apple rings are all preferred for the Duchess of Oldenburg over pies.

One of the few apple varieties that can be grown from seed, Duchess of Oldenburg apples grow into tall trees that reach up to 23 feet in height. Vigorous and cold hardy, they produce fruit early and annually—though you’ll get larger harvests every other year.

• Origin: Russia in the late 1700s
• Color: Greenish with a Bright Red Wash and Dark Stripes
• Skin: Well-Defined Russet Lenticels
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened, occasional Ribbing
• Flavor: Juicy, Refreshing, and Aromatic
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Cooking, Drying, and Sauces
• Season: Mid-August
• Storage Life: Up to 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Egremont Russet

Known to be growing on the estate of the Earl of Egremont in Sussex England by 1872, the Egremont Russet was a highly popular eating apple during the Victorian era. Described by lovers of the variety as being anything from a “muted gold” color to just “brown,” there’s a great deal this apple has to offer!

Nutty and sweet-tart with spicy to fruity hints, Egremont Russets are popular in salads and as a pairing with cheese (Brie cheese being the first choice). You can also try making cider with them, though it isn’t most people’s first choice. The best flavor comes out a few weeks after harvesting, but the apple only stores for about a month, so watch your eating window carefully!

Compact growers, Egremont Russets are a good choice for small farms and gardens—it can be trellised or potted if needed. However, it tends to be a bit precocious and it prefers temperate climates and lots of moisture. It is self-fertile, but may prefer to have other pollinators nearby.

• Origin: England in the 1800s
• Color: Olive Green with a Light Orange Blush
• Skin: Thick with Tan Lenticels and Rough, Brown Russeting
• Size: 1 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round but Irregular
• Flavor: Sweet, Tart, and Nutty with Hints of Clove and Pear
• Uses: Fresh Eating, and Ciders
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Esopus Spitzenburg

It’s rumored that the Esopus Spitzenburg was a favorite apple of Thomas Jefferson—and you’ll hear many nurseries and orchards report that rumor as fact! The former president was certainly a fan of dessert apples, but the Esopus Spitzenburgs planted at his Montecello gardens died before they reached maturity, and it’s unclear if he ever ate one. He may have planted it purely because it was a relatively new American apple variety, having only been discovered in the mid-1700s.

Useful for ciders, dried apple rings, and baked goods, the Esopus Spitzenburg is a well varied apple. However, it’s preferred use is for fresh eating—slices paired with aged cheddar cheese are a delightful appetizer! Perhaps for this reason, it regularly ranks highly in taste-testing competitions.

An easy grower, however, the Esopus Spitzenburg is not. Its branches are difficult to prune and it requires moist, highly fertile soil to grow well. Despite being hardy to zone 8 it was reported by William Coxe in his book “A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees and the Management of Orchards and Cider” to not do well south of the Hudson River. Additionally, it is a biennial producer and only provides a modest harvest during its productive years.

• Origin: New York in the mid-1700s
• Color: Yellow with Bright Red Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Russet Dots and Patches near the Stem
• Size: 2 to 4 inches
• Shape: Conical, Lightly Ribbed, and Irregular
• Flavor: Spicy, Sweet-tart, Aromatic, and Lemony
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauce, Cider, Drying, and Cooking
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 6 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 600

Fearn’s Pippin

Grown in a commercial orchard near London around 1780, the Fearn’s Pippin was extremely popular in Victorian England. Whether for its lovely taste, or its striking colors, you were guaranteed to find a Fearn’s Pippin on the dining table. They declined in popularity just before the 20th century began, but have found a small resurgence in recent years.

A classically shaped apple, Fearn’s Pippins are crisp and sharply sweet! When first pulled from the tree they have a mild lemon flavor. But over time they mellow out to something a bit more raspberry-like. Wonderful for pies or cooked into dinner dishes, you can count on these apples to bring sweetness to your recipes.

Growing to about medium-size for an apple tree, Fearn’s Pippins might be the right choice for a home garden when given a pollinating partner nearby to produce. You’ll find they produce well annually, and are generally said to be easy for beginners to grow.

• Origin: England in 1780
• Color: Greenish with Bright Red Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Grey Russet Patches
• Size: 1 to 3 inches
• Shape: Flattened and Round
• Flavor: Sweet and Sharp with Hints of Raspberry
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Baking, and Cooking
• Season: September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Flower of Kent

The Flower of Kent is simultaneously the most and least well-known apple still growing today. Originating from France sometime prior to 1629, the Flower of Kent holds the notoriety of being the apple variety that famously landed on Sir Isaac Newton’s head. You can still find grafts of the original tree in Kent to this day.

An irregularly shaped apple, Flower of Kents nonetheless have lovely bright red washes covering them. The flesh tends to be a little mealy and they aren’t generally eaten fresh. However, they make a wonderfully flavorful applesauce and are prized as cooking apples.

The Flower of Kent isn’t a great producer—its crops tend to be sparse. On top of that, your apples will likely need to be thinned each year to bring them up to size. As such, most people grow them for the novelty and for a good sauce apple.

• Origin: France prior to 1629
• Color: Green with Red Washes
• Skin: Glossy with a Pale Bloom
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Pear-like, Irregular, and Ribbed
• Flavor: Very Sweet, Lightly Acidic, and Juicy
• Uses: Cooking and Sauce
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Foxwhelp

An apple with such grand prestige that many orchardists through the years would add its name onto their varieties, the Foxwhelp is the classic English hard cider apple. It’s suspected that the original variety (known as Old Foxwhelp) is no longer around as the tree is prone to limb mutations. Of the trees available today, some are so far from the Foxwhelp quality they’ve begun to be called Fauxwhelps.

The classic Old World cider apple, Foxwhelps aren’t used for anything else—possibly because of how tart and bitter they are. When pressed into a juice, you’ll notice they have a distinct musky aroma. This trait led the apple to be compared to, and named after, a fox’s den. If making your own cider from these apples, consider blending the juice with another variety to help soften some of the bitterness.

When selecting a Foxwhelp to grow (particularly in North America), only choose a graft from a trusted source that will allow you to verify the limb was not growing a cooking apple or a mutated form of the Foxwhelp. Once established, you’ll receive a bounty of apples from your tree every other year. Take note that the apples tend to have “scab-like” patches on them that aren’t related to the common apple Scab Disease.

• Origin: England in the 1600s
• Color: Yellow with Dense Crimson Stripes
• Skin: Scab-like Patches
• Size: 1 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round to Flattened with Irregular Ribbing
• Flavor: Aromatic, Tart, and Highly Bitter
• Uses: Cider
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: About 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: About 800

Glockenapfel

Bringing along a strange-sounding name and a vague bell shape, Glockenapfels trace their origin back to Switzerland and Germany in the mid-1500s. Popular both then and now, you’ll know you’re eating traditional strudel if it’s made with Glockenapfels.

Able to retain their shape as they’re baked, Glockenapfels are one of the best cooking varieties out there, lending a nice sharp taste to their recipes. Despite being widely known as a cooking apple, you’ll find they have a crisp, almost lemony taste to them when eaten fresh.

Glockenapfel trees are resistant to scab and are harvested late in the season. When grown in the right regions they’re vigorous and grow extremely easily. They aren’t self-fertile and will require a partner tree nearby to provide them with pollen.

• Origin: Europe in the Mid-1500s
• Color: Yellow-Green with Small Red Blushes
• Skin: Web-like Russet Patches
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Bell-Shaped to Conical and Oblong
• Flavor: Tart and Lightly Sweet with Hints of Lemon
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pie, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 6 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid, Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Gloria Mundi

Heirloom apples are well known to grow on the smaller side when compared to commercial apples. This is not the case, however, with the Gloria Mundi—apples grown in this variety have been weighed in at three and a half pounds! (One and a half tends to be closer to the norm). No one is sure where the Gloria Mundi originates from. However, we’re reasonably certain it was available on a farm in New York by 1800.

Despite its size, the Gloria Mundi is a tart apple to bite into! Favored for cooking, these apples melt and become significantly sweeter when made into pies and sauces. The die-hard tart apple fans might disagree with these uses, though.

The Gloria Mundi isn’t a very popular apple and information about its growing requirements can be sparse. I found reports of it growing down to zone 3. Drought tolerant and cold hardy, it’s likely the Gloria Mundi can suit itself to a wide variety of environments.

• Origin: Prior to 1800 from either America or Europe
• Color: Pale Green with Brown Flushes
• Skin: Lenticels with Russet Centers
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened, Tall, and Highly Irregular
• Flavor: Tart when Fresh, Sweet when Cooked
• Uses: Pie, Sauces, and Cooking
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months when Refrigerated
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 600

Gold Pearmain

Another heirloom apple rumored to have been grown in Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello gardens, the Gold Pearmain barely survived to the 21st century. During the early 1900s it was grown so infrequently it was thought to have completely vanished. Fortunately, a single old tree was discovered to be growing by Dewitt Souther in the late 1900s and the variety has been reborn from that tree.

Gold Pearmains are refreshing—juicy and a little tart, they’re hard to beat on a hot day. They keep their shape when cooked and are a favorite for pastries. Due to their tart notes, they also are a popular add-in to savory dishes, though cider-making is where they really tend to shine.

Considered a slow-growing tree, Gold Pearmains tend to slow their growth dramatically once apples begin to appear on their boughs. A semi-dwarf tree, it won’t take up much space if paired with an equally small pollinating partner. Gold Pearmains have solid disease resistance and it’s unclear how they were almost lost 100 years ago.

• Origin: North Carolina in the early 1700s
• Color: Yellow with Bright Red Blushes
• Skin: Light Russet Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round to Cylindrical and Slightly Irregular
• Flavor: Slightly Tart and Juicy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Ciders, Pastries, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Golden Russet

The Golden Russet has been around for long enough that reading up on its history can be confusing—it’s been known as Sheep’s Nose, Long Tom, and Bullock’s Pippin among other monikers. It’s thought it was originally grown from English Russet seeds brought over to America around 1700. Known as a “leather-coat” apple due to how much russeting appears on them, Golden Russets may not have glamorous looks, but they’ve been lovingly cultivated for many other reasons.

While Golden Russets are a well-known fresh eating apple, their flavor is at its best after they’ve been through a frost. Leaving your apples on the tree later into the season gives them a better chance of coming into their own. Not that it’s any slouch without the frost—sweet and honey-like, Golden Russets have hints of citrus and a nutty flavor to them. Outside of fresh eating, they’re excellent in pies, ciders, dried apple rings, and more!

You can store Golden Russet apples for up to 5 months before their skin begins to shrivel. However, the apples are still good after this (if less appealing to look at). You’ll find them growing on the ends of the tree’s willowy limbs every other year.

