Over 7,500 cultivars of the apple are known.[1] The following is a list of the more common and important cultivars, with the year and place of origin (where documented), and whether the apples each produces are for cooking, for eating, or for making cider.
Contents |
| Commom name | Origin | First developed | Comment | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Pearmain | England, United Kingdom | 1826 | A dessert apple. Similar flavour to Russet, first introduced under the name "Norfolk Pippin". | Eating |
| Aia Ilu | Estonia | 1946 | Apple is large in size, weighing 250–300 g. It is yellow, juicy, and bittersweet with a weak aroma. | Eating |
| Akane | Japan | 1970 | Jonathan × Worcester Pearmain. Tangy taste. | Eating |
| Åkerö | Sweden | 15th c. (approx.) | Apple is egg-shaped, medium to large in size, sweet and aromatic. Best in November, keeps well till February. Oldest cultivar in Northern Europe, grown mostly in Sweden and Estonia. | Eating |
| Alkmene | Germany, Europa | 1930 | Cox's Orange Pippin × Doktor Oldenburg | Eating |
| Allington Pippin | Eating, Cooking, Dessert | |||
| Ambrosia | British Columbia, Canada | 1980s | Medium to large in size, mostly red coloration with yellow patches. Has cream-coloured flesh with a sweet, crisp, aromatic flavour and low acidity. Ambrosia trees are hardy and no major disadvantages have yet been identified. | Eating |
| Anna | Israel | 1965 | Colour is yellow with a red blush. This variety does not grow well in the cold and prefers heat and humidity. | Eating |
| Annurca | Campania, Italy | 1876 (documented) | Very old apple; possibly one of the oldest of all. Believed to be older than first mention in Pasquale's Manuale di Arboricultura, 1876. Believed to be the apple depicted in frescoes at ruins of Herculaneum and mentioned in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia. | Eating |
| Antonovka | Russia | Extremely tolerant of cold weather. Hardy. Very old Russian variety and often planted at dachas. | Cooking | |
| Ariane | Angers, France | 2002 | Scab resistant. Developed at the National Institute of Agricultural Research in France. | Eating |
| Arkansas Black | Arkansas, United States | 1870 (apx.) | Hard and crunchy; stores well. Very deep red, appearing black from a distance. | Eating |
| Ashmead's Kernel | England, United Kingdom | 1700 (apx.) | Small, very sweet and very tart. | Eating |
| Aurora Golden Gala | British Columbia, Canada | 2003 | Dessert apple; medium size, sweet, juicy, crisp, firm, very long storage life. | Eating |
| Bailey | New York, United States | 1840 (apx.) | Red apple with considerable white flecks. Has some russeting. | Eating |
| Baldwin | Massachusetts, United States | 1740 (apx.) | Sweet to subacid flavour. Also known as "Woodpecker". Very old variety for North America. Makes lots of juice. | Cooking, Eating |
| Beacon | Minnesota, United States | 1936 | Lively, juicy flavour; good for baking. Does not keep very well. | Cooking, Eating |
| Beauty of Bath | England, United Kingdom | 1864 | Deep red flush and streaks of red with a little russet. Early maturing but short season. Formerly grown commercially in England for local markets. Good flavour in its home climate if it is eaten soon after picking. Poor flavour if distributed long distances and stored for weeks, so now rare. | Eating |
| Belle de Boskoop | Boskoop, Netherlands | 1856 | Bright red, fairly large, early in season (end of August to early September). | Cooking (applesauce) |
| Ben Davis | Southeastern United States | Noted for keeping well prior to refrigerated storage, but flavour has been compared with cork. | Eating | |
| Beverly Hills | California, United States | 1997 | Slightly tart flavour. Likes warm weather. | Eating |
| Bismarck | Victoria (Australia) | 1870 | Medium sized fruit with a green and red skin, sharp in flavour and not a common apple. | Cooking |
| Blenheim Orange | England, United Kingdom | 1740 (apx.) | Has greenish-yellow to orange skin streaked with red. Distinctive nutty flavour excellent for cooking. The vigorous tree is slow to come into crop but then produces heavily. | Cooking, Eating |
| Bottle Greening | Green Mountains, United States | 1800 (apx.) | Produces large fruit. Has thick skin, but juicy. | Eating, Cider |
| Braeburn | New Zealand | 1952 | Chance seedling. Dense apple, and becoming increasingly popular in the UK. | Eating |
| Bramley | Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | 1809 | One of the UK's most popular apples. Green coloration. Works extremely well in British puddings and apple crumbles. | Cooking |
| Breedon Pippin | England | 1801 | Sweet flavour. Originally raised by a parson in Berkshire. Rare. | Eating |
| Brina | Italy | 1998 | Resistant to scab. Spreading habit with intermediate vigour; full flowering season is medium-late, production is heavy, fruit is medium or medium-large, with smooth skin; white lenticels, no russet, excellent taste characteristics. Ripens first week of October (Trentino). | Eating |
| Byfleet Seedling | England | |||
| Calville Blanc d'hiver | France | 1598 | Noted for unusual looks (somewhat lumpy on the side) but excellent reward when tried. Noted for having unusually high vitamin C content. Apple of choice for tarte tatin in France. | Cooking |
| Cameo | Washington, United States | 1980s | Existence owed to freak accidental crossing of two most popular apples in world: Red and Golden Delicious. Retains prongs on bottom of latter parent but has flavour more resembling Golden. | Eating |
| Carolina Red June | Tennessee, United States | 1810 (apx.) | Has unusual habit of blossoming twice, and producing two crops per year. Very popular Civil-War-era Southern apple. Does beautifully in humid weather. Good choice for backyard gardener in subtropical climate. | Cooking, Eating |
| Carroll | 1947 | Ripens early. | Eating | |
| Catshead | England, United Kingdom | 1600 (apx.) | Sharp flavour. Lumpy shape and electric green colouring. Known to have been a variety planted in early Virginia by settlers as well as native England. Extremely rare in native UK; occasionally still found growing in southern US. | Cooking |
| Charles Ross | Berkshire, England | 1890 (apx.) | Has been an AGM winner. Orange to red. Best cooked early in season. Good flavour, and sweet when eaten later in season. | Multi-purpose |
| Chelmsford Wonder | Essex, England | 1870 (apx.) | A large long keeping yellow-skinned apple with diffuse orange pink flush. [1]. Still grown in Essex orchards including Lathcoats Farm Shop. | Multi-purpose |
| Cornish Gilliflower | Cornwall, England | 1813 | Discovered as accidental seedling. Shy bearer. | Eating |
| Cortland | New York, United States | 1890s | Pale crisp flesh. Ripens in October in state of origin. Classic red coloration, nice crunch. | Eating |
| Court Pendu Plat | France | 1613 | Extremely old variety, may date from as early as Roman times. Popular during the Victorian era. Yellow to light green, flushed with red. | Eating |
| Cox's Orange Pippin | United Kingdom | 1829 | Mainly grown in UK, but also grown for export in NZ. Extremely popular apple in Europe. | Eating |
| Cripps Pink ('Pink Lady') | Australia | 1970s | Crisp, very sweet and slightly tart. Light red, pink and light yellow-green striped skin. | Cooking, Eating |
| Crispin | Japan | 1930 | See Mutsu | Eating |
| Criterion | New York, United States | 1898 | One of parents believed to be Ben Davis, but very tart unlike parent. Dark red skin underlaid with stripes. | Cooking, Eating |
| D'Arcy Spice | Essex | 1785 | ||
| Delblush | France | Delbard 1979 | Tentation delblush , Golden Delicious x Grifer |
Eating |
| Delcorf | France | Delbard 1960 | Delbarestivale delcorf, Golden Delicious × Stark Jonagrimes |
Eating |
| Delfloga | France | Delbard 2008 | Delbardivine delfloga, Royal Gala Tenroy x Florina, scab resistant |
Eating |
| Delflopion | France | Delbard | Eating | |
| Delrouval | France | Delbard 1995 | Cybèle delrouval, Delcorf × Akane |
Eating |
| Deltana | France | Delbard 2010 | Delbard Celeste deltana, (Golden Delicious × Grive Rouge) × Florina, scab resistant |
Eating |
