Donate by December 31 for your chance to win a trip for two to a national forest. Enter sweepstakes here
As fall harvest starts, many of our favorite fall fruits and nuts will start to ripen. Here are the five most popular apple trees sold through the Arbor Day tree nursery that will ship out this fall.
- Red Delicious Apple (Malus domestica ‘Red Delicious’)
Legend has it that the red delicious was named when its discoverer sent samples of the apple to a commercial nursery in Iowa (back in 1892). One bite into the apple and the nursery owner exclaimed, “Delicious!” The nursery owner must know a thing or two about tastes, because the red delicious is the country’s most widely planted apple tree and the most sold apple from the Arbor Day tree nursery. Of more than 2,500 varieties, the crisp, sweet flavor of the red delicious continues to be a favorite.
The apple has a tender, crisp, sweet and mild flavor that tastes great eaten fresh or used in baking. Check out the Lied Lodge’s caramel apple recipe.
2. Early Harvest Apple (Malus X Domestica)
As the name suggests, this high-yielding apple tree is among the first to be ready for harvest. The early harvest apple is ready to be picked as early as July in some locations, with the latest harvest in September.
The apple has a crisp, creamy white flesh that is juicy and tart when fully ripe. If eaten fresh they taste best when they are fully ripe and good for baking when picked early.
3. Red Jonathan Apple (Malus domestica 'Red Jonathan')
The red Jonathan apple is the preferred apple in the pie industry. This late-ripening cultivar produces beautiful, bright red apples with crisp and juicy white flesh and has a bold, tart, but well-balanced flavor. It’s a great apple for fresh eating, freezing and cooking. The fruit ripens late in the season (mid-September to mid-October) and has a great shelf life, keeping anywhere from three to six months in the refrigerator.
When planting these trees, be sure to include other apple varieties such as red delicious, yellow delicious or early harvest to ensure pollination.
Read Apples and Honey: A New Year Tradition
4. Yellow Delicious Apple (Malus domestica 'Yellow Delicious')
The large, golden fruit of the yellow delicious apple tree ripens late, developing a fine, sweet flavor. While they are best known as fresh eating apples, yellow delicious also work well for pies, applesauce and preserves. They also store well, keeping 3–6 months if refrigerated.
When planting these trees, be sure to include other apple varieties such as red delicious, red Jonathan or early harvest to ensure pollination.
5. Stayman Winesap Apple (Malus X Domestica)
A lovely combination of tart and sweet, the Stayman Winesap apple has been popular since the days of the pioneers. They are not only tasty, but also keep well after being harvested, lasting six months or more in the refrigerator. The rich, wine-like flavor works well for applesauce, pies and cider, and they are delicious when eaten fresh.
It is a high-yielding tree and produces medium to large apples which are great for baking. What makes it even more gripping is that it is a triploid, meaning it has three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. The Stayman quickly became favored over other fruit trees for these unique qualities.