• Origin: New York around 1700
• Color: Green and entirely covered by Brown Russeting
• Skin: Russetted and Chewy
• Size: 2 to 3
• Shape: Round to Conical and Lopsided
• Flavor: Citrusy, Honeyed, and Nutty
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Baking, Cider, and Drying
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Gravenstein

Despite having a Germanic name, the Gravenstein apple actually originated in Italy sometime prior to 1660. In the decade following this year, cuttings from a Gravenstein were sent to Denmark for propagation. To this day, Gravensteins are the central ingredient in some Austrian brandies.

Known for producing a remarkably sweet cider, you can also eat ripe Gravensteins straight from the tree. However, many people harvest them while they’re still fully green to use in pies and sauces with the extra tartness helping to balance the dishes. Be careful if cooking this apple, though—it produces lots of juice and will make your crusts soggy if you’re not prepared!

With blossoms hardy against frost, you’d think Gravensteins thrive in cold environments. While they’ll certainly grow, they thrive best in coastal regions with high soil moisture. Gravensteins tend towards being biennial and will need to be thinned each year to receive a crop. Beyond that, they’re vigorous, easy-to-grow trees!

• Origin: Italy prior to 1660
• Color: Yellow-Green with a Red Blush
• Skin: Smooth
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Oblong, Irregular, and Lopsided
• Flavor: Tart and Sweet
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Juice, Pie, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: No more than 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 700

Grey Pearmain

Another variety that was almost lost to time, the Grey Pearmain is known to have been growing in Maine in 1884. However, due to the variety fading out, there’s only one record of it prior to its re-discovery in the 1980s. Considered a high-quality eating apple, it’s unlikely the cause of its decline was due to a lack of interest.

Lovingly brought back from the brink by the Meyerhans family who discovered the trees on a newly purchased property, Grey Pearmains are beginning to make a comeback. Delicious off the tree and even more so after a month in storage, be prepared to look past this apple’s appearance—it tends to shrivel in storage.

A moderately-sized tree, you’ll want to make a little space for any Grey Pearmains on your land. While records of its ideal growing environment are few and far between, it’s clear that they have survived without care in the landscape of Fairfield, Maine. If you’re looking to plant one, you might want to compare your local conditions to this city!

• Origin: Maine in 1884
• Color: Greenish with a Deep Red Blush
• Skin: Russetted with a Grey Bloom
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Lightly Ribbed and Round-Conical
• Flavor: Slightly Tart, Sweet, with Hints of Pear
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Juicing
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Greening’s Rhode Island

Welcome to the official state fruit of Rhode Island! Originally grown by a tavern keeper near Newport, the Greening’s Rhode Island apple became so popular, the original tree died from the number of cuttings taken from it. If you’re looking for an heirloom replacement for the Granny Smith, here’s a great choice!

Tartness dominates the flavor of these apples. However, if stored for a few months the flavor will begin to mellow out and sweeten a bit. Most people don’t wait, though, and happily apply these apples to pies, muffins, sauces and dried apple rings. When cooked, Greening’s Rhode Islands will turn a beautiful golden-brown color and keep their shape.

Apples on these trees grow on the tips of the branches and are mostly produced every other year (with some exceptions). You’ll want to harvest your fruit a little early to avoid it dropping from the tree.

• Origin: Rhode Island in the mid-1600s
• Color: Green to Yellow with occasional Orange Blushes
• Skin: Prominent White Lenticels and an Oily Feel
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Very Round with Light Ribbing
• Flavor: Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Pie, Sauce, and Drying
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Poor Quality Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Grime’s Golden

Found as a chance seedling on a farm sometime during the 1700s, the Grime’s Golden didn’t begin to make a name for itself until it was introduced to a cider mill in the early 1800s.

The parent apple of the Golden Delicious variety, Grime’s Goldens are popular for very different reasons. Where the Golden Delicious is mellow and easily bruised, Grime’s Goldens are tart from start to finish with very tough skin. Well-suited to making apple sauce, it carries the distinction of being the preferred apple for making hard cider in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Hardy down to zone 5, the Grime’s Golden apple does best in warmer climates. It has a tendency to over-produce and needs to be thinned aggressively every year to increase apple size and to prevent it from turning biennial. Grime’s Goldens are well-suited as a pollination partner for trees that need lots of pollen—you’ll get an abundance of flowers that last for longer than average.

• Origin: West Virginia in the 1700s
• Color: Golden-Yellow
• Skin: Tough with Russet Networking
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Ribbed, Conical, and Round
• Flavor: Sweet-Tart and Tangy with Hints of Coriander
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, and Sauce
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Harrison

Included among a variety of apple sprouts sent to Samuel Harrison while he was setting up his orchards in 1712, the Harrison rapidly became a popular cider apple. So much so, that George Washington was known to say he preferred ciders made from Harrisons over any other cider apples. However, the variety declined as cider became less popular in the 1800s, and it was believed to have vanished. Then, in 1976, a heritage fruit tree collector happened upon a Harrison and took cuttings from it mere days before the old tree was felled.

As cider has become more popular (particularly with hobbyists), naturally the re-discovered Harrison is rising to the occasion. If you don’t enjoy ciders, you’ll also find it adds a fruity, peachy, taste to your baked goods. And while it might not look appealing, some people also enjoy eating it fresh off the tree.

Deciding to plant a Harrison is an investment—it can take anywhere from 4 to 15 years before a young tree will bear its first fruits. And once they come in, you’ll find they only produce heavily in alternate years. During heavy crop years, you’ll want to use your Harrisons fast. They don’t store well and will need to be sweated for about 3 weeks.

• Origin: New Jersey in 1712
• Color: Yellow with a Brownish Flush
• Skin: Large Dark Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical
• Flavor: Very Sweet and Tart with Smoky Peach Notes
• Uses: Cider, Cooking, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Late-October
• Storage Life: Sweat for 3 weeks
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 600

Hewes Virginia Crab

Primarily used in making ciders, the Hewes Virginia Crab survived the 1800s cider decline due to its excellent pollen production. Originally discovered growing wild in Virginia in the 1700s, it exploded in popularity due to Thomas Jefferson adding it to his gardens—he dedicated the entire North Orchard to growing Hewes Virginia Crabs.

You can make an excellent cinnamon-flavored cider from just this apple variety. The juice of Hewes Virginia Crab apples is incredibly sweet and provides plenty of juice to whatever you’re working with. You’ll receive heavy harvests biannually and you can feel free to snack on them or turn them into jelly if not setting them aside for cider.

Hewes Virginia Crab apples are a vigorous variety and can grow up to 15 feet. While they’re hardy down to zone 4, they do prefer warm summers. In colder climates you’ll find the flavor of the fruit is lacking some of its aromatics and is higher in tannins.

• Origin: Virginia in the 1700s
• Color: Golden Yellow with a Dull Red Wash
• Skin: White Lenticels
• Size: About 1 inch
• Shape: Round with Flattened Ends
• Flavor: Pungent and Sweet with Hints of Cinnamon
• Uses: Cider and Jelly
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800

Holstein

Discovered by chance sometime around 1918 in Germany, the Holstein apple is thought to be a descendant of the Cox Orange Pippin. With heavy annual harvests, the Holstein apple is a lovely round fruit you’ll look forward to harvesting.

Best known for balancing a high sugar content with high acidity, Holsteins do well in a wide variety of applications: butters, sauces, ciders, you name it! Because of how juicy they become when baked, most people blend other apples into pie fillings that use Holsteins. Depending on who you ask, Holsteins come with varied fruity notes that are best enjoyed when eaten fresh.

Hardy the Holstein is not—it prefers clement winters and its blossoms are highly susceptible to late frosts. They are scab resistant, but tend to be prone to blight, canker, and mildew. If well cared for, Holsteins are an excellent cropper, but they likely aren’t suited to beginners.

• Origin: Germany in the early 1900s
• Color: Yellow with Dark Red Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Large Russetted Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Conical, and 5 Crowned
• Flavor: Balanced Sugar/Acidity with Hints of Pineapple, Pear, and Citrus
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, Sauces, Cooking, Apple Butter, and Cider
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: Up to 6 months refrigerated
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800

Hubbardston Nonesuch

Extremely popular in Boston autumn markets during the mid-1800s, Hubbardston Nonesuch is a Massachusetts native discovered in the late 1700s. A popular eating apple, it pairs well with aged cheddar cheese and is a regular on charcuterie boards, adding a nutty, fruity flavor to complement the sharper cheeses.

Hubbardston Nonesuch isn’t a tree recommended for beginners—it’s precocious and finding a good pollinating partner and environment isn’t easy. Most years it will drop most of its fruit before it ripens. And stored fruit tends to become bland and mealy well before the apple goes bad. Experienced orchardists will likely enjoy the unique flavors and lovely shine of the Hubbardston Nonesuch’s fruit, but it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.

• Origin: Massachusetts in the late 1700s
• Color: Greenish with Reddish Washes and Darker Stripes
• Skin: Glossy and Smooth
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round and Flattened or Conical
• Flavor: Sweet and Nutty with Hints of Plum or Grape
• Uses: Ciders, Pies, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Hudson’s Golden Gem

Hudson’s Golden Gem has one of the sweetest origin stories on this list—found growing in a hedgerow in Oregon in 1931, the owners offered scion wood to a Wisconsin orchard. They provided an asking price, but also said they would send the wood free of charge so they could, “be instrumental in furnishing a new and valuable variety to the public.”

And valuable it is! You might confuse Hudson’s Golden Gems for pears when they’re hanging on the tree—and when you bite into them! With a sweet, nutty, pear-like flavor, that shouldn’t be surprising. But it also has a texture similar to a pear when it’s ripe! A top-notch fresh eating apple, you can also enjoy them in ciders and cooked.

Tolerant of both cold and heat, you’ll find Hudson’s Golden Gems grow well in many regions. However, they are solidly a High Chill variety and will want closer to 1000 chill hours each winter. As the tree is growing to maturity, its fruit will likely split and drop (particularly when it’s stressed).

• Origin: Oregon in 1931
• Color: Dull Yellow
• Skin: Extensive Rough Russeting
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Conical, Lopsided, and Angular
• Flavor: Very Sweet, Nutty, and Pear-like
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Cider, and Juice
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800 to 1000

Hunt Russet

Reasonably popular right after its discovery in the 1700s, Hunt Russets were almost wiped out to make way for more commercial varieties. Contrarily, though, they have an extremely long storage life and are hardy trees, qualities that were sought out for today’s commercial varieties. Likely they were ignored purely for the apple’s appearance—with extensive russeting and an oblong shape, Hunt Russets aren’t the prettiest apples on this list.

As with many russet apples, Hunt Russets are nutty but also have a sweet, pear-like flavor. That taste becomes even sweeter as they’re stored, and you can store them for up to a year! If you don’t want piles of apples taking up your storage for a year, though, you can always turn them into pies and ciders.