| Devonshire Quarreden | England, United Kingdom (France?) | 1685 (documented) | Possible French parentage or ancestry. Crimson red peel. Juicy. | Eating |
| Discovery | Essex, England, United Kingdom | 1949 | Possibly from an open-pollinated Worcester Pearmain, or could well be a Worcester × Beauty of Bath. Sharp flavour. | Eating |
| Dorsett Golden | Bahamas | 1964 | Grown from chance seedling of Golden Delicious. One of the most southerly apples grown in North America. | Eating |
| Duchess of Oldenburg | Russia | 18th c. | Has red stripes with splashes of green. Excellent resistance to freezing temperatures. | Cooking, Eating |
| Egle | Lithuania | Eating | ||
| Early Victoria | Essex England, United Kingdom | 1899 (introduced) | Possibly from Lord Grosvenor × Keswick Cod. Also called Emmeth Early. Ripens in late July. Pale yellow fruit. | Eating |
| Edward VII | England United Kingdom | 1908 (introduced) | Possibly Blenheim Orange × Golden Noble. Ripens in autumn and will keep until Easter. | Cooking |
| Egremont Russet | Sussex, England | 1872 | Brown russeting, excellent keeper. | Eating |
| Ein Shemer | Israel | 1963 | Zabidani (local var.) × Golden Delicious. This variety ripens in June. Tastes tart, does not do well in cold weather. | Eating |
| Ellison's Orange | Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom | 1911 | Cox's Orange Pippin × Calville Blanc. | Eating |
| Elstar | Netherlands | 1950s | Golden Delicious × Ingrid Marie. Medium-sized, mostly red with yellow showing. Often used in desserts due to its sweet flavour. | Cooking, Eating |
| Empire | New York, United States | 1966 | Lovely white subacid flesh. Tangy taste. Ruby red colour. | Eating |
| Enterprise | Illinois, United States | 1993 | Classic North American red apple. Stores well up to six months. Makes very good candy apple. | Eating |
| Envy | New Zealand | 2009 | Sweet and crispy, takes 4–8 hours after cutting to start browning. Royal Gala × Braeburn. | Eating |
| Epicure | United Kingdom | 1909 | Yellowish apple with reddish blush. Good clean taste. | Eating |
| Fiesta | Kent. England, United Kingdom | 1972 | Sometimes called Red Pippin. Claims both UK and US heritage: parents are Cox's Orange and Idared. Has flavour similar to the former but storage, colouring, and cold tolerance of the latter. | Eating |
| Fireside | Minnesota, United States | 1943 | Very fragrant. Yellow with red striping. Sweet apple, very popular in upper Midwest. | Eating |
| Florina | Anger, France | (Querina), scab resistant | Eating | |
| Flower of Kent | Kent, England, United Kingdom | 18th c. | This is the famous variety that may have inspired Isaac Newton concerning his theory of gravity. | Eating |
| Fortune | 1904 | Cox's Orange Pippin × Wealthy | Eating | |
| Fuji | Japan | 1930s | Red Delicious × Ralls Genet. Sweet, crisp, dense flesh. Very long shelf life, even without refrigeration. Japan's predominant eating apple. | Eating |
| Gala | New Zealand | 1970s | Kidds Orange Red × Golden Delicious. Thinner skin. Very soft eating apple, well-suited for denture wearers. | Eating |
| George Cave | Essex, England, United Kingdom | 1923 | Pale green-yellow fruit with red flush. Early harvest. | Eating |
| George Neal | Kent, England, United Kingdom | 1904 | Received Award of Merit from R.H.S. in 1924. Pale green to yellow colour, will keep nicely until late autumn. | Cooking |
| Gloster | Germany | 1969 | Conical shape. Somewhat tart, ruby red colour like parent Red Delicious. Good choice for backyard gardening. | Eating |
| Ginger Gold | Virginia, United States | 1960s | Tangy flavour, crunchy texture, pale green-yellow colour. Noted for being an extremely early bearer (Europe by September 1, California late July, Eastern US in August). | Cooking, Eating |
| Golden Delicious | Clay County, West Virginia, United States | 1914 | One of the most popular varieties in the world. Light green-yellow coloration, very sweet. Poor choice for baking. | Eating |
| Golden Noble | England, United Kingdom | 1820 | Tree is short and stocky. Produces mint green fruit with blush of pink. | Eating |
| Golden Orange | Italy | 1979 released 1996 |
PRI 1956-6 × Ed Gould Golden. Resistant to scab. Moderate vigour, spreading habit and medium-late blooming season; fruit is moderately large (207 g) and symmetric, skin is smooth, no russeting. Ripens some days after Golden Delicious; fruit is very attractive; large, good storage ability. | Eating |
| Golden Russet | New York, United States | 1845 (documented) | Very sweet russet. Believed to be close relative of British varieties grown in mid-19th century. | Cider, Eating |
| Golden Spire | United Kingdom, Lancashire | 1850 | An old Northern English variety. Unusually tall and oblong with a tart flavour. | Cider, Eating |
| Gragg (aka Red Gragg, Winter Queen) | North Carolina, United States | 1860 | Originated on the farm of James Gragg in Caldwell County, NC about 1860. Valued by North Carolina growers for its fine cooking qualities, crispness and long storage ability. The conical shaped fruit is red in color with moderately conspicuous dots. Ripens in October and is a great keeper. | Cooking, Eating |
| Granny Smith | Australia | 1868 | This is the apple once used to represent Apple Records. Also noted as common pie apple. Lime green colouring. Extremely tart. | Cooking, Eating |
| Gravenstein | Schleswig-Holstein, Germany | 17th c. | Greenish colouring. Has a checquered history: German immigrants brought cuttings of this variety with them in the mid-19th century to the San Joaquin Valley and by planting it laid the foundation of a very large agribusiness. Has many sports. Cultivated in German-speaking nations and US West Coast. | Cooking |
| Greensleeves | Kent, England, United Kingdom | 1966 | Golden Delicious × James Grieve; good garden apple, with a pleasant but unexceptional flavour. Likely named for famous Renaissance era song. | Eating |
| Grenadier | England, United Kingdom | 1862 (documented) | Possibly one of the weirdest of all British apples: it is ribbed and lumpy with a tough coat, looking as though it has taken a beating. Makes good sauce. | Cooking |
| Grimes Golden | Virginia and West Virginia borderlands, United States | 1804 | Native to Blue Ridge Mountains and Piedmont area. Believed to be a parent of the much more famous Golden Delicious. Sometimes russets. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Haralson | Minnesota, United States | 1923 | Red colour and large, moderately conspicuous dots. Crisp and juicy with a tart flavour. Excellent choice for pies. | Cooking, Eating |
| Harrison Cider Apple | New Jersey, United States | 1770 | Yellow skin, sometimes red-blush, black spots, small size, sweet, rich and dry. | Cooking, Cider |
| Hawaii | 1945 (introduced) | Noted for pineapple-like taste. | Eating | |
| Heyer 12 | Very cold-tolerant. | Eating | ||
| Honeycrisp | Minnesota, United States | 1960 | Has excellent eating and keeping qualities. Mottled red and yellow colour. Good crunch when in prime condition. Juicy. | Eating |
| Honeygold | Minnesota, United States | 1969 | Sweet tasting fruit. Tree has very showy, light pink blossoms in spring. | Eating |
| Howgate Wonder | Isle of Wight, United Kingdom | 1960 | Usually a big apple. Makes a lot of juice. | Cooking |
| Idared | Idaho, United States | 1942 | Very crunchy. Stores fairly well. | Eating |
| Irish Peach | Kilkenny, Ireland | 19th c. | Apple excellent for baking. Early harvest. More difficult to find within land of origin due to primary use for export to UK. Hardy, tastes very good straight off tree. | Cooking, Eating |
| James Grieve | Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom | 1893 | Good taste, but poor keeper (bruises easily). | Cooking, Eating |
| Jazz | New Zealand | 2007 (launched) | Bright red round apple with subtle yellow under-striping. Tart to sweet, dense and very crunchy with effervescent texture. From sweet Royal Gala × firm, tart Braeburn. | Eating |
| Jonagold | New York, United States | 1968 | Popular in Europe and land of origin. A very large apple. Several highly coloured strains are available. | Eating, Cooking |
| Jonathan | New York, United States | 1820s | Tart taste. Mostly red apple with patches of lime green. Does well in cooler areas; some frost resistance. | Cooking (Pie), Eating |
| Junaluska | North Carolina, United States | 1815 (apx.) | Once thought to be extinct but rediscovered in 2001 in rural North Carolina. Native American origin. Named for Cherokee chief Junaluska, leader in Battle of Horseshoe Bend, believed to have planted original tree. Extremely russeted and ugly apple but very hardy tree with superior taste to commercial varieties. | Cooking, Cider, Eating |
| Kanzi | Belgium | 1991 | Gala × Braeburn. Crunchy, juicy, sweet, slightly tangier than Gala. | Eating |
| Karmijn de Sonnaville | Wageningen, Netherlands | 1949 | Yellow ground colour when ripe, with red flush, and russet depending on the season. Large apple, though shape can be irregular. | Cooking (Apple Juice), Eating |
| Katy | Sweden | 1947 | Medium-sized early eating apple with red skin and pale cream flesh. Well suited to Northern European climate. | Eating |
| Kerry Pippin | County Antrim, Ireland | 1805 (apx.) | Pale to golden yellow flesh. Delightful spicy taste. Well suited to Ireland's moist, cool climate. | Eating |
| Kidd's Orange Red | New Zealand | 1924 | Cox's Orange Pippin × Delicious. Yellow skin with orange red flush. Chewy rather than crunchy. | Eating |
| King | United States | Eating | ||
| Knobbed Russet | Sussex, England, United Kingdom | 1819 | Green and yellow, with rough and black russet. Unusually irregular, warty and knobbly surface. | Cider, Eating |
| Lane's Prince Albert | England, United Kingdom | 1841 | Green with orange blush. Makes a good apple crumble for Christmas: peak ripening happens in winter. | Cooking |
| Laxton's Superb | England, United Kingdom | 1897 | Wyken Pippin × Cox's Orange Pippin. Classic old Victorian, British apple. Green with dull red flush. Firm texture, but not very good juice producer. | Eating |
| Liberty | New York, United States | 1978 | Very disease-resistant. Very similar appearance to McIntosh, relatively short storage life in air. | Eating |
| Limelight | Kent, England, United Kingdom | 2000 | Greensleeves type; abundant cropping and a compact tree. A pale green apple with a smooth finish and occasional pink blush. Crisp flesh and disease resistant tree. | Eating |
| Lodi | Ohio, United States | 1911 | Fruit pale yellow flushed with deeper yellow. Resistant to scab. Tangy taste. | Eating |
| Lord Derby | Cheshire, England, United States | 1850 (apx.) | Yellowish green apple. Acid flavour, likes cooler weather. | Cooking |
| Lord Lambourne | England, United Kingdom | 1921 | James Grieve × Worcester Pearmain. Round shape. Orange flush with hint of russet. Strong acid flavour. Tree good for backyard gardeners. | Eating |
| Macoun | New York, United States | 1923 | Cold-tolerant. Crunchy. Does very well in salads. | Eating |
| Malinda | Vermont, United Kingdom | 1860 | Small, conical with sheep's nose; deep, rich yellow with red spots possible. Dry, dense, substantive flesh; mild, pear-like flavour. Tree good in climates with heavy snowfall. | Cooking, Eating |
| Mantet | Manitoba, Canada | 1929 (introduced) | Amber fruit washed with red. Summer apple. Does not do well in warm climates. | Eating |
| McIntosh | Ontario, Canada | 1811 | A popular, cold-tolerant, pocket-sized eating apple in Canada and northeastern US. Favorite of children. | Cooking (applesauce), Eating |
| Melrose | Ohio, United States | 1944 | Flavour improves in storage. Coarse flesh. | Eating |
| Merton Worcester | England, United Kingdom | 1956 | Cox's Orange Pippin × Worcester Pearmain. Developed at John Innes Institute. | Eating |
| Miller's Seedling | Berkshire, England, United Kingdom | 1848 | Sweet apple. Tree prefers chalky soils. | Eating |
| Mollie's Delicious | New Jersey, United States | 1966 | Conical shape, pinkish red colour. Lasts long in refrigeration. Good aftertaste. | Eating |
| Mother | Massachusetts, United States | 1840 | Sometimes referred to as "American Mother". Has balsamic acidity. Fragrant smell. Distinct yellow and red colouring. | Eating |
| Muscadet de Dieppe | Normandy, France | 1750 (apx.) | Commonly used in making Calvados liquor. | Cooking |
| Mutsu | Aomori Prefecture, Japan | 1930 | Known as "Crispin" in the UK. Golden Delicious × Indo. | Eating |
| My Jewel | Watsonville, California, United States | 1940 (apx.) | Delicious banana-flavoured apple originating in Watsonville, California, as a chance seedling. | Eating, Cooking, Cider |
| Newtown Pippin | Queens County, New York, United States | 1759 | Best known colonial apple in North America. Known favourite of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Also sometimes called "Albemarle Pippin". Light green (northern kind) or electric yellow (southern). Flavour improves with age and storage. | Cooking, Eating |
| Newton Wonder | England, United Kingdom | 1870s | Very good cooker. Prolific bearer, can be harvested in winter. | Cooking |
| Nickajack | North Carolina, United States | 1810 (apx.) | Native American origin, believed to be originally grown by Cherokee along banks of Nickajack Creek. Only grown in Appalachians, favourite of later settlers for desserts. Rusty red colour with sweet, crisp taste. | Cooking, Eating |
| Norfolk Royal | England | 1850 (apx) | Crisp, sharply sweet and well-flavoured. Available as a russet or smooth. | Eating |
| Northern Spy | New York, United States | 1800 (apx.) | Tart, firm, stores very well. Noted for being excellent choice for making American-style apple pie. Sometimes used as rootstock. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Orin | Japan | 1952 | Sweet and distinctive fragrance. Notes of pineapple. Medium hardness. Golden Delicious × Indo. | Eating |
| Orleans Reinette | Orleans, France | 1776 | Reliable bearer. Similar taste to Blenheim Orange, but not related. | Eating |
| Ozark Gold | Missouri, United States | 1970 | Light green with pink blush. Has taste with notes of honey. | Eating |
| Pacific Rose | New Zealand | 1995 | Extremely crisp, sweet apple. Also grows well in California. | Eating |
| Pam's Delight | Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom | 1958 | A dessert apple. | Eating |
| Paula Red | Kent County, Michigan, United States | 1960s | Firm white flesh; McIntosh mutation. | Eating |
| Peasgood's Nonsuch | England, United Kingdom | 1858 | Very big apple: can weigh up to half a kilogram. | Cooking and Eating |
| Pink Pearl | California, United States | 1944 | Noted for having bright pink flesh. Sweet. Possibly has crab apple in its ancestry. | Eating |
| Pinova | Germany | 1986 | Bred in Germany over an 18-year period. Called "Piñata" in the United States. Fragrant smell, thin skin and balanced sweet and tart flavour profile. From Golden Delicious, Cox's Orange Pippin, and Duchess of Oldenburg. | Cooking, Eating |
| Pixie | England, United Kingdom | 1947 | Resistant to scab and mildew. Very small apple. | Eating |
| Pott's Seedling | England, United Kingdom | Pale green to yellow colour and white flesh. | Cooking | |
| Pound Sweet | Manchester, Connecticut, United States | 1834 | Amber coloration. Used mostly for making apple butter. Russets. Does well in moderate cold. Suitable to areas with snowy winters. | Cooking |
| Rajka | Czech Republic | Rezista x Rome-like, scab resistant | Eating | |
| Red Astrachan | Russia | 1800 (apx.) | Extremely resistant to frost. | Cooking |
| Red Delicious | Iowa, United States | 1870 (apx.) | Unmistakable for dark red colour and bumps on bottom. Poor choice for cooking; makes bland cider. Sometimes referred to as "Starking Delicious" or variation. | Eating |
| Redlove Era | UK | Eating | ||
| Rhode Island Greening | Newport, Rhode Island, United States | 1650s | Extremely old variety for United States, second only to Roxbury Russet in age. Very tart. Grass-green colour with some possible russeting near stem. Very tart. | Cider, Cooking |
| Rev. W. Wilks | England, United Kingdom | 1908 | Pastel green with a light pink flush. Very disease-resistant. | Cooking |
| Ribston Pippin | Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom | 1707 | Yellow, flushed orange, streaked red with russet at the base and apex. Sweet with a pear taste. | Eating |
| Rome Beauty | Ohio, United States | 19th c. | Rounded, all red, and very glossy. Flavour develops when cooked. Good keeper. | Cooking |
| Royal Gala tenroy | New Zealand | 1960 (apx.) | Higher-coloured selection of Gala (see above). Many commercial strains are available. | Eating |
| Rubens (Civni) | Italy | 1985 | Sweet and crunchy; Gala × Elstar. | Eating |
| Santana[2] | Wageningen, Nederland, Europa | 1978 | Scab resistant. | Eating. |
| Saturn | Kent, United Kingdom, Europa | 1980 | Scab resistant. | Eating. |
| Smokehouse | Pennsylvania, United States | 1837 | Very unusual apple. Has red-orange colouring. Tastes like cider straight off the tree. Will keep from harvest time until following spring. Probable German ancestry. Bears fruit from young age. | Eating, Cooking, Cider. |
| Snow apple (Fameuse) | Quebec, Canada | 17th c. | Tender, aromatic, distinct flavour. A parent of McIntosh. | Cider, cooking, eating |
| Sonya | New Zealand | 2000 | Cross between a Red Delicious and Gala. Coppery coloration. Crisp. | Eating |
| Spartan | British Columbia, Canada | 1926 | Good all-purpose, medium sized apple. Has a bright red blush and may have background patches of greens and yellows. Popular across border in United States as well. | Cooking, Eating |
| Spitzenberg | Esopus, New York, United States | mid 18th c. | Grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. Named for creek near which first seedling found. Heirloom variety still available at farmstands in Northeast and portions of Virginia. Difficult to grow for inexperienced planters. | Cooking, Eating |
| Stark Earliest | United States | 1938 | Does nicely in fruit salads. Red striping on light background. Ripens in summer. | Eating |
| Stayman | United States | 1866 | Dullish red skin often covered with a light russet. Tart, wine-like flavour. Stores well. Particularly known for tangy cider. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Sturmer Pippin | Suffolk, England, United Kingdom | 1800 (apx.) | Yellow flesh. Flavour matures in storage. Flesh is somewhat soft rather than crunchy. | Eating |
| St Edmund's Pippin | Suffolk, England, United Kingdom | 1870s | Unusual in fact that it has scaly russet patches mixed with smooth. Has vanilla/pear taste. Usually a light yellow-green. | Eating |
| Summerfree | Italy | 1998 | Resistant to scab. Spreading habit with moderate vigour, fruit is large, average weight of 175 g, skin is smooth, ripens 1–2 days before Gala, good storage ability. | Eating |
| Sunset | England, United Kingdom | 1918 | Easy to grow. Has very similar flavour to Cox's Orange Pippin. Won't do well in heat. | Eating |
| Sweet Sixteen | Minnesota, United States | 1973 | Large fruit, some russeting near top. Moderately acidic taste. | Eating |
| SweeTango | Minnesota, United States | 2009 | Juicy and sweet, and viewed as a successor to the Honeycrisp by many growsers. | Eating |
| Tentation | New Zealand | 1979 | look at Delblush | Eating |
| Tolman Sweet | United States | 1822 | Very sweet apple. Once used to make dried fruit for winter. | Cider, Cooking |
| Topaz | Czech Republic | 1990 | (Rubin x Vanda), Scab resistant, Acidic taste. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Twenty Ounce | New York, United States | 1840 | Huge: apple weighs over one pound, or nearly 500 g. Green overlaid with broad red striping. Excellent cooker. Nice juice qualities. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Tydeman's Early Worcester | England, United Kingdom | 1929 | Mclntosh × Worcester Pearmain. Crimson over yellow background colour. | Eating |
| Tydeman's Late Orange | England, United Kingdom | 1930 | Good storage qualities, but loses fragrance with age. | Eating |
| Wagener | New York, United States | 1795 | Tree is scab-resistant. Green with red flush, tangy taste. Very versatile in kitchen. | Cider, Cooking, Eating |
| Warner's King | Kent, England, United Kingdom | 1700 (apx.) | Oblong and light green. Very tart. Do not attempt to eat out of hand. | Cooking |
| Wealthy | Minnesota, United States | 1860 | Cherry Red × Sops of Wine.
Pretty reddish pink coat. Believed at one time Minnesota was too cold to grow apples until "Wealthy" was cultivated. Now a parent to many apples for resistance to temperatures below freezing. Still available in upper Midwest. |
Eating |
| White Transparent | Russia | 1870 | Very pale green skin with an almost white flesh, it is very sharp in taste. Fruit bruises easily and goes soft once harvested. | Cooking |
| Winesap | United States | 1817 | Sweet with tangy finish. Reddish blush flecked with some green. | Cider, Eating |
| Winston | England, United Kingdom | 1935 (apx.) | Cox Orange × Worcester Pearmain. | |
| Wolf River | Wisconsin, United States | 1881 | Apple very large, some growing to size of large grapefruit. Red with yellow blush. Once very popular commercial apple in United States but presently relegated to upper Midwest if grown for profit. Occasionally can be found growing wild in backcountry thickets or abandoned land in Shenandoah Valley. Named for area where found. Feral trees can be brought back with care and pruning. | Cooking, Eating |
| Worcester Pearmain | Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom | 1873 | Crisp and sweet flavour when ripe. Best if eaten early in season (September). | Eating |
Cider apples may be far too sour or bitter for fresh eating, but are used for making cider. Some apples (especially older ones from the U.S. and Canada) are used for both cider and eating purposes.
| Common name | Origin | First developed |
|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | Wilmington, Massachusetts | ca. 1740 |
| Brown Snout | Herefordshire, England | ca. 1850 |
| Dabinett | Somerset, England | late C19 |
| Dymock Red | Gloucestershire | |
| Foxwhelp | Gloucestershire, England | ca. 1600 |
| Hagloe Crab | ||
| Kingston Black | Near Taunton, Somerset, England | late C19 |
| Redstreak | Herefordshire, England | ca. 1630 |
| Roxbury Russet | Massachusetts | ca. 1640s |
| Stoke Red | Rodney Stoke, Somerset, England | early C20 |
| Tremlett's Bitter | Exe Valley, U.K. | ca. 1820 |
| Vista Bella | Rutgers University, (New Brunswick, New Jersey) | 1944 |
| Winesap | USA | ca. 1817 |
| Yeovil Sour | Yeovil, Somerset | ca. 1824 |
Selection of rootstock cultivars can be difficult: vigorous roots tend to give trees that are healthy but grow too tall to be harvested easily without careful pruning, while dwarfing rootstocks result in small trees that are easy to harvest from, but are often shorter-lived and sometimes less healthy. Most modern commercial orchards use one of the "Malling series" (aka 'M' series), introduced or developed by the East Malling Research Station from the early 20th century onward. However, a great deal of work has been done recently introducing new rootstocks in Poland, the U.S. (Geneva), and other nations. The Polish rootstocks are often used where cold hardiness in needed. The Geneva series of rootstocks has been developed to resist important diseases such as fireblight and collar rot, as well as for high fruit productivity.
Two of the most comprehensive publications on apple cultivars are: