Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
May
Middle ages, very old apple.
Valued for Early Ripening. 1300 Yellow Good
May-
June
Soft. Very
Tart. Cook x Medium
Anna
Origin Israel. Extremely young
bearer. Good taste and stores
well for an early apple. Good
for deep South. Blooms Early.
Planting Anna and Dorsett
together works well. Gold
Delicious parentage. Most
popular variety in Florida. <1959
Green-Yellow-
Red Very Good
June-
July
Crisp. Sweet
to mildly tart.
Eat, pies,
sauce x x Heavy.
Early Harvest
Origin New York. Grows on all
soils. High yield, early bearing,
grows fast. Eating, sauce, and
cooking apple. <1800 Yellow Very good
June-
July
Somewhat
firm/crisp.
Tart. Eat, sauce x x Very Heavy
Pristine
Origin United States. Early
disease resistant variety. Early
bearer. Heavy bearing. A very
good tasting early apple. Good
pollinator. 1950 Green-Yellow
Good. (scab-
good.
mildew, fire
blight, CAR -
some
susceptibility
June-
July
Crisp. Tart to
sweet. Eat. x Very heavy.
Aunt Rachel
Origin North Carolina. Ripens
over several weeks in July.
Wide angled limb structure
making it easy to train. One of
the best early apples.
Yellow-red
stripes. Good. July Mildly tart. Eat, cook. x x Medium
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Dorsett
Origin Bahamas. Good taste
and stores well for early apple.
Good for deep South. Blooms
Early. Good pollinator.
Descendant of Golden
Delicious. Planting Anna and
Dorsett together works well.
Fruits extremely early (2 yrs).
Self-fertile. 1950 Yellow-red Good
June-
July
Crisp. Sweet
to mildly tart. Eat, cook. x x Heavy
(Carolina) Red
June
Origin South Carolina. Widely
planted and depended on by
Southerners in the past. It was
the early apple Southerners
depended on for several reasons
including: good eating for an
early apple, ripens over a month
period, keeps several weeks (good
for an early apple), relatively
resistant to diseases (exception -
apple scab, CAR). Has unique
quality of occasionally blooming a
second time and producing a
second harvest of apples in the
fall. Grows well on/in variety of
soils and climates. Heavy
producer. <1800 Red Good
June /
July
Tender. Mild
tart.
Eat,
cook,sauc
e x x Very heavy.
Hollow Log
Origin North Carolina. Name
derived from fact that it was
seedling found growing near
Hollow Logs. Late bloomer,
heavy producer, strong
grower. Crisp, aromatic, sweet-
spicy. One nursery claimed
that wherever known this
apple is considered to be the
best is cultivation. Good for
eating and cooking. <1920 Yellow Good
Jun-
Aug
Crisp. Sweet-
spicy. Eat, cook. x x Heavy
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
William's
Favorite
Origin Massachusetts.
Adaptable to most growing
conditions. Resistance to fire
blight. Bright red summer
apple that resembles Red
Delicious. 1750 Red
Very Good.
Fire Blight
resistant. July
Firm. Mildly
sweet. Eat, cook. x x
Horse
Old favorite. Many old farm
sites have a Horse apple tree.
Widely planted and depended
on by Southerners in the past.
Good pollinator. Unique taste.
Versatile apple with many
uses: eating, cooking, cider,
vinegar. Must have apple for
a Heritage Apple Orchard. 1800 yellow Good.
July-
Aug Soft. Very tart.
Cook,
cider,
vinegar,
eat x x Heavy.
American
Summer
Pearmain
Origin: Probably New Jersey
origin. Very good eating early
apple and apple sauce apple.
Grew throughout South on
variety of soils. 1817 Red-Green.
Fair
(susceptible
Fire Blight)
July-
Aug
Crisp, juicy,
aromatic.
Mostly sweet
to mild tart.
Eating,
cooking
Sauce,
dry. x x x Heavy
Mary Reid
Origin North Carolina. Good
eating, cooking and dries well.
<1945
? Red-green. Good
Jul-
Sept Tart.
Eat, cook,
dry. x x x Medium
Ginger Gold
Origin Virginia. Known as the
apple that hurricane Camille
brought forth as it was found 1960? Yellow Good. Aug
Crisp/crunchy
Tart-Sweet Eat, cook. x x Heavy
Mollies
Delicious
Very productive. Good
pollinizer. Low chill apple. Not
related to Red Delicious. Very 1900? Red Good Aug
Crisp. Sweet-
tart.
Eat, cook,
can. x x Heavy
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Cauley
Origin Mississippi. One tree
was said to produce more than
1 ton of apples every year.
Great eating, drying, and
cooking apple. Large fruit
weighing well over 1 lb in some
cases. Fire blight resistant
when mature. Spur bearer. <1860
Yellow-red
striped. Good
Aug-
Sept
(mid
July
cook)
Crisp. Mild
sweet.
Eat,
Cooking x x x Very Heavy.
Hewe's Crab
Origin Virginia. Widely
considered the best cider apple
gown in the South yielding a
dry cider of unsurpassed flavor
that will keep all winter.
Thomas Jefferson grew and
used Hewe's Crab for cider. <1717 Red Striped Good
Aug-
Sep
Firm.
Astringent. Cider x Heavy
Golden
Delicious
Origin: West Virginia. Great
tasting, great pollinator, very
heavy bearer. Must have
apple for any Orchard. The
taste of this apple picked at
just the right time (a little early
is better) is hard to match. It
tastes nothing like a purchased
version of the apple. Thought
to be a seedling of Grimes
Golden. Progenitor of many
other great apples. Good
disease resistance. Just a great
apple. 1914 Yellow Very good.
Aug-
Sept
Crisp. Sweet
Spicy Eat, cook. x x Very Heavy
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Hunge
Origin North Carolina. Wide
adaptability even growing in
coastal areas. Bears young.
Highly thought of apple in the
past that was almost lost as it
is thought to have been only 1
tree in existence as of 1987. 1700 red Very good.
Aug-
Sept
Crispy.
Sweet/tart/
hint of wine.
Eating,
cooking
drying,
brandy. x x Heavy.
Red Jonathon
Origin Michigan? Bright red,
crisp, tart but well-balanced.
Great eating apple. Also good
for ciders, juices, sauces, pies,
and freezing. Partially self
fertile. Widely adaptable to
soil types. Zones 4-8. Grows
well in South but considered
Heritage mid west apple. 1826 Bright Red Very Good
Aug/
Sept
Crisp. Sweet
to tart.
Eating,
cooking x x x x Very heavy.
Red Rebel
Origin Virginia. Very
productive and disease
resistant. Beautiful apples
described as the prettiest
apple by some. Excellent
eating apple. 1850 Red Very good.
Aug-
Sept
Crisp. Mild
sweet. Eating x Very heavy.
Summer
Banana
Origin South Carolina. Great
tasting apple. Hint of banana
flavor. 1890 Yellow Good.
Aug-
Sept
Firm. Very
sweet.
Eat and
cook. x x
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Magnum
Bonum
Origin North Carolina. Grown
from seedling of Hall Apple.
Per Calhoun on everybody's list
of Top 10 greatest Southern
apples. Sets standard as a fall
apple. Widely adaptable to
growing condition.
Commercial apple at one time.
Susceptible to CAR. Excellent
dessert apple, good eating
apple, good keeper. 1828 Light red.
Good
(susceptible to
CAR)
Aug-
Oct
Crisp. Mildly
sweet. Eat, cook. x x Heavy.
Dula Beauty
Origin North Carolina.
Originated from Limbertwig
seeds. Adapted to all growing
conditions from mountains to
coast, strong and vigorous.
Bears heavily. Large fruit.
Possibly same as Coffey
Seedling which originated from
seeds of Red Limbertwig.
late
1800's Red Good Sept
Crisp. Mildly
sweet to
mildly tart. Eat. x Heavy
Empire
Origin New York. Red
DeliciousxMcIntosh parentage.
Disease resistant to Blight and
Rust. Popular commercial
variety. Good eating apple.
Keeps well until March. 1945 Red Good. Sept Crisp. Sweet.
Eating,
cooking x x Heavy.
Esopus
Spitzenberg
Origin: New York. Thomas
Jefferson's favorite apple.
Outstanding eating apple but
susceptible to apple scab,
collar rot, fire blight. It won
many apple tasting contests. <1800 Red Poor. Sept
Crisp. Mildly
sweet to
mildly tart. Eating. x Medium.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Gala
Origin: New Zealand. One of
the most widely grown
varieties. Ranked #2 most
popular US apple in 2006.
Can be grown in South (600
chill hours). Cross between
Kidd's Orange and Golden
Delicious. Fresh Gala apples
are much better than the store
bought version. 1930 Red Good. Sept Firm. Sweet. Eat. x Heavy
Graniwinkle
Origin: New Jersey. Named
for the farmer that first
cultivated it. Good for fresh
eating, cider, and cooking. 1817 Red. Good Sept
Crunchy.
Sweet.
Eating,
cooking
cider. x x x Heavy.
Grimes Golden
Origin: West Virginia. So great is
this apple that a granite
monument exists in West
Virginia to honor it. Considered
an all time American best. Good
keeper, heavy bearer, good
disease resistance, tastes great.
Widely grown. Thought to be a
progenitor of the great Golden
Delicious. A must have variety.
Self-fertile. Excellent pollinizer.
Many say the Grimes has a
better flavor than the Golden
Del. 1790 Yellow Very Good. Sept
Firm. Sweet,
spicy.
Eat, cook,
Dry,
Cider. x x x x Heavy
Honeycrisp
Origin: University of
Minnesota. Parents include
Keepsake and Golden
Delicious. Keeps until April.
Commercial variety. Great
tasting apple. 1960 Red - yellow Good Sept
Crisp/crunchy
Sweet.
Eating,
storage x x
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Jonafree
Origin Illinois. Disease
resistant, heavy bearer,
vigorous. Keeps 10 weeks. 1965 Red Very good Sept
Crisp. Sweet
to tart. Eat, cider. x Heavy
Liberty
Origin New York. Heavy
bearer, great tasting, good
pollinator. Many say this is the
most trouble free variety. A
truly great apple and tree.
Stores well. At TCO Liberty
has produced year after year
without spraying. 1955 Red
Very
Good/Best Sept
Firm/crunchy.
Sweet, winey
flavor.
Eat.
Cider.
Cooking x x x
Extremely
heavy.
Limbertwig,
Victoria
Origin Tennessee. Weeping
type. Rated as top apple for
fresh eating. Stores 1-2
months. <1860 Red Very good. Sept Crisp. Sweet.
Eating,
cider,
cook,
sauces,
pies. x x x Heavy.
Cripps Pink
(Pink Lady)
Origin Australia. Cripps Pink is
an apple cultivar from which
apples meeting certain
standards can be sold as Pink
Lady. Parents are Lady
Williams x Golden Delicious.
Pink Lady is trademarked Apple
from a Cripps Pink apple tree
variety. Cripps Pink requires a
very long growing season.
Good storage apple. 1973
Pink-green
undertones. Good Sep
Crisp. Sweet -
slightly tart.
Eating,
keeping,
cooking,
sauces. x x Heavy.
Smokehouse
Origin Pennsylvania. Grows
well on clays. Excellent
cooking and good eating apple.
Very flavorful. Susceptible to
Cedar Apple Rust and Fire
Blight. Can be bi-ennial bearer.
Original tree grew beside a
Smokehouse. <1836
Green/Yellow
striped red. Good Sept
Firm/crisp.
Mild sweet to
sweet-spicy. Eat, cook. x x
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Sops of Wine
Origin: England. Grows well in
South. Early apple