• Origin: Massachusetts in the mid-1700s
• Color: Yellow with a Red Wash
• Skin: Thick with Raised Russetted Lenticels
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Oblong and Conical
• Flavor: Sharp to Sweet, Nutty, and Pear-like
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Ciders, and Pies
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: 4 months to 1 year
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Ingrid Marie

Discovered in Denmark in 1910, it wouldn’t be until 2003 when it was confirmed the Ingrid Marie was an accidental cross between a Cox Orange Pippin and a Guldborg. Since its discovery, Ingrid Marie has become a popular choice for home gardens. Its apples are delicious but only useful for fresh eating. While they can be stored for up to 2 months, they have a tendency to turn mealy.

Ingrid Maries are well suited to most climates and will thrive where they’re planted. They’re a semi-dwarf, adding on to their home-garden qualities, but do require a pollination partner nearby. Scab and disease resistant, this might be the right pick for someone looking to add some fruit trees to their backyard.

• Origin: Denmark in 1910
• Color: Gold Base with a Red Blush and Blue Cast
• Skin: Light Tan Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Slightly Ribbed and Oblate
• Flavor: Juicy, Sweet, and Mildly Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

James Grieve

Popular in the Victorian era, James Grieves are a cross between a Cox Orange Pippin and a Pott’s Seedling for their lovely flavor, akin to “eating a firm custard.” Introduced in Scotland in 1893 and going on to win 2 awards for excellence, James Grieves have enjoyed steady favor with gardeners and orchardists.

Unaffected by cool springs, you can be sure James Greives will bloom well within their preferred zones. Regular heavy blooms mean it’s a great choice as a pollinating partner—or on its own to produce apples that sweeten once harvested. Be sure to eat them quickly, though, they bruise easily and only last 3 weeks off of the tree!

• Origin: Scotland in 1893
• Color: Greenish with Red Stripes
• Skin: Thin with a Satin Sheen
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical with Light Ribbing
• Flavor: Sharp and Lightly Sweet
• Uses: Juicing, Fresh Eating, and Cooking
• Season: Late August
• Storage Life: About 3 weeks
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Kandil Sinap

Named after a peninsula in Turkey, Kandil Sinaps began to spread from the eastern side of Europe to the west in the 1800s. Producing tall, unique apples, Kandil Sinaps likely gained popularity as a novelty variety.

Novelty or no, Kandil Sinaps are delicious! Aromatic and with a wine-like flavor, you’ll enjoy these fresh from the tree or made into an apple butters and sauces. If you bake them into pies or strudels, they won’t fall apart and will remain slightly crisp.

Kandil Sinaps are tricky to transplant—they aren’t vigorous on their own roots and are prone to most diseases. For this reason, they’re better suited to home gardens where these small dwarfs can be easily monitored for their health.

• Origin: Eastern Europe around 1800
• Color: Pale Yellow with a Red Blush
• Skin:  becomes Greasy in storage
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Oblong and Very Tall
• Flavor: Aromatic, Sweet, and Wine-like
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauce, Baking, and Butters
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: About 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Likely 500 or less

Karmijn de Sonnaville

Similarly to the Chestnut Crab, many people wouldn’t count Karmijn de Sonnaville as an heirloom variety. Developed by an institute in the Netherlands in 1949, it was released for purchase as recently as 1979. Why is it here? Quite frankly, it makes for a poor commercial variety and is considered an heirloom by many nurseries for this reason alone.

Prone to cracking and severe russeting, Karmijn de Sonnaville will drop its apples if the summer is warmer than it would like. While zone 9 may be technically appropriate, Karmijn de Sonnavilles prefer cooler summers and aren’t suited to the hot summers many higher hardiness zones are known for. Even given good conditions and thinned regularly, you’ll find it only produces a good crop 2 out of 3 years.

If you’re willing to work with it, though, Karmijn de Sonnavilles are a true reward to harvest! Juicy, nutty, citrusy, honey-like—Karmijn de Sonnavilles pack an enormous flavor punch that can be overpowering to some. If you’d like to make ciders with them, store them for a few weeks first to help mellow out the flavor. Otherwise, enjoy it fresh or in pies and sauces!

• Origin: Netherlands in 1949
• Color: Yellow with Orange Flushes and Red Stripes
• Skin: Rough and Extensively Russetted
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Conical and Irregular
• Flavor: Aromatic, Nutty, and Honey-like with a Hint of Citrus
• Uses: Cider, Juice, Pie, Sauce, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Kavanaugh

Declaring where the Kavanaugh apple originates can feel a bit like splitting hairs. Most people say it originates in Maine (where the variety was first planted), but the seeds were brought over from Ireland from an unnamed cultivar and some state Ireland is their home. Either way, Kavanaughs have grown in Maine since 1790. After briefly disappearing, they were re-discovered in the state in 1978.

Tart apple lovers will be delighted to try this apple fresh. Everyone else will happily cook them into sauces or dry them into apple rings. Kavanaughs have a tendency to sweeten as they’re processed and don’t retain their tart nature.

Kavanaugh apples have primarily been grown in Maine’s Lincoln County for centuries and rarely have ventured beyond its borders. As such, we don’t know how this tree does in alternate environments, nor are we sure how well these apples store over time. If you’re looking for a tree to experiment and learn about, this may be the challenge for you!

• Origin: Maine in 1790
• Color: Bright Green
• Skin: Extensive Russeting
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Tapering
• Flavor: Dry, Tart, and Sharp
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Sauces, Drying, and Cooking
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Unknown
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 6
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Kingston Black

A classic British cider apple, Kingston Blacks have been around since the early 1800s. Apples in this variety are squat and look a bit misshapen. However, they produce a high-quality red-amber juice that is nutty, lemony, and tastes a bit like butterscotch. Highly rated as a single-variety cider apple, Kingston Blacks aren’t used for anything else unless you’re willing to be a bit courageous.

Growing Kingston Blacks isn’t for the faint of heart. While vigorous, they grow slowly and take a long time to start producing fruit. Once they do, crops are light and there will be years when they randomly decide not to produce at all.

• Origin: England in the early 1800s
• Color: Green with a Red Wash and Dark Red Stripes
• Skin: Russet Lenticels and Patches
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Squat, Conical, and Irregular
• Flavor: Sweet-Sharp, Lemony, and Nutty with Hints of Butterscotch.
• Uses: Cider
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 10 days of sweating
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000

Kerry’s Irish Pippin

First noted in an 1802 statistical survey, Kerry’s Irish Pippin has been growing in Ireland for an untold number of years. It was popularized for its small stature and oversized harvest. Prefect for the home garden, you’ll find Kerry’s Irish Pippin is an early season delight to harvest.

Only used for fresh eating, you won’t hear any complaints from people who bite into these apples—they’re juicy, tart, and spicy, with hints of boysenberry. Hardy and disease resistant, these would make a great choice for a beginning orchardist.

• Origin: Ireland prior to 1800
• Color: Green with an Orange Blush and Red Stripes
• Skin: Some Russeting with Pearly Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical
• Flavor: Tart, Fragrant, Fruity, and Spicy, with Hints of Boysenberry
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Late August
• Storage Life: 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Assumed Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 600

Knobbed Russet

Introduced to the London Horticultural Society in 1819, Knobbed Russet apples almost vanished during WWII. Preserved along with several other varieties by the National Fruit Collection it has slowly been recultivated and made available to the public.

You might recoil a bit when you first see a Knobbed Russet. As the name implies, the apple is covered in knobs, ridges, lumps, and welts. With a dull green base and a thick covering of dark russeting, the overall impression is of something you might find growing in a witch’s garden. Knobbed Russets, despite their looks, are one of the best fresh eating apples you can get! Rich and flavorful, the flesh doesn’t brown quickly and it will look its best in salads or cut up next to sharp cheeses on a charcuterie board.

• Origin: England 1819
• Color: Green with Dull Orange Stripes
• Skin: Dark Gray/Black Russeting
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round, Irregular, and Knobby with Numerous Welts
• Flavor: Sweet, Nutty, and Spicy
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: About 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 500 or more

Lady Apple

The Lady Apple has been around for an incredibly long time and continues to be grown in heirloom orchards, though it’s fairly rare to find. Originating in France sometime in the 1500s, Lady Apples were highly popular during the Renaissance. Fragrant to the point of being pungent, they were used to make pomanders, to freshen the breath of ladies at parties, and to decorate wreaths.

Today the Lady Apple is gown for culinary purposes, pairing well in meat-based dishes and pies. It’s also enjoyed raw, on salads, or straight from the tree.

Resistant to cedar-apple rust but susceptible to fireblight and scab, nonetheless, Lady Apples are a good choice for a beginner looking to ease themselves into growing apples. Strongly biennial, but with a heavy harvest when it does put out fruit, you won’t find yourself scrambling to pull in these tiny apples every single year.

• Origin: France in the 1500s
• Color: Yellow with a Dark Red Blush
• Skin: Semi-thick, Glossy, with some Russeting
• Size: About 1 inch
• Shape: Narrow Base, Oblate, and Round
• Flavor: Fragrant, Fruity, and Nutty, with undertones of Mint and Citrus
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: About 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Lamb Abbey Pearmain

Well-known to have been planted by Mary Malcomb in 1804 near Lamb Abbey in England, we don’t actually know where the seeds she planted were from—reportedly they were imported, but from where we don’t know. Origins aside, Mary grew a winner, and hobbyist orchardists have been growing the Lamb Abbey Pearmain since.

A crisp apple that tastes more and more like pineapple as the fall grows closer to winter, Lamb Abbey Pearmains are a great addition to a lunchbox or a salad. Many people use them in cider blends, though never on their own.

Lamb Abbey Pearmains are medium-sized trees but do have a tendency to spread out. If you have a smaller space, you may need to plan on pruning them back regularly to ensure they don’t grow too large.

• Origin: England in 1804
• Color: Yellow with a Dull Orange Blush and Red Streaks
• Skin: Indented Russet Lenticels
• Size: 1 to 2 inches
• Shape: Oblate with Angular Sides
• Flavor: Juicy, Sweet, and Mild with Hints of Pineapple
• Uses: Fresh Eating, and Cider
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 500 or more

Landsberger Reinette

Found as a chance seedling in what would eventually become Poland, since the 1840s the Landsberger Reinette has been quietly growing in orchards across the world. It isn’t well known in the US, but those who do grow it note it’s juicy and very sweet—perfect for fresh eating, juicing, or cooking. It’s a solid tree, resistant to most diseases. If you want to try growing something completely new to you and your neighbors, this may be the apple to choose!

