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Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin T.R

Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin T.R

A2105

Apple for Wisconsin T.R. Roper

pples are available in a great also to bear . Crabapples are a Disease-resistant array of colors, sizes, and compatible pollen source for all A flavors. In addition, they vary in cultivars, provided they flower at the series of apple cultivars recently their cooking or fresh eating qualities, same time. named and released are immune storage life, tree hardiness, pest Many apple cultivars are not A or resistant to , cedar- susceptibility, and many other suitable for Wisconsin. Some are not apple rust, or other diseases. These characteristics. This publication sufficiently hardy to survive cultivars may be of interest to apple introduces apple growers and Wisconsin’s rigorous winters, or they growers who do not have the time, gardeners to apple cultivars suitable sustain significant injury most equipment, or inclination to make for growing in Wisconsin. Buyers winters. Other cultivars, such as frequent fungicide applications. should consider carefully the different , Rome Beauty, Additional disease-resistant cultivars characteristics of each before , and , ripen too late to have recently been released, but they purchasing and planting apple trees. mature properly even in southern have not been adequately tested for Commercial orchardists also should Wisconsin. Both commercial growers suitability in Wisconsin. take into account potential and home gardeners will be Disease-resistant apple cultivars productivity, consumer preferences, disappointed in the performance of are not resistant to insect damage. marketing potential, and these cultivars in Wisconsin. Trapping or insecticide application is requirements when planning an Most of Wisconsin is in USDA still necessary to control insect pests. orchard. Home gardeners should hardiness zones 4 and 5, where winter Antique apples consider whether they have the space, temperatures typically do not fall time, resources, and expertise needed below –30°F. Many apple cultivars here are many thousands of to grow and care for apple trees. Pest can grow in these areas. However, named apple cultivars. This management requires costly chemical much of northern Wisconsin is in Tpublication lists only a few of sprays and suitable equipment. USDA hardiness zone 3, where the best ones. Older cultivars such as Planting disease-resistant cultivars winter temperatures fall to –40°F. , Fameuse, , mentioned in this publication will Only the most hardy apples can Duchess, and , are available reduce fungicide application, but still survive such conditions and then only from specialty nurseries. New require managing common insect on the best sites. cultivars have replaced these older pests such as codling moth, plum Nurseries propagate and sell cultivars because of improved curculio, and apple maggot through many improved strains occurring as horticultural traits, keeping quality, trapping or insecticide application. natural bud mutations in established and fruit quality. While antique Most apple cultivars are self- cultivars. These strains may differ apples are an important part of our unfruitful; they require cross from the parent cultivar in growth heritage, newer apple cultivars have pollination from a second cultivar to habit and fruit color, and the fruit better traits for the modern ensure adequate fruit set and good may reach maturity at a slightly marketplace. production. Some apples, such as different date. Usually, strains are , are triploid and do not similar to the parent cultivar in fruit produce good pollen; these require flavor, firmness, uses, storage life, and planting two different cultivars for tree hardiness. The strains often are pollination (in addition to the more desirable than the parent triploid itself) if the pollinators are cultivar. Apple cultivars for Wisconsin ——————————— FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS ——————————— Ripening date Flesh Flesh Storage Cultivar (week & month) Color Sizea color texture Taste Uses length 1 August Green to Large White Tender, soft Tart Cooking 1 week yellow Zestar! 3 August Red blush Medium White Coarse, crisp Balanced All purpose 1 month to large Sunrise 3–4 August -yellow Medium Cream Coarse Sweet, aromatic Fresh, 2 weeks cooking Paulared 3–4 August Bright red Medium White Firm, Mildly tart Fresh 3 weeks fine-grained 2 September Orange-red Medium Yellow Crisp, Very sweet, Fresh 3 months to small to cream fine-grained aromatic McIntosh 2 September Red blush Medium White Tender, Mildly tart, Fresh, 3 months over green fine-grained distinctive cooking

Ginger Gold 3 September Yellow Medium Cream Coarse Sweet, spicy Fresh 2 months to large 4 September Dark red Large White Firm, crisp Sweet Fresh 3 months

Honeycrisp 4 September Red blush Large Cream Coarse, very Sweet, Fresh 4 months over yellow crisp, juicy aromatic 1 October Deep red Medium Cream Firm, crisp Sweet Fresh 4 months

Haralson 1 October Red striped Medium Creamy Crisp, Tart, Fresh, 3 months to large white juicy distinctive cooking Fireside/ 2 October Red over Large Cream Crisp, Sweet, Fresh, 3 months Connell Red yellow juicy subacid cooking 2 October Solid red Medium Light Crisp, Sweet, Fresh 4 months to large yellow juicy distinctive

Jonathan 2 October Bright red Small to Yellow Firm Sweet, Fresh 3 months medium distinctive 2 October Red Large White Firm, Tart All purpose 4 months fine-grained Jonagold 2 October Yellow with Large Creamy Firm, juicy, Sweet Fresh 3 months red blush white fine-grained Golden 2 October Yellow Medium Cream Fine, crisp Sweet Fresh 3–5 months Supreme Golden 3 October Yellow Medium Cream Crisp, Sweet Fresh 3 months Delicious fine-grained Disease-resistant apples Redfree 3 August Bright red Medium White to Crisp, Mildly tart Fresh, 6–8 weeks cream juicy to sweet cooking Prima 1 September Red on Medium to White to Soft Mild, Fresh, 1–2 months green large cream subacid cooking Priscilla 2 September Red over Medium to White to Crisp, coarse Sweet, Fresh 2–3 months yellow large green aromatic Jonafree 3 September Medium red Medium Pale Crisp, Mildly tart Fresh 2 months to small yellow juicy Nova Easygro 3 September Red Large Cream Firm, Sweet Fresh 2 months blushed slightly juicy 1 October Purple red Medium Light Crisp, juicy, Moderately tart, All purpose 3–4 months to large yellow sprightly flavor like McIntosh aIf thinned bIf grown on same rootstock cUSDA hardiness zone dPurdue-Rutgers-Illinois Program —— TREE CHARACTERISTICS —— DISEASE RESISTANCEe Apple Cedar Fire Sizeb Growth habit Hardinessc Origin scab apple rust blight General comments Improved strains Large Upright 3, 4, 5 New York S VS VS Moderately good early apple Medium Upright 3, 4, 5 Minnesota S S S Good early apple, stores well Medium Spreading 4, 5 British S S S Good early apple Columbia Large Spreading 4, 5 Michigan S S VS Good-quality summer apple Medium Upright 4, 5 New Zealand S VS VS High-quality fall apple, Royal Gala, Imperial Gala, small fruit Scarlet Gala, Fulford Gala Very large Spreading 3, 4, 5 Ontario VS VR S Wisconsin’s most Rogers McIntosh, popular apple Marshall McIntosh, Mac Spur, Redmax Medium Spreading 4, 5 Virginia S S S Very good yellow- skinned apple Large Willowy 3, 4, 5 New York VS S S High-quality fall Redcort to winter apple Medium Upright to 3, 4, 5 Minnesota S S S Very crisp, high- spreading quality eating apple Medium Upright 3, 4, 5 New York VS R R One of the better new apples Small Spreading 3, 4, 5 Minnesota S MR MR Popular in northwest Haralred, Wisconsin Red Medium Weeping 3, 4, 5 Minnesota S R S Connell Red is a colored strain of Fireside Large Strongly 4, 5 Iowa S VR R Many improved strains Starking, Starkrimson, upright Richared, Oregon Spur, Redchief Medium Spreading 5 — S VS VS Better after storage Jonared, Jonee

Small Spreading 4, 5 Idaho S S VS Good keeping quality

Large Spreading 4, 5 New York VS S VS Does best in cool Red Jonagold, Nicobel locations Jonagold, Jona-go-red Large Spreading 4, 5 Idaho S S S Great eating-quality apple Medium Spreading 5 West S VS S Spur-type strains not Smoothee Virginia recommended

