Explore 12 amazing apple plant varieties
Did you know there are some apple plant species you’ve probably never heard of? Discover these one-of-a-kind and fascinating plants for your garden!
It’s easy to assume that all apples are the same, but there is a vast range of species that have evolved over centuries of selective cultivation. Here are twelve apple species you may not have known about, ranging from sour and acidic to sweet and juicy.
Redcoat apple
The Redcoat apple is a unique and vibrant specimen with bright red skin blushing over a yellow-ish green shade. These apples are tart and spicy, yet sweet after a few days of ripening on the tree. This variety of apples is nearly disease-resistant, making it an ideal choice for orchardists who want to maintain their trees without having to rush out and treat them when diseases arise.
This apple plant’s tasty fruits are red, round, or oblong and make your mouth water. You can start nibbling as early as October. The ideal conditions for a high-yield harvest are well-drained, nutrient-rich soil and a sunny to partially shaded location. From April to May, its light pink flowers delight, making the apple plant an enchanting eye-catcher in any garden.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Kanzi apple (Malus Domestica)
Kanzi apple trees are known for their strong and healthy tree structure, as well as their sweet, juicy, and aromatic fruits. The apples have an eye-catching appearance, with a deep-red blush over vibrant yellow skin. Kanzi apples mature late in the season, making this species an excellent source of apple harvests in late autumn and early winter.
The kanzi apple (Malus Domestica) produces round, yellow-red fruits with a pleasant flavor. They make you salivate. You can start nibbling in September. The ideal conditions for a high-yield harvest are well-drained, nutrient-rich soil and a sunny to partially shaded location. From April to May, its white flowers delight, making the “Kanzi” autumn apple a stunning eye-catcher in any garden. The plant is hardy and evergreen.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Belle de boskoop apple
This is a medium-sized Dutch apple tree with a sweet, tart flavor that is ideal for baking delicious treats and snacks. This species’ wood is also quite resistant to splitting, making it an excellent choice for colder climates. Belle de Boskoop apples are light red in color with white spots that give them the appearance of being dusted in sugar.
The Golden Delicious apple tree is ideal for smaller gardens. This apple is also known as Patio, which means “inner courtyard,” and it originates in the Spanish-speaking region. Patio fruit trees are small in stature and require little space, but they produce large fruit. The most widely grown variety with good branching is the “Golden Delicious” winter apple. This golden-yellow apple is juicy, crunchy, and has a sweet-aromatic flavor. Harvesting begins in mid-September, and the apple is ready to eat until March. A sunny to partially shaded location with loose garden soil ensure the best development of the fruit tree.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Northern spy apple
If you’re looking for a great apple tree, the Northern Spy is a great choice. This plant is a favorite of gardeners in cold climates because it produces large apples with pink and green coloring. These apples are well-known for their use in fresh recipes and baking projects because they are firm but sweet. Northern Spy trees, in addition to being delicious, can grow up to fifteen feet tall and live for over eighty years!
Pink lady apples: bright and crispy treat
Pink Lady apples are among the most widely grown apple types. These crisp and tasty fruits with vibrant pink skins will add a splash of color to any cuisine. The interior flesh is firm and white, with a distinct blend of sweet and acidic flavor notes. Pink Lady apples are fantastic for snacking but also keep their shape when baked or used in salads.
The pink lady apple is a vigorous grower with loose branches. The pink flamed skin conceals a distinct scent, and the relatively soft flesh is great for preparing compote and applesauce. The ripening period lasts from the end of August to the middle of September, and the fruits are ready to consume right away. In a sunny to a somewhat shady location with loose garden soil, expect excellent growth.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Granny smith apples: sour-tart favorite
Granny Smith apples are a sour-tart classic. These brilliant green apples were found in Australia in the 1800s and are praised for their crisp texture and tart, pleasantly acidic flavor! They are ideal for pies, tarts, and sauces because of their sweet-tart balance; they also provide a richer color than other baking apples. When that is combined with their less-mealy texture, you have one of the best all-around baking apples.
The Granny Smith apple grows slowly and produces medium-sized apples. The beautiful green skin on the sunny side conceals the aromatic, sweet, and sour flesh. The fruit is ready to pick and consume in mid-September, and it can be enjoyed until December. Grows in a sunny to somewhat shady setting in well-drained garden soil.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Braeburn apples: perfectly balanced taste
Braeburn apples aren’t as well-known as Granny Smiths, but they’re just as tasty! They are native to New Zealand and are known for their distinct flavor, which is both sweet and slightly sour. Their red-tinged skin distinguishes them from other types, and their firm flesh holds up well under heat and retains its shape when cooking. It’s delicious in pies, crisps, tarts, applesauce, and other meals, such as Chinese Five Spice Apples.