• Origin: Poland in the 1840s
• Color: Pale Yellow with a Pale Orange Blush
• Skin: Glossy
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Flattened
• Flavor: Juicy and Highly Sweet
• Uses: Juice, Cooking, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Maiden’s Blush

Maiden’s Blush can refer to 2 entirely different species: 1 that originated in England in the 1800s, and another that was discovered in New Jersey in the 1700s. This section is about the American variety. The English variety is relatively unknown here, but might be a good apple to experiment with if you’re interested!

Tart when first picked, Maiden’s Blush mellows in storage into a sweet apple, perfect for fresh eating. It has historically been used as a drying apple to increase its storage life—it’ll keep in cold storage for 2 months but tends to lose flavor quickly at that stage. For the bakers out there, this is a great option for an apple you can pick while its ripe and use right away!

A vigorous tree, you’ll notice the apples tend to appear on the growth from the previous year. Maiden’s Blush is an excellent crop producer but may skip the years following particularly heavy harvests. It isn’t the most disease-resistant tree on this list, but a great choice all the same!

• Origin: New Jersey in the 1700s
• Color: Pale Yellow with a Red Blush
• Skin: Thin and Waxy
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Squat and Round-Flattened
• Flavor: Tender and Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juice, Drying, Cooking, and Cider
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Malinda

The original Malinda tree was grown in an orchard in Orange County, Vermont before migrating to Minnesota in 1858. Over time, commercial orchards stopped growing the Malinda. It was picked up by the University of Minnesota and has been used as the parent plant for many varieties grown by their breeding program.

An extremely rare apple to find these days, Malindas have historically been prized for their hardiness over their flavor. Even in less-than-ideal storage conditions, these apples will easily store for up to 3 months. The tree itself is also no slouch and is said to be capable of maintaining its quality even in the face of multiple frosts.

Because of its rarity, the hardiness zone for this tree is an estimate—it’s recorded to have grown in Vermont and Minnesota and the zones for those two states have been provided. You may want to contact orchards or owners of these trees to inquire about whether they will do well in your area.

• Origin: Vermont in the 1800s
• Color: Golden Yellow with Red Patches
• Skin: Smooth
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Ribbed and Conical
• Flavor: Pear-like
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Pies
• Season: October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 2 to 5
• Pollination Requirement: Assumed Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Mother

The Mother apple was first documented in 1844 where it was listed in the “Magazine of Horticulture.” By that point it was known to be growing on a farm in Worcester County, Massachusetts, but there’s nothing to show how long the Mother apple has been around.

Extremely popular in England leading up to WWII, Mother apples are considered rare on both continents these days. You’ll find them to be an excellent eating apple that’s also suited to pies and sauces. Descriptions of their taste are varied, with tasters reporting hints of vanilla, pear, and even balsamic notes.

There seems to be variable reports of how long these apples keep: some say not at all, some say up to 3 months. I’d say plan on eating them quickly! Mother apples are hardy and vigorous, but can take some time to mature and bear fruit. It’s a solid choice for beginners—the apples’ red blush becomes more pronounced as they ripen, making it especially easy to tell when it’s time to harvest. However, they are a triploid, and will need to be paired with a self-fertile tree or 2 other diploids.

• Origin: Massachusetts in 1844
• Color: Golden Yellow with a Crimson Blush and Red Streaks
• Skin: Small Russet Spots
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Long Conic, Ribbed, and Lopsided
• Flavor: Juicy and Pear-like, with Hints of Vanilla
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pie, and Sauce
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Muscadet de Bernay

We know the Muscadet de Bernay apple originated in France sometime in the 1700s. Everything else surrounding its origins are assumptions. For example, it’s assumed to have grown on the grounds of the Benedictine Abbey in the Bernay commune. Many of these assumptions are reported as facts, but what isn’t in any doubt is this apple’s primary use—cider.

Known as a “spitter,” Muscadet de Bernays are bitter to the point that people who bite into them spit them out once the flavor hits their tongue. Juice pressed from Muscadet de Bernays are equally bitter and most people blend Muscadet de Bernay with a sweeter apple when it comes time to make ciders.

This tree is best for those who are serious about making cider and lots of it! Muscadet de Bernays produce heavy annual crops and are a very reliable tree, if a bit prone to scabbing.

• Origin: France in the mid-1700s
• Color: Green with a Streaky Red Blush
• Skin: Large White Lenticels
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Squat, Lopsided, with a Rounded Middle
• Flavor: Fruity, Smoky, and Sweet to Bitter
• Uses: Ciders
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Sweat for 1 month, does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Neidzwetkyana

Once growing widely in the sparse highlands of Eastern Europe, today Neidzwetkyanas are almost extinct in their native region, with a few trees still growing in Kyrgyzstan. Varieties available in America are almost all traceable to seeds sent out to Germany by amateur botanist Vladislav Niedziecki. A rare variety to find these days, Neidzwetkyana are known as an ornamental for their dark red colored skin and flesh.

While Neidzwetkyanas are a solid eating and pie apple, many people who make use of them enjoy pressing them into dark red juices and ciders (more for the color novelty than taste). However, they’ve seen a recent surge in popularity with hobbyist hybridizers looking to add their color to tastier varieties.

Cold and drought hardy, Neidzwetkyanas are self-content trees that don’t demand much looking after. But neither are they the most productive trees. If you’re looking for an apple to stock your larders with, this may not be the best choice.

• Origin: Kyrgyzstan in the late 1800s
• Color: Pale Green with Dark Red to Purple Flush
• Skin: Waxy
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical
• Flavor: Sweet to Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juice, Cooking, Jelly, Pies, and Ciders
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: 3 to 4 weeks
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Newtown Pippin

One of the first apples exported to England following the Revolutionary War, Newton Pippins have been a well-known variety since the early 1700s. Originally used as a single-variety sparkling cider, these days Newton Pippins are enjoyed in a variety of ways!

With hints of pineapple and tangerine in them, Newton Pippins add a delightful blend of flavors to jellies, ciders, and apple sauces. They also do well in pies or strudels, but do tend to brown faster than average.

Tricky to cultivate and susceptible to most diseases, growing a Newton Pippin isn’t for the faint-hearted. If you live somewhere with warm summers and are prepared to check your trees for canker, scab, mildew, blight, and bitter pit, then you’ll find these trees are worth the effort!

• Origin: New York in the early 1700s
• Color: Light Green with a Brown Blush
• Skin: Dull with Light Green Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical
• Flavor: Aromatic and Tangy, with Hints of Pineapple and Tangerine
• Uses: Cider, Fresh Eating, Jelly, Pie, Sauce, and Cooking
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 700

Nod Head

Endearingly named after the man who cultivated them, Nod Head apples refer to the way their caretaker would nod his head while walking or talking. Grown in New Hampshire in 1842, they continue to be grown primarily in New England to this day.

Sweet and nutty, Nod Heads are an enjoyable late season fresh eating apple. They stay crisp for a long time in storage and are a great choice as a larder apple. While not commonly made into cider, they do produce an admirable amount of juice and might make an excellent variety to experiment with in blends.

• Origin: New Hampshire in 1842
• Color: Yellow with a Red Blush
• Skin: Small Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Slightly Ribbed
• Flavor: Sweet, Sharp and Nutty with Notes of Watermelon
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Cider
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Northern Spy

Around the year 1800, apple seeds were brought to New York from Connecticut and planted on Heman Chapin’s farm. Unfortunately, the tree from these seeds died before bearing fruit, but sprouts from its roots were successfully raised by Chapin’s brother. These were the first Norther Spy apples, named after a popular novel from the mid-1800s.

If you haven’t heard the phrase “Spies for Pies,” you likely didn’t grow up in New England. Considered a superior pie apple for how well it holds up when baked, many people prefer to use it in blends with other apples to provide a stronger apple flavor. Pies aside, it also is excellent for sauces, cooking, ciders, or simply eating off the tree.

Northern Spies have a long storage life when refrigerated and are a great choice for those wanting to have home-grown apples for as long as possible. However, they aren’t a great commercial choice: the trees take up to 10 years to start bearing fruit and 9 out of 10 apples don’t grade well.

• Origin: New York around 1800
• Color: Green with Red Flushes and Stripes
• Skin: Small White Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round with Distinct Ribbing and is slightly Conical
• Flavor: Juicy and Sweet-tart
• Uses: Cider, Cooking, Fresh Eating, Pie, and Sauce
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 6 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000

Opalescent

Found while George M. Hudson was clearing an oak tree from his orchard, the Opalescent apple was certainly a roll of the dice tree—the saplings he found weren’t producing any fruit. But he replanted the strongest sapling and the Opalescent began its rise to popularity.

Flavorful with just a hint of tartness to them, Opalescent apples offer a complex range of flavors: honey, strawberry, pineapple, and lilac. Most enjoy them on their own, but Opalescent apples also are a popular choice for cooking. They don’t release much juice when bitten into, but that doesn’t stop them from providing a high-quality juice on their own.

Choosing to grow an Opalescent tree is choosing to grow a large harvest of apples every year. You’ll want to plan ahead on how to use them as they only last 2 months in storage. After 10 years of harvests the limbs will begin to droop and will no longer grow upright.

• Origin: Michigan in the 1870s
• Color: Green with a Red Wash and Light Red Streaks
• Skin: Smooth with Tan Lenticels
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round to Conical
• Flavor: Sweet, Mildly Tart, and Floral, with Hints of Honey, Strawberry, Pineapple
• Uses: Cooking, Fresh Eating, and Juice
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Orleans Reinette

The Orleans Reinette is known to have been widely grown in France, but where it originated isn’t clear. It was first mentioned by Johann Herman Knoop, a Dutch pomologist and mathematician, in 1776 but likely has been around longer.

Accolades are showered up on the Orleans Reinette from orchardists to food writers. They adore its appearance, stating it resembles the style of Rembrandt. And the taste is good too—Orleans Reinettes cook well and can be eaten fresh (or with a glass of port).

Orleans Reinettes can be trained on a trellis and are suitable for small yards and gardens. They do prefer warmer conditions to fully develop the flavors of their fruit, so if the hotspots of your yard are taken, they might not be the tree for you.

• Origin: Europe prior to 1776
• Color: Yellow to Orange
• Skin: Russetted with Large Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round, Flattened, and Lightly Ribbed
• Flavor: Dry, Sweet, and Nutty with the aroma of Oranges and Honey
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Cooking
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Pitmaston Pineapple

Thought to be the open-pollination descendant of the Golden Pippin, the Pitmaston Pineapple made its debut in England sometime around 1785. It stands as an example of classic English russetted dessert apples. Out of popularity these days thanks to its small size, Pitmaston Pineapples are nonetheless a tasty option for your yard.

Producing apples that taste a bit like pineapple (and some may say that’s a strong statement), Pitmaston Pineapples are nutty, sweet, and delicious! Perfect for sweetening apple juices and hard ciders or simply eating out of hand.