Medium- Upright 4, 5 P-R-I VR VR S Good disease-resistant large Programd summer apple Medium Spreading 4, 5 P-R-I VR VS R Must thin for annual Programd bearing Large Upright to 5 P-R-I VR VR R May not ripen in spreading Programd northern Wisconsin Medium Spreading 4, 5 P-R-I VR R R Resembles Programd Large Spreading 3, 4, 5 Nova Scotia VR VR R Quality improves in storage Large Spreading 4, 5 New York VR VR R One of the best disease- resistant apples eResistance ratings: VR = very resistant MR = moderately resistant R = resistant S = susceptible VS = very susceptible Harvest dates are never precise. Ultimately, grower Glossary ptimum maturity occurs when experience—including careful All purpose. Suited for fresh use, the fruit has full flavor and observation, frequent fruit sampling sauce, and baking. Oaroma, pleasing flesh texture, as harvest approaches, and good Alternate bearing. Bearing a heavy and other desirable characteristics record keeping from previous seasons crop every other year. specific to a cultivar. Prime quality for as to weather, moisture, and Cultivar. The term now used an apple often lasts no more than a associated fruit quality—is the best worldwide in horticulture in day, especially for summer apples. guide for determining the appropriate place of variety. A contraction of Even in smaller orchards, growers harvest date for each cultivar. cultivated variety. can’t harvest or handle all fruit of a For apples to retain good given cultivar at one time. Therefore, condition as long as possible, they Hardiness. The relative ability to harvesting is a compromise based on should be cooled quickly after harvest withstand extremely cold winter weather, labor availability, and and kept at 32° to 34°F with high temperatures. available capacity for marketing, humidity. Summer apples do not store Keeping quality. The fruit’s ability handling, and storing the fruit. well and can be kept only a few days to retain acceptable firmness and Apples harvested immature may to two weeks. Fall and winter apples flavor in storage. store better: one to five months. In be acceptable for cooking, but they Maturity. When fruit is ready to common refrigerated storage no apples are inferior in taste and texture for harvest. This is not necessarily will be in acceptable, commercial- fresh use. Fruit harvested for storage when fruit is ripe. should be mature, but not ripe, marketing condition after February. particularly when destined for long- Controlled-atmosphere storage is Precocious. Beginning to produce term storage. Apples harvested after required if fruit is to be kept longer. fruit at a young age. the midpoint of the harvest season For more information on Ripe. When fruit has reached its should be designated for immediate growing apples see Extension optimum quality. sale or use. Overmature apples left on publications Growing Apples in Spur type. Trees with fruiting spurs the tree past normal harvest dates Wisconsin (A3565), Apple Pest closer to each other than standard have a short storage life, and they Management for Home Gardeners cultivars. The trees are slightly often develop watercore, flesh (A2179), Commercial Tree Fruit Spray smaller than standard cultivars. breakdown (browning or storage Guide (A3314)—for commercial Thinning. Removing immature fruit scald), or other problems. growers, Planning and Establishing shortly after bloom to increase The indexes normally used to Commercial Apple Orchards in fruit size at harvest. determine apple maturity include Wisconsin (A3560), and Fruit Crop starch tests, fruit firmness (pressure) Pollination (http://www1.uwex.edu/ Watercore. A physiological break- tests, taste, color, and soluble solids ces/pubs/pdf/A3742_E.PDF). down of fruit cell walls, resulting () content. Though helpful, they in a watery, opaque condition of the flesh around the core.

Copyright © 2002 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System doing business at the division of Cooperative Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Send inquiries about copyright permission to: Director, Cooperative Extension Publishing, 201 Hiram Smith Hall, 1545 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706. Author: T.R. Roper is professor of horticulture, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension. Produced by Cooperative Extension Publishing. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties, publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts of Congress; and provides equal opportunities and affirmative action in employment and programming. If you need this material in an alternative format, contact Cooperative Extension Publishing at (608) 262-2655 or the UWEX Affirmative Action office. This publication is available from your Wisconsin county Extension office or from Cooperative Extension Publishing, 45 N. Charter St., Madison, Wisconsin 53715. Phone (608) 262-3346; outside Madison, call toll free (877) WIS-PUBS (947-7827). Web address: www1.uwex.edu/ces/pubs/. Before publicizing, please call for publication availability. A2105 Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin R-3-02-2M-50

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