Braeburn apples grow slowly and produce medium-sized fruits. The golden skin becomes scarlet on the sunny side, concealing the aromatic, sweet, and sour flesh. The fruit is ready to pick and consume in mid-September, and it can be enjoyed until December. Grows in a sunny to somewhat shady setting in well-drained garden soil.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Winesap apples: robust flavor with longevity
Winesap apples are a unique, tart-sweet type with a deep flavor. They are one of the longest-lasting apples, with the ability to keep their texture and quality for up to 8 months! The bright crimson color of this apple, combined with its dense and luscious flesh, gives it an unusually powerful flavor. Its tartness is complemented by its sweetness, making it ideal for snacking or cooking.
Coral striped apples
The Coral Striped apple is an Alaskan heirloom variety. They have a distinct flavor and appearance, with reddish-orange skin striping and soft white meat. This species has a wonderful flavor that is sweet but not excessively juicy. Coral Striped apples require extended cold storage to develop their full flavors, making them ideal for baking. It’s also used to make hard cider and wine in various parts of the United States.
The Coral Striped (Malus Domestica) grows slowly and produces medium-sized fruits. The golden skin becomes scarlet on the sunny side, concealing the aromatic, sweet, and sour flesh. The fruit is ready to pick and consume in mid-September, and it can be enjoyed until December. Grows in a sunny to somewhat shady setting in well-drained garden soil.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Gravenstein apples
The Gravenstein apple is a distinct Danish species. It’s petite, reddish-green in appearance, and has a sweet-tart flavor that’s ideal for baking. It boasts a crisp texture and juicy flesh, making it a popular option for sauces and pies among chefs. Because of its rich taste, this type is frequently eaten by hand as well. Its skin can also be used to make jams, jellies, and apple wine or cider.
This apple (Malus Domestica) is a vigorous grower with several branches. The red flamed skin conceals a distinct scent, and the relatively soft flesh is great for preparing compote and apple sauce. The ripening period lasts from the end of August to the middle of September, and the fruits are ready to consume right away. In a sunny to a somewhat shady location with loose garden soil, expect excellent growth.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Yellow transparent apples
The Yellow Transparent apple is an ancient variety that was discovered in Russia. This species is distinguished by its strong, acidic flavor and delicious pale yellow flesh. Because of its extremely sweet flavor, it is a wonderful choice for sauces and cider, but it may also be eaten raw. The Yellow Transparent apple is used to create perry in some locations (pear cider). It’s a popular cultivar and often regarded as one of the best-tasting apples available in the United States.
The apple tree is ideal for compact areas. This apple does not require a large space and can be planted in an interior courtyard area. Apple fruit trees are low in stature and require little area, but they produce large fruit. The apple tree is thickly branched and grows slowly.
The fruit’s exterior features crimson stripes and the flesh is luscious, aromatically tart, and tender. The harvest season lasts from mid-August through early September. The fruits can be eaten right away and, due to their short shelf life, are especially suggested for fresh consumption and kitchen use. In a sunny to the somewhat shady location with loose garden soil, expect excellent growth.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
Arkansas Black Apples
Because of their dark appearance, Arkansas Black apples are commonly referred to as black apples. It’s a popular heritage variety with a sweet-tart flavor that tastes best fresh or in baking. The Arkansas Black apple has outstanding storage characteristics, remaining fresh and flavorful even after months of cold storage. With scarlet undertones and a superb combination of sweetness and astringency, this species is ideal for pies, sauces, and cider!
Arkansas Black apples should not be eaten right off the tree. In fact, the greatest thing you can do with them is to put them in the fridge and forget about them until the next season. Patient pickers are rewarded with a sweet, firm fruit with overtones of cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and coriander, but you can only get that after a few months in cold storage.
Grower found and developed this breed in 1870 at an orchard in Bentonville, Arkansas. Arkansas built an industry around apple farming, and during the 1920s, the state’s yield was made up of 15 to 20% of its namesake black variety, assumed to be a descendant of the Winesap apple.
Explore 12 Amazing Apple Plant Varieties