Pitmaston Pineapples last about 3 months in storage and tend to go mealy after that point. However, you won’t have to worry about them overfilling your storage—they only produce moderate harvests every other year. On top of that, they’re small apples. All of these factors have led to the Pitmaston Pineapples decline in popularity in modern times. It is self-sterile and may make a solid pollination partner for other biennial apple trees.

• Origin: England around 1785
• Color: Yellow
• Skin: Tawny Russeting
• Size: 1 to 2 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical and Lopsided
• Flavor: Nutty, Sweet, Honeyed, and Musky with Hints of Pineapple
• Uses: Cider, Juice, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Pomme Gris

Like many heirlooms, the origins of the Pomme Gris aren’t clear. However, unlike many on this list, its origins are remarkably muddy: thought to have been brought to England from Canada, it’s simultaneously stated to have been brought to the New World from Central Europe. Either way, it’s a delicious apple, comparable to many in the Pearmain variety.

Nutty, sweet, and with hints of vanilla, it’s easy to see why many enjoy eating this apple fresh despite its tough skin. These apples hold up for 3 months in storage, where it’s flavor will continue to improve. Past 3 months and they’ll shrivel but refuse to let go of their taste!

Pomme Gris is a rare apple to find these days, though it also once graced Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello. It’s a biennial tree that produces well during its on years. Though you’ll need to be prepared to watch out for fireblight, as it’s susceptible to this disease.

• Origin: Canada in the late 1600s
• Color: Green
• Skin: Thick and Tough with a Brown Russet Covering
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened
• Flavor: Aromatic, Sweet, and Nutty, with Hints of Vanilla
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Ciders
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Pound Sweet

Also commonly known as the Pumpkin Sweet, Pound Sweet apples had a humble beginning. Found growing in Connecticut sometime around 1800, they were originally used exclusively as cattle feed. It wasn’t until the century began to end that people thought to try them out. And what a relief that was!

Still mostly considered stock feed until well into the 1900s, people began to use the Pound Sweet in apple butters, both commercially and at home. It continued to take off as it became well known for its ability to be preserved: whether dried, canned, or stored, you were going to have Pound Sweet around for the winter.

A vigorous tree, Pound Sweets will produce nice crops every other year. Their apples grow the tips of their drooping branches, making harvesting a bit easier. However, if you live in an area with high winds, these trees will likely drop their apples before they ripen. Additionally, they aren’t resistant to many common diseases, including sun scald, and likely need an expert orchardist to raise them.

• Origin: Connecticut in the early 1800s
• Color: Orange-Yellow
• Skin: Tough with Russet Patches
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical with Angular Sides
• Flavor: Mild, Sweet, and Lightly Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Canning, and Butters
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Rambour Franc

First documented in 1536, the Rambour Franc had clearly been growing in France for some time before then. By 1665 it had made its way to England and then on to North America in 1767. A large apple, the skin is a bit dull and russetted, but is well suited to a few different uses.

When fully ripe, Rambour Francs have a distinct wine taste to them and are a refreshing snack to enjoy on a hot day. However, they don’t keep long after harvesting and should be used or eaten quickly. If you’d like to make pies or sauces from Rambour Francs, try picking them a few weeks before they finish ripening. You’ll miss out on the distinct wine flavor, but you’ll receive a nice tartness to balance out the sweetness of the fruit.

• Origin: France prior to 1536
• Color: Yellow with Red Streaks
• Skin: Russet Coat on the Shaded Side
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened and Ridged with 5 Ribs
• Flavor: Wine-like, Aromatic, and Sweet-Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, and Sauces
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: Does not keep well
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Red Astrachan

Tracing the Red Astrachan’s travels, we can see it began in Russia in the early 1780s, moved to Sweden, and was shipped on to England. Finally, in 1835 it was brought to America. One of the earliest apples to ripen for harvesting, Red Astrachans are a celebration of the beginning of the apple season!

Juicy and sweet, you might notice a light bitter taste lingering in your mouth after you bite into a Red Astrachan. Many people enjoy them cut up into salads or granola, though they’re equally good in pies thanks to their bitterness. It’s also thanks to this, you can use fully ripened Red Astrachans in cider. Sauces or cooking recipes using Red Astrachans may benefit from a pinch of sugar (or three).

While you can let Red Astrachans ripen fully before harvesting them, they do have a tendency to burst when overripe—so don’t leave it too late! Plan ahead for your harvest as Red Astrachans become mealy quickly once picked. They have good disease resistance—with some susceptibility to canker and scab—and have brittle branches best supported by trellising.

• Origin: Russia in the 1780s
• Color: Yellow with a Deep Red Wash
• Skin: Thin and Smooth with Light Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical with Slight Ribbing
• Flavor: Slightly bitter, Juicy, and Sweet
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Pies, Sauces, Ciders, and Drying
• Season: Early August
• Storage Life: Does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Red Berlepsch

Unlike many of the apples on this list, we can trace the origins of the Red Berlepsch back not 1, but 2 generations of trees! Considered a red sport of the Freiherr von Berlepsch, the Berlepsch variety is a cross between Ribston Pippins and Ananas Reinettes.

Knowing its history, it should be no surprise Red Berlepschs have been considered a gourmet apple. Taking its pineapple flavor and juiciness from the Ananas Reinettes, Red Berlepschs are a firm apple that does well in storage thanks to the Ribston Pippins. Well-suited to fresh eating, ciders, and sauces, there’s very little you can’t add a Red Berlepsch to.

Very sensitive to late frosts, Red Berlepschs will do better in climates with more temperate springs. They’re considered one of the best apples for vitamin C content and would make a great choice for a beginning orchardist!

• Origin: Germany in the late 1800s
• Color: Green with a Pale Red Blush
• Skin: Smooth
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Ribbed
• Flavor: Juicy with Notes of Pineapple
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Sauces, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: 1 to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Red Gravenstein

Also known as the Orcas Island Gravenstein, Red Gravensteins have the distinction of being known as the sweeter version of the Gravenstein. Found growing as a sport variety on the Orcas Island orchard in Washington back in 1907, Red Gravensteins have been carefully preserved as an heirloom variety to this day.

Similarly to the apple it came from, Red Gravensteins are preferred for pies thanks to their tartness and how well they keep their shape. However, their lightly sweet flavor also lends them well to fresh eating, sauces, and ciders!

Known to be a bit hardier than a typical Gravenstein, they still retain the Gravenstein ripening pattern: each individual apple will ripen within a few weeks, extending the harvest period, but lightening the workload. Red Gravensteins are triploids and will need 1 to 2 more apple trees nearby to cross-pollinate with.

• Origin: Washington in 1907
• Color: Dark Red to Purple
• Skin: Very Light Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Oblong, and Lopsided
• Flavor: Tart and Lightly Sweet
• Uses: Pies, Fresh Eating, Cider, and Sauces
• Season: Mid-August
• Storage Life: 1 month
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 700

Redfield

Yet another controversial apple, Redfields were developed by Cornell’s Geneva Research Station in 1924 before being released for purchase in 1938. However, considering it’s a cross of 2 solidly heirloom varieties (the Wolf River and the Neidzwetkyana), it’s worth mentioning the Redfield here.

Bearing the distinctly dark red interiors Neidzwetkyanas are known for, Redfields are mostly used for adding a delightful color to jellies, ciders, and vinegars. Taste-wise, they’re rather dry and tart, making them poorly suited for fresh eating.

Redfields have solid disease resistance and are capable of tolerating fireblight. However, they tend to be a bit precocious, and may produce fruit very young.

• Origin: New York in 1925
• Color: Dark Red to Purple Wash
• Skin: Russetted and Waxy
• Size: 1 to 2 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical
• Flavor: Tart, Dry, and Astringent
• Uses: Ciders, Vinegars, Jellies, and Pies
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: 2 to 4 weeks
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Reinette Clochard

We don’t know much about Reinette Clochards origins. It was a well-known market apple in France by the mid-1800s. Many people speculate about the name “Clochard” as it translates to “vagrant”, leading many to think it was either a wandering seedling or popular with travelers. No matter the case, it’s an unassuming apple packed full of flavor!

Unlike many russetted apples, Reinette Clochards aren’t particularly nutty. Instead, they tend to be sweet, with aromas that bring citrus, caramel, or even lychee to mind. You can enjoy them fresh or cooked into a sauce.

One of the few heirloom varieties known for producing crops annually without pruning or encouragement, Reinette Clochards are ideal for beginners to try growing. Vigorous and resistant to scab, with the Reinette Clochard you don’t even need to worry about spring frosts as it blooms late in the year.

• Origin: France prior to 1850
• Color: Greenish
• Skin: Reddish Russet Patches, Rays, and Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round, Flattened
• Flavor: Aromatic, Juicy, and Sweet, with Hints of Lychee, Citrus, and Caramel
• Uses: Fresh Eating and Cooking
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Reine de Reinettes

Books could be written about the many theories surrounding Reine de Reinettes’ origins, which feels appropriate for an apple whose name translates to “King of the Pippins.” All story roads lead back to western Europe in the Reine de Reinettes’ case, and it’s there we’ll credit as its home.

It isn’t difficult to see how the Reine de Reinettes managed to survive to the present day: it’s versatile and delicious! Typically picked early for use in baking, leaving it on the tree will help pull out the sweetness and nuttiness of these apples. That sweetness is ideal for cider blends looking for a bit of sweetness to balance them out.

Reine de Reinettes is neither the trickiest nor easiest tree on this list to grow. It certainly prefers warmer climates and will need to be sheltered from the wind—trellising will solve both problems. As a pollinator, it’s a favorite partner for Cox’s Orange Pippin, but will need to be pruned regularly to produce blooms on an annual basis.

• Origin: Western Europe prior to 1600
• Color: Pale Yellow to Orange with Crimson Stripes
• Skin: Shiny, Thick, with Light Russeting
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical, Oblong, and Lightly Ribbed
• Flavor: Sweet, Minimal Acidity, Spicy, and Almondy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, Cider, and Cooking
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 or less

Ribston Pippin

The Ribston Pippin began life as 1 of 5 seeds planted at Ribston Hall in Yorkshire, England. Of those 5, 2 turned out to be crabapples while the remaining 3 were sent to France in 1707. Only 1 sapling survived the trip, and it became the Ribston Pippin, which would eventually be used to develop the popular Cox’s Orange Pippin.  

Medium to large in size, there’s a lot to love about the Ribston Pippin: it’s sweet, provides plenty of juice, cooks down well, and comes with just a hint of pear to it. In recent days it’s become a highly popular cider apple.

Unusually for an apple tree, Ribston Pippins prefer drier soils and are ill-suited to coastal regions or areas with high humidity. Outside of these regions, they’re vigorous trees with solid disease resistance. If a beginner is willing to try their hand at a biennial variety, this may be a great choice!

• Origin: England 1707
• Color: Green with Brown-Orange Flushes
• Skin: Abundant Russetted Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Conical, Lopsided, and Angular
• Flavor: Juicy and Pear-scented
• Uses: Cider, Cooking, Fresh Eating, Jelly, Juice, Pie, and Sauce
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 700, possibly more

Roxbury Russet

The best guess we have into the Roxbury Russet’s origin is that it grew up from an apple core discarded by a pilgrim in Massachusetts, sometime in the early 1600s. From this inauspicious beginning, it eventually went on to be propagated by Joseph Warren during the early 1700s, and is now considered 1 of the 4 oldest American apple varieties still growing today.

Opinions about the Roxbury Russet’s taste are…varied. Some think it’s similar to guava, other says its texture is like a coconut, still others state that it’s simply aromatic. Whatever camp you’re in, it’s a wonderfully refreshing apple, with a high sugar content perfect for cider blends, pies, or simply fresh eating. They last 5 months in storage and will taste wonderful even after they’ve begun to shrivel.

You won’t get the full sugar content if you pick Roxbury Russets too early, so make sure to time your harvest well and label anything you pick early for baking. It’s highly disease resistant and a fairly easy tree to maintain. Annual pruning will prevent it from growing every other year, though you’ll find your best crops still come in waves.

• Origin: Massachusetts in the early 1600s
• Color: Green with a Reddish-Brown Wash
• Skin: Heavily Russetted
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Round with Flattened Ends and Angular Faces
• Flavor: Sweet, Lightly Tart, Brisk, and Aromatic
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Cider, Juice, Pie, and Sauce
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: 5 months or more
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000

Scott’s Winter

Scott’s Winter apples originate from a farm in Northern Vermont, having been found there as a chance seedling in 1864. Confusingly, this farm’s name was “Scott’s Farm”—the same name as one of the few orchards that still offers this apple (also located in Vermont). The 2 farms aren’t related, but it’s an odd coincidence!

A popular apple for pies, Scott’s Winters are picked early to keep them tart for baking. If allowed to mature, though, they make a wonderful fresh eating apple!

This tree is a bit precocious and will need some regular maintenance once it’s been planted in your yard. It will generally grow annually, but may choose to skip years every now and then. Each year you’ll need to thin its blossoms to bring the fruit to maximum size. It’s well-known to be a cold hardy tree, but there’s little information about what growing zones it’s suited to—the zones provided here are an estimate.

• Origin: Vermont in 1864
• Color: Greenish-Yellow with Red Blushes and Stripes
• Skin: Thin and Smooth with Small Lenticels,
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical
• Flavor: Aromatic, Juicy, and Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, and Pie
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 5
• Pollination Requirement: Asumed Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Smokehouse

Erroneously thought to have been named Smokehouse for a smoky flavor, Smokehouse apples gained their name from the smokehouse they were found growing next to in Pennsylvania early in the 1800s. Since their discovery, Smokehouse apples have gained almost a cult following, with many claiming it’s the best, most distinct apple they’ve ever tried.

Despite these accolades, the descriptions of Smokehouse apples’ taste vary from spicy to sweet and very juicy—likely it’s something you have to try to fully appreciate. You can try it fresh, but it also cooks and bakes well, and is a popular blending apple for ciders.

Considered an ideal tree for home gardens, Smokehouse apple trees are consistent croppers and will provide a reliable harvest each year they bloom. However, they are precocious and may choose not to bloom some years. You’ll want to prune your Smokehouse trees regularly to promote fruit size and to manage crooked limbs.

• Origin: Pennsylvania in the early 1800s
• Color: Greenish-Yellow with a Dull Red Wash and Stripes
• Skin: Thick with Raised Russet Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round-Flattened
• Flavor: Juicy, Sweet, and Spicy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Baking, and Cider
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Snow Apple

Also known as the Fameuse apple, there’s not much clarity on where the Snow Apple originated from. We know it was commonly grown among French settlements and homesteads near what would become Quebec, Vermont, and Maine in the 1700s—meaning it possibly was brought over as a seed from France. But we don’t know for sure, and its name only provides a description of the pure white flesh on these apples.

A prized dessert apple, Snow Apples are sweet, tangy, and a bit spicy. Best eaten fresh from the tree a week before they finish ripening. Otherwise, they can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways, from cooking to cider making! It’s useful to note that there is great variety among Snow Apples, and you’ll likely encounter different qualities from tree to tree.

Snow Apples are perfect for home gardens where the owners can more closely monitor and care for the trees to their tastes. They produce a large harvest on a biennial basis but do require thinning to bring the fruit up to size. While they require a pollinating pair, there is a long list of viable ones to choose from! Additionally, they’re one of the few varieties that can be consistently grown from apple pips.

• Origin: Canada in the early 1700s
• Color: Pale Yellow with a Red Wash
• Skin: Glossy
• Size: 1 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Flat to Conical
• Flavor: Tangy, Sweet, and Spicy, with Hints of Strawberry
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, Jelly, Juice, Sauce, Cider, and Cooking
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 500

Sops of Wine

With a name like “Sops of Wine” it shouldn’t come as a shock that this apple is an excellent cider apple. Originating in England sometime in the early 1600s, Sops of Wine was named after the bright red streaks that sometimes color the interior, said to look like splashes of wine.

Primarily used for ciders, you can eat it fresh, though it’s a bit drier than most people prefer. Also said to be good for cooking, they’ll add some of the flavor of wine to food and sauces without any of the alcohol being present.

The trickiest part about adding Sops of Wine to your yard or orchard is picking the right variety. Described here is the Malus Domestica that has yellow flesh and pink/white blossoms. There’s a different variety that also goes by Sops of Wine that has bright red flowers and flesh (possibly a descendent of the Niedwetzkyana).   

• Origin: England in the early 1600s
• Color: Green with a Dark Red Wash and Light Red Stripes
• Skin: Smooth and Glossy with Tiny Lenticels
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Conical and Angular
• Flavor: Dry, Sweet, Aromatic, and Wine-like
• Uses: Cider, Cooking, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

St. Cecilia

Grown in England sometime around 1900 as an open pollinated seedling, St. Cecilia apples are a prized dessert apple to this day. Named for St. Cecilia’s Day (November 22nd), it’s reported these apples taste best when eaten on the holiday.

As a descendant of the Cox’s Orange Pippin, St. Cecilias carry on the same juiciness and hint of citrus as their parent. Enjoy them in pies, crisps, and apple sauces or press them into a cider.

Fair disease resistance, vigorous growth, and a low chill hours requirement make the St. Cecilia an excellent choice for those living in warmer climates. As they are prone to mildew, they aren’t recommended for plating in particularly humid regions.

• Origin: England around 1900
• Color: Greenish with a Dark Red Wash and Pale Red Stripes
• Skin: Tough
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Flattened to Conical
• Flavor: Aromatic, Sweet, Juicy, and Citrusy
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pie, Cider, and Sauce
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

St. Edmund’s Russet

Discovered growing in an established orchard in England in 1870, the St. Edmund’s Russet has remained one of the best fresh eating russet apples. It doesn’t store well and has a habit of bruising easily—consider growing this variety on a dwarf rootstock to help keep its yield small.

If you do want a lot of St. Edmund’s Russets for making cider (and snacking on while harvesting), they are excellent croppers and produce well every year. Plan on thinning out the fruit to help them reach their proper size. Highly disease resistant, St. Edmund’s Russets don’t do well in areas with variable amounts of ground moisture—the more the moisture changes, the more prone the apples are to cracking.

• Origin: England 1870
• Color: Green to Gold
• Skin: Brown Russet Patches
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Flattened
• Flavor: Fragrant, Juicy, Sweet, Pear-like and Nutty, with Hints of Vanilla
• Uses: Cider and Fresh Eating
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life: Does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 700

Swaar

Swaar is a Dutch word meaning “heavy” and it was given to this apple for a reason—it’s extremely dense! Originally grown by Dutch settlers along the Hudson River in New York sometime in the early 1800s, Swaar apples remain a popular late season apple to this day.

Despite they’re density, Swaar apples aren’t tough. At least, if you let them finish ripening in storage they aren’t. Instead, they have the consistency of pears and flavor that really pops! Aromatic, nutty, spicy, and extremely juicy, they’re only suited for fresh eating, but that’s more than enough.

• Origin: New York in the early 1800s
• Color: Green to Yellow with an occasional Orange Blush
• Skin: Russet Lenticels and occasional Russet Netting
• Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Shape: Round and Flattened with Angled Faces
• Flavor: Juicy, Sweet, Spicy, Nutty, and Aromatic
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Late October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months when harvested under-ripe
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Tolman Sweet

Many states and regions like to claim they are where the Tolman Sweet finds its origins. From New York, Massachusetts, to Rhode Island, all we can say for certain is that the Tolman Sweet came from one of those regions around 1800. Potentially a cross between Sweet Greenings and Old Russets, Tolman Sweets are one of the apples with the highest sugar content available.

People with a large sweet tooth will likely enjoy eating Tolman Sweets fresh. Everyone else tends to prefer them in pies and dried apple rings where they’re sweetness becomes a bit more mellow. Thanks to their high sugar amount, they’re an excellent variety for making American style apple ciders.

One of the toughest and hardiest apple varieties, Tolman Sweets grow well in most environments. If you’re unsure how well an apple tree will do near you, this may be a good variety to try. A young producer, it lives long, but does have a tendency to produce good crops biennially.

• Origin: Northeastern US around 1800
• Color: Pale Yellow with a Faint Red Blush
• Skin: Occasional Light Russeting
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round and Mildly Ribbed
• Flavor: Very Sweet, somewhat Juicy, and Tart
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Pies, Sauces, and Ciders
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Twenty Ounce

Found by chance on the farm of George Howland in New York sometime in the early 1800s, the Twenty Ounce apple made its debut in 1843 to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. As the name implies, these are large apples! They only last 2 months in storage, and tend to lose flavor over time, so be prepared to use them quickly.

Juicy but mildly flavored, Twenty Ounces are often used in pies or are baked to bring out a little extra sweetness. A mid-season apple, they can easily be overlooked by other, bigger name varieties.

You’ll find the Twenty Ounce apple is a vigorous tree that can have weeping branches. Prone to both canker and fireblight, they aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it type of tree. You’ll need to prune them regularly to make sure air circulates well among the branches. Crops will typically come in annually but some years they may choose to not produce.

• Origin: New York in the early 1800s
• Color: Greenish with Heavy Red Stripes
• Skin: Peened
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round and Misshapen
• Flavor: Mildly Sweet-Tart, Juicy, and Zesty
• Uses: Pies, Baking, and Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Westfield Seek No Further

Known to have been growing in Massachusetts during the 1700s, Westfield Seek No Furthers have been a popular variety with home growers for centuries. Considered the height of fresh eating taste, very few people who’ve tried them would pick a different variety as their favorite. If you’re prepared for a vigorous conversation, ask an orchardist their opinions on the Red and Green cultivars of Westfield Seek No Further and which they think is the color mutation.

Most popular for fresh eating, Westfield Seek No Furthers can also be made into juices and sauces. For those looking to add a nice sweet-tart flavor to their ciders, this is an excellent variety to try.

Westfield Seek No Furthers seem to prefer growing in the Northeastern portion of the US. While they can grow further south, they prefer cool summers and tend to develop russeting when introduced outside their native region.

• Origin: Massachusetts prior to 1750
• Green Variety Color: Pale Green with Pale Red Blushes
• Red Variety Color: Yellowish with Bright Red Flushes and Crimson Stripes
• Skin:  Large Light-Colored Russetted Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Conical with Faint Ribbing
• Flavor: Aromatic, Tart, and Spicy, with a Vanilla Aftertaste and Notes of Pear, Honey, and Citrus
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juice, Sauce, and Cider
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 3 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

White Pearmain

The oldest variety on this list, White Pearmains have an understandably hazy past. It gets further clouded by the American varieties with similar names—it’s likely, though, that these varieties are descendants of White Pearmains that were brought over to America.

A delicious fresh eating apple, it’s crisp and aromatic when first picked but mellows out to include pear undertones while in storage. Useful in pies, sauces, juices, and even ciders, it’s a versatile apple to have on hand!

White Pearmains aren’t particularly susceptible to any diseases and are also self-fertile. They’d make a great pollination partner for any diploid or triploid trees in your yard.

• Origin: England in the 1200s
• Color: Green with Red Blushes
• Skin: Waxy with Russet Lenticels
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Round-Oblong or Conical and Ribbed
• Flavor: Honeyed, Juicy, and Sweet
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Juice, Pie, Sauce, and Cider
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 700

Wickson Crab

In 1944 Albert Etter introduced the world to the Wickson Crab apple he’d developed on his farm in California. Confusingly, in his patent he reported that he’d crossed Newton and Spitzenburg crab apples in the process. While those are the names attached to apple varieties, neither are crab apples. It’s theorized he may have created his own crab varieties, or simply crossed the seedlings from those two varieties with an unknown crab apple.

Extremely versatile, there’s little you can’t do with a Wickson Crab. With a high pectin content, they make top notch jellies, but are also popular for fresh eating, juices, cooking, and sauces. Ciders are where they shine the most, thanks to their high acidity—it makes a wonderful blending apple!

Wickson Crabs are susceptible to many common apple diseases. If you live in a warmer climate, these may not be a good choice for your orchard—the apples will be less acidic and won’t do as well in storage. No matter their climate, they are wonderful pollination partners and will always provide plenty of pollen to their neighbors.

• Origin: California in the late 1920s
• Color: Yellow with a Red Wash
• Skin: Light-colored Lenticels
• Size: About 1 inch
• Shape: Round-Conical
• Flavor: Very Sweet, Tart, and Spicy, becoming more Acidic in cooler climates
• Uses: Jelly, Juices, Fresh Eating, Cider, Cooking, Sauce
• Season: Early October
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months in cooler climates
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 400

Winesap

Documented for the first time in 1804 by Dr. James Mease, the Winesap apple was already considered a well-established variety in New Jersey by this stage. As time progressed, it grew in regard as a cider and fresh eating apple, though these days Winesaps receive mixed reviews.

Be very careful when selecting a Winesap apple tree to add to your yard. They are prone to mutations and many bland variants have begun to crop up on the market. Make sure to purchase a sapling you know was taken from a flavorful Winesap.

Winesaps bear young and annually, but have a tendency to produce less as the years go by. Moderately resistant to diseases, you’ll need to take care to prune your Winesaps annually to keep them producing fully.

• Origin: New Jersey prior to 1800
• Color: Yellow with a Deep Red to Purple Blush
• Skin: Tough and Smooth with some Russet Netting,
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Slightly Ribbed and Round-Conical
• Flavor: Slightly Bitter, Juicy, Sweet, Tart, and Spicy with the taste of Red Wine
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, and Pie
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 6 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 500 to 800

Winter Banana

A chance seedling discovered on David Flory’s farm in Indiana in 1876 led to the cultivation of what we know as the Winter Banana apple. Upon its introduction to the commercial market, some pomologists noted its similarity to an apple variety from Holland—suggesting the Winter Banana might have been an Old-World apple brought to the US at some point.

Unfortunately, Winter Bananas don’t store well and bruise easily. Before you harvest, have a plan in mind for how you’d like to use them: dried apple rings, juices, and ciders are all great options! Cooking or eating them fresh are also enjoyable, though a bit more limited in how long you get to enjoy them.

Unlike many apples on this list, Winter Bananas do best in mild winters and hot summers, and thrive particularly well along the west coast. Suitable for trellises, they are self-fertile and well-adapted to small yards and gardens. While young they produce small harvests, but will increase as they age.

• Origin: Indiana 1876
• Color: Yellow with Light Red Blushes
• Skin: Smooth and Waxy with abundant Dark Lenticels,
• Size: About 3 inches
• Shape: Lopsided and Round-Conical
• Flavor: Slightly Tart, Juicy, Sweet, and Fragrant with Hints of Banana
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Juice, Cooking, and Drying
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Does not store well
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Less than 400

Wolf River

Sometime in the 1860s, William Springer moved from Quebec to Wisconsin. Along with his possessions, he brought a bag of Alexander apples with him, and he planted their seeds in his new home. It’s believed the Wolf River apple is a descendent of these Alexander apples.

These are large apples—some grow to weigh a full pound! You might only need one to fill a pie. Decently flavorful off the tree, they have to be picked when underripe. If left on the tree to mature they’ll begin to rot. Sharp flavors make them a preferred blending apple for ciders.

Cold hardy and resistant to canker, scab and mildew, these might be a good choice for a beginning orchardist. Wolf River apples are mostly biennial with large harvests coming every other year. They’re one of the few apple trees that can be reliably grown from seeds.

• Origin: Wisconsin in the 1860s
• Color: Greenish with Broken Dull Red Stripes
• Skin: Raised Russetted Lenticels
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Flattened, Broad, and Irregular
• Flavor: Tart, Juicy, and Aromatic
• Uses: Cooking, Fresh Eating, Baking, Pies, Sauces, and Cider
• Season: Mid-September
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: 1000

Worcester Pearmain

Thanks to its strong strawberry flavor, we’re reasonably certain Worcester Pearmains are a descendant of Devonshire Quarrendens. Originally propagated by William Hayes in the 1870s, Worcester Pearmains have gone on to be a favorite breeding apple at formal and hobbyist orchards.

While technically able to store for 2 months, most people agree Worcester Pearmains are best eaten immediately off the tree. Letting them fully ripen on the tree will allow you to get their best flavors for ciders and juices. For those who enjoy making apple flan, this is one of the best apples you could choose for the kitchen!

Worcester Pearmains bear well on an annual basis but are susceptible to many common apple diseases. They likely aren’t a good choice for beginners.

• Origin: England in the 1870s
• Color: Pale Green with Bright Red Flushes
• Skin: Russet Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Angular, Lopsided, and Round-Conical
• Flavor: Juicy and Strawberry-like
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Juice, and Flan
• Season: Late August
• Storage Life: Up to 2 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid to Partially Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800

Yarlington Mill

Found growing among some boulders at the edge of a mill in 1700s, the Yarlington Mill went on to become a classic English cider apple. Some cider makers note the Yarlington Mill adds unique aromatic hints of leather and smoke to ciders.

Resistant to canker and powdery milder, Yarlington Mills are still susceptible to fireblight. Additionally, you can expect their fruit to drop the second they ripen. Yarlington Mills are best for experienced orchardists.

• Origin: England in the late 1700s
• Color: Yellow with Dark Red Blushes
• Skin: Smooth and Waxy
• Size: About 2 inches
• Shape: Pear-Shaped
• Flavor: Astringent, Flavorful, Juicy, Sweet, and Aromatic
• Uses: Cider
• Season: Early September
• Storage Life:
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid to Partially Self-Sterile
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Yellow Transparent

Introduced to the US in 1870, the Yellow Transparent was found as a wild seedling in the Baltic regions of Northern Europe. It rapidly went from its humble starts to the world’s best known summer apple! During the late 1800s, it was rare to find a homestead without a Yellow Transparent growing on the land.

Originally favored as a sauce apple, Yellow Transparents make a delightfully tart sauce. Many people enjoy them in jellies, pies, and as snacks. You’ll need to pick them from the tree when you want to use them—they dry out and turn soft within a few days of harvesting.

With mixed disease resistance and a need for fruit thinning to avoid biennial harvests, Yellow Transparents aren’t a low-maintenance tree. However, if you’re willing to put in the work, they’ll start producing fruit early and heavily.

• Origin: Northern Europe in the early 1800s
• Color: Greenish to Yellow
• Skin: Thin with Thin Russeting and Russet Lenticels
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Heavily Ridged and Round-Conical
• Flavor: Mild, Juicy, Brisk
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Jellies, Sauces, and Pies
• Season: Early August
• Storage Life: Turns Soft, Wooly, and Dry within Days of Harvest
• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
• Minimum Chill Hours: 800-1000

Zabergau Reinette

In 1885, a pippin was planted along the Zaber River in Germany that would become the Zabergau Reinette we have today. Thought to be related to the Canada Reinette, some sources insist it’s a descendant of the Graue Französische Reinette, though no one knows for sure.

Heavily russetted, Zabergau Reinettes may not look as appealing as their bright green and red neighbors, but they’ve got a strong following of their own! Many people who like russetted apples put Zabergau Reinettes at the top of their lists. Mostly eaten fresh or made into cider, they hold up well when cooked or baked.

• Origin: Germany in 1885
• Color: Yellow with Bright Red Marbling
• Skin: Gold-Brown Russeting
• Size: About 4 inches
• Shape: Round, Flattened, and sometimes Conical
• Flavor: Sweet, Tart, and Spicy with Hints of Walnut
• Uses: Fresh Eating, Cider, Cooking, and Pie
• Season: Late September
• Storage Life: 1 to 4 months
• Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Triploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

Zuccamaglio Reinette

Named after the father-in-law of Diedrich Uhlhorn Jr., who raised the first Zuccamaglio Reinette in 1878, you’ll find Zuccamaglio Reinettes to be relatively unknown in the US. A cross between an Ananas Reinette and a Purpurroter Agatapfel, none of the pineapple flavor of the Ananas Reinette comes through. Instead, Zuccamaglio Reinettes taste like pears, strawberries, and quinces!

Considered a fresh-eating apple by the few who grow this apple in the US, very few other uses have been explored. If you’re interested in trying your hand at something new, consider giving the Zuccamaglio Reinette a try! The hardiness zone provided here is an estimate. For climate comparison, the origin town of Zuccamaglio Reinettes is on the western side of Germany.

• Origin: Germany in 1878
• Color: Golden Yellow with a Brownish-Red Blush
• Skin: Rough with Russet Lenticels and Patches
• Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Shape: Oblate to Round
• Flavor: Sweet, Juicy, Hints of Pear, Strawberry, and Quince
• Uses: Fresh Eating
• Season: Mid-October
• Storage Life: Up to 5 months
• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
• Pollination Requirement: Diploid
• Minimum Chill Hours: Assume 800 to 1000

List of Apples by Hardiness Zone

Looking to add an apple tree to your yard? Skim through this list to find heirloom apples suited to your growing zone! Keep in mind this is a guide and most of the apples on this list are grown in a 5b region.

Once you find a tree in your hardiness zone, make sure to check how many chill hours it needs to bear fruit—hardiness zones only cover the average coldest temperatures in a region, and two areas with the same hardiness zones can have wildly different chill hours.

Zone 1

• NA

Zone 2 Heirloom Apples

• Chestnut Crab
• Gravenstein

Zone 3 Heirloom Apples

• Ashmead’s Kernel
• Bethel
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Chestnut Crab
• Dolgo Crab
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Gloria Mundi
• Gravenstein
• Hunt Russet
• Maiden’s Blush
• Opalescent
• Redfield
• Scott’s Winter
• Smokehouse
• Wickson Crab
• Wolf River
• Yellow Transparent

Zone 4 Heirloom Apples

• Ashmead’s Kernel
• Baldwin
• Belle de Boskoop
• Bethel
• Binet Rouge
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Blenheim Orange
• Bramley’s Seedling
• Brettacher
• Chenango Strawberry
• Chestnut Crab
• Cortland
• Court Pendu Plat
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Dolgo Crab
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Esopus Spitzenburg
• Gloria Mundi
• Gravenstein
• Grey Pearmain
• Hewes Virginia Crab
• Hubbardston Nonesuch
• Hudson’s Golden Gem
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• James Grieve
• Kavanaugh
• Lady Apple
• Maiden’s Blush
• Mother
• Newton Pippin
• Nod Head
• Northern Spy
• Opalescent
• Pound Sweet
• Red Astrachan
• Red Berlepsch
• Redfield
• Ribston Pippin
• Roxbury Russet
• Scott’s Winter
• Smokehouse
• Tolman Sweet
• Wickson Crab
• Wolf River
• Worcester Pearmain
• Yarlington Mill
• Yellow Transparent
• Zabergau Reinette

Zone 5 Heirloom Apples

• All apples on this list!

Zone 6 Heirloom Apples

• Allington Pippin
• Ananas Reinette
• Api Etoile (Star Lady)
• Arkansas Black
• Ashmead’s Kernel
• Baldwin
• Beauty of Bath
• Belle de Boskoop
• Bethel
• Binet Rouge
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Blenheim Orange
• Blue Pearmain
• Bramley’s Seedling
• Calville Blanc d’Hiver
• Chenango Strawberry
• Chestnut Crab
• Claygate Pearmain
• Cornish Gilliflower
• Cortland
• Court Pendu Plat
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Dabinett
• D’Arcy Spice
• Dolgo Crab
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Esopus Spitzenburg
• Fearn’s Pippin
• Flower of Kent
• Foxwhelp
• Franc Rambour
• Glockenapfel
• Gloria Mundi
• Gravenstein
• Grey Pearmain
• Greening’s Rhode Island
• Grime’s Golden
• Harrison
• Hewes Virginia Crab
• Holstein
• Hubbardston Nonesuch
• Hudson’s Golden Gem
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• James Grieve
• Karmijn de Sonnaville
• Kavanaugh
• Kingston Black
• Kerry’s Irish Pippin
• Knobbed Russet
• Lady Apple
• Lamb Abbey Pearmain
• Maiden’s Blush
• McIntosh
• Mother
• Muscadet de Bernay
• Neidzwetkyana
• Newton Pippin
• Nod Head
• Northern Spy
• Opalescent
• Red Gravenstein
• Orleans Reinette
• Pitmaston Pineapple
• Pomme Gris
• Pound Sweet
• Red Astrachan
• Red Berlepsch
• Redfield
• Reinette Clochard
• Reine de Reinettes
• Ribston Pippin
• Roxbury Russet
• Smokehouse
• Sops of Wine
• St. Cecilia
• St. Edmund’s Russet
• Swaar
• Tolman Sweet
• Twenty Ounce
• Westfield Seek No Further
• White Pearmain
• Wickson Crab
• Winesap
• Winter Banana
• Wolf River
• Worcester Pearmain
• Yarlington Mill
• Yellow Transparent
• Zabergau Reinette
• Zuccamaglio Reinette

Zone 7 Heirloom Apples

• Allington Pippin
• Ananas Reinette
• Api Etoile (Star Lady)
• Arkansas Black
• Ashmead’s Kernel
• Baldwin
• Beauty of Bath
• Belle de Boskoop
• Bethel
• Binet Rouge
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Blenheim Orange
• Blue Pearmain
• Bramley’s Seedling
• Calville Blanc d’Hiver
• Chenango Strawberry
• Chestnut Crab
• Claygate Pearmain
• Cornish Gilliflower
• Cortland
• Court Pendu Plat
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Dabinett
• D’Arcy Spice
• Dolgo Crab
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Esopus Spitzenburg
• Fearn’s Pippin
• Flower of Kent
• Foxwhelp
• Franc Rambour
• Glockenapfel
• Gravenstein
• Grey Pearmain
• Greening’s Rhode Island
• Grime’s Golden
• Harrison
• Hewes Virginia Crab
• Holstein
• Hubbardston Nonesuch
• Hudson’s Golden Gem
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• James Grieve
• Karmijn de Sonnaville
• Kingston Black
• Kerry’s Irish Pippin
• Knobbed Russet
• Lady Apple
• Lamb Abbey Pearmain
• Maiden’s Blush
• Mother
• Muscadet de Bernay
• Niedzwetkyana
• Newton Pippin
• Nod Head
• Northern Spy
• Opalescent
• Red Gravenstein
• Orleans Reinette
• Pitmaston Pineapple
• Pomme Gris
• Pound Sweet
• Red Astrachan
• Red Berlepsch
• Redfield
• Reinette Clochard
• Reine de Reinettes
• Ribston Pippin
• Roxbury Russet
• Smokehouse
• Sops of Wine
• St. Cecilia
• St. Edmund’s Russet
• Swaar
• Tolman Sweet
• Twenty Ounce
• Westfield Seek No Further
• White Pearmain
• Wickson Crab
• Winesap
• Winter Banana
• Wolf River
• Worcester Pearmain
• Yarlington Mill
• Yellow Transparent
• Zabergau Reinette
• Zuccamaglio Reinette

Zone 8 Heirloom Apples

• Allington Pippin
• Ananas Reinette
• Api Etoile (Star Lady)
• Arkansas Black
• Ashmead’s Kernel
• Baldwin
• Belle de Boskoop
• Bethel
• Binet Rouge
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Blenheim Orange
• Blue Pearmain
• Bramley’s Seedling
• Calville Blanc d’Hiver
• Chenango Strawberry
• Claygate Pearmain
• Cornish Gilliflower
• Cortland
• Court Pendu Plat
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Dabinett
• D’Arcy Spice
• Dolgo Crab
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Fearn’s Pippin
• Flower of Kent
• Foxwhelp
• Franc Rambour
• Glockenapfel
• Gloria Mundi
• Gravenstein
• Grey Pearmain
• Grime’s Golden
• Harrison
• Hewes Virginia Crab
• Holstein
• Hubbardston Nonesuch
• Hudson’s Golden Gem
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• Karmijn de Sonnaville
• Kingston Black
• Kerry’s Irish Pippin
• Knobbed Russet
• Lady Apple
• Lamb Abbey Pearmain
• Maiden’s Blush
• Mother
• Muscadet de Bernay
• Neidzwetkyana
• Newton Pippin
• Nod Head
• Northern Spy
• Opalescent
• Red Gravenstein
• Orleans Reinette
• Pitmaston Pineapple
• Pound Sweet
• Red Astrachan
• Red Berlepsch
• Redfield
• Reine de Reinettes
• Ribston Pippin
• Roxbury Russet
• Smokehouse
• Sops of Wine
• St. Cecilia
• St. Edmund’s Russet
• Swaar
• Tolman Sweet
• Twenty Ounce
• Westfield Seek No Further
• White Pearmain
• Wickson Crab
• Winesap
• Winter Banana
• Wolf River
• Yellow Transparent
• Zabergau Reinette
• Zuccamaglio Reinette

Zone 9 Heirloom Apples

• Allington Pippin
• Ananas Reinette
• Api Etoile (Star Lady)
• Baldwin
• Belle de Boskoop
• Bethel
• Black Gilliflower
• Black Oxford
• Blue Pearmain
• Bramley’s Seedling
• Calville Blanc d’Hiver
• Chenango Strawberry
• Claygate Pearmain
• Cornish Gilliflower
• Court Pendu Plat
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Dabinett
• D’Arcy Spice
• Duchess of Oldenburg
• Egremont Russet
• Fearn’s Pippin
• Foxwhelp
• Glockenapfel
• Gravenstein
• Grime’s Golden
• Hewes Virginia Crab
• Holstein
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• Karmijn de Sonnaville
• Kingston Black
• Kerry’s Irish Pippin
• Knobbed Russet
• Lamb Abbey Pearmain
• Maiden’s Blush
• Mother
• Muscadet de Bernay
• Neidzwetkyana
• Newton Pippin
• Nod Head
• Northern Spy
• Red Gravenstein
• Orleans Reinette
• Pitmaston Pineapple
• Red Astrachan
• Red Berlepsch
• Redfield
• Reine de Reinettes
• Ribston Pippin
• Roxbury Russet
• Smokehouse
• Sops of Wine
• St. Cecilia
• St. Edmund’s Russet
• Swaar
• Tolman Sweet
• Twenty Ounce
• Westfield Seek No Further
• White Pearmain
• Winesap
• Winter Banana

Zone 10 Heirloom Apples

• Baldwin
• Black Oxford
• Claygate Pearmain
• Cox’s Orange Pippin
• Fearn’s Pippin
• Grime’s Golden
• Holstein
• Hunt Russet
• Ingrid Marie
• Maiden’s Blush
• Newton Pippin
• Red Gravenstein
• Orleans Reinette
• Red Astrachan
• Roxbury Russet
• St. Cecilia
• Twenty Ounce
• White Pearmain
• Winter Banana