Heritage and heirloom apples

Many of our apples will look, feel, or taste differently than more familiar varieties.  Not all trees bear the same, and many heirloom apples “take a break” and produce fewer apples every other year. We are committed to preserving and enjoying the diversity of heirloom apples for your family and ours.

Want more info on how these taste? Head to Adam’s Apples for one blogger’s personal review of more than 300 varieties!

September

  • Zestar/Minnewashta (1999) A juicy and crisp eating apple from Minnesota.
  • Cox’s Orange Pippin (1825) An orange-red apple that is one of England’s best dessert apples with a fine aroma and complex flavor something like vanilla, pear, and mango.
  • Belle de Boskoop (1856) A crisp, lemony apple with high levels of sugar. From the Netherlands, this is a great baking (and pie!) apple.
  • Cortland (1915) A sweet apple that doesn’t brown when cut. Excellent in salads and lunchboxes!
  • Graniwinkle (1803) A cider apple sometimes mixed with Harrison. Very sweet.
  • Margil (1750) A small apple that feels like velvet. Slight honey flavor.
  • Virginia / Hewe’s Crab (1700) A crabapple that was once the mainstay of American cider. Recommended by George Washington, and it tastes a bit like cinnamon.
  • Herefordshire Redstreak (1640) A cider apple first cultivated under Charles I.
Fameuse
Winter Banana

October

  • Reine des Pommes (1800) A traditional French cider apple that blends well with Dabinett. It is high in tannin.
  • Macoun (1909) A northeastern favorite with floral hints wonderful for fresh eating.
  • Bramley’s Seedling (1809)A juicy, somewhat tangy British fruit with a strong apple flavor. “Melts” when cooked.
  • Wickson Crab (1944) An intense crabapple that is a wonderful for jam and jelly. High in both sugar and acid.
  • Opalescent (1890) Iridescent! Medium to large, crunchy with a hint of strawberry and lilac. Excellent fresh, but cooks and juices well.
  • Baldwin (1740) A crisp eating and cider apple that keeps its shape when baked. Keeps well.
  • Roxbury Russet (1649) This apple sweetens with time, and it is always an excellent baker and cider apple.

November

  • Harrison (1720) A prolific, almost perfect cider apple for a single-variety cider. Good flavor for eating after several weeks in storage.
  • Golden Russet (1700) An apple with honey-nut flavor that makes good eating and baking, but is excellent in cider.
  • Arkansas Black (1870) An apple with a deep-purple skin and very hard. A favorite in cider.
  • Blue Pearmain (1833) A favorite of Henry David Thoreau, this apple has bluish hues. Dry and crisp flavor that is excellent for baking — though not bad to eat (especially if peeled).
  • King David (1893) A strongly-flavored apple with hints of spice and citrus. Best for pie, sauce, and cider.
  • Bedan des Partes (1869) A traditional French bitter-sweet apple for cider blends.
Black Oxford

Apple watercolors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pomological Watercolor Collection, Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.