This complexity has no better exemplar than the prince of the rose family, Malus, better known as the apple. The apple is older in cultivation than the rose. It presents all the extremes in color, size, fragrance and plant character of its rose cousin plus an important added benefit—flavor!

One can find apples to suit nearly every taste and cultural demand. Without any special care, apples grow where no roses dare. Hardy varieties like the Pippins, Pearmains, Snow, Lady and Northern Spy have been grown successfully in many different climates across the U.S.

With 8,000-plus varieties worldwide and with new ones introduced annually, apple collectors in most climates are like kids in a candy store.

New introductions such as Honeycrisp, Cameo and Pink Lady are adapted to a wide range of climates and are beginning to be planted in large quantities. Each one is a unique eating experience that satisfies a modern taste—crunchy firmness, plenty of sweetness and tantalizing flavor.

These new varieties show promise in the competition for the #1 spot in the world’s produce sections and farmers’ markets.

They compete with the current powerhouse varieties Fuji, Red Fuji, Gala and Braeburn, which, along with Granny Smith and Jonagold, have been the “new” varieties for the past ten years. These old “new” varieties had previously pushed aside the Red and Yellow Delicious, McIntosh and Newtown Pippin, which had dominated the market for many years. Before these, the Rome Beauty, Winesap and Jonathan held the predominant places in the produce market.

As with the rose, there is an ongoing quest by hybridists to develop and introduce new, improved varieties in hopes of launching the next new powerhouse variety.

The rich flavors of old favorites like Spitzenburg and Golden Russet are always a pleasant surprise for inexperienced tasters.

Golden Russet and Spitzenburg are as different in flavor from Red and Golden Delicious as the Delicious are from Fuji and Gala.

New apple varieties never quite completely overshadow the old ones because, as with roses, a variety is new only until the next variety comes along and takes its place. Then the variety must truly stand on its merits—newness no longer recommends it.

Old and antique apples distinguish themselves with unusual skin colors, a wide range of unique flavors and lingering aftertastes that demand another bite. Many are more than a hundred years old. Varieties like Northern Spy (New York, 1800), Bramley’s Seedling (England, 1813) and Ashmead’s Kernal (England, 1700) are wonderful when eaten off the tree, and, along with Belle de Boskoop (Holland 1856), are renowned for being superior apples for juicing. Calville Blanc (Germany, 1598) has long been one of the top-selling apples grown in Europe for fresh eating, juicing and cooking.

Many old varieties such as Black Gillflower (New York, 1840),
King of Tompkins (aka King, New York, 1800) and Swaar (New York, 1804), have survived due to their wonderful, distinctive flavors, their adaptation to various climatic conditions and/or their resistance to disease.

Hundreds of apple varieties are adapted to cold winter climates — including the full range of colors, flavors and harvest seasons. There are fewer apples adapted to warm winter climates (chill hours below 500), like those we experience in California, but home growers in these areas still have a remarkable selection of fine quality, tried-and-true varieties. Recently, Fuji and Gala have proven themselves in all of Southern California except for the lowest chill areas of the coast.

Southern California favorites Anna, Dorsett Golden and Ein Shemer have performed well in areas that receive little or no winter chill, including the low desert. Knowledgeable apple growers are incredulous when they see thriving Anna apple trees with firm, pretty, delicious fruit in places like Thermal, CA.

Anna has a sweet flavor similar to Red Delicious; Dorsett Golden has a flavor similar to Golden Delicious.

Ein Shemer needs no chill at all and sets heavy crops of small, mildly sweet, flavorful apples.

Gordon, discovered in Whittier, CA, is a proven variety for Southern California, having chill needs similar to Fuji and Gala.

There are also antique varieties adapted to warm winter climates.

Pettingill, Yellow Bellflower and Winter Banana — along with the hardy White Winter Pearmain, are all long-time favorites of Southern California apple hobbyists. Each of these antique apples has a unique, indescribable flavor that has made it a perpetual favorite.

Pettingill, discovered in Long Beach, CA in 1949, at one time was the #1 apple planted in Southern California.

Apple varieties have their share of disease problems which must be prevented or managed. A few varieties have good resistance to the common problems of scab, powdery mildew and fireblight.

Liberty, a McIntosh type, is resistant to all of these diseases and has great flavor as well!

Freedom, regarded as a sister tree to Liberty because of its exceptional disease resistance and great flavor comes from the same hybridizing program in New York. (Because of its newness, Freedom may be difficult to find in the markets, but stay tuned.)

Under some conditions, a grower will have to deal with all of these common diseases, though usually one is more of a problem than the others.

For some varieties, the main problem is susceptibility to premature fruit drop due to summer heat. As with the rose, variety selection is the key to growing apples successfully. This means not limiting your choices to the most readily available varieties—instead, seek nurseries that carry a larger selection.

Learn the main disease problems in your area before selecting a tree and be aware of cultural practices and spray programs that can help to lessen or eliminate the problems.

Find a retail nursery that is knowledgeable about apple growing.
Contact your agricultural extension office for local recommendations.

All around the United States there are specialty growers of apple trees offering selections for a variety of climates and conditions. Search the Internet or send for catalogs advertised in magazines.

The rose, due to its incomparable beauty and wonderful fragrance, is the cornerstone plant of modern gardening and the namesake of the largest family in the plant world. But, as throughout history, the apple is the real provider of the family, and, of course, is a rose, and was always a rose.

Bay Laurel Nursery
2500 El Camino Real
Atascadero, CA 93422
805.466.6455

Raintree Nursery
391 Butts Road
Morton, WA 98356
360.496.6400

Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery
now known as: Trees of Antiquity
20 Wellsona Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446
805.467.9909

You can contact Ed Laivo to share information about other garden projects that demonstrate practical home garden use of fruit trees, composting and mulching. .....ed@davewilson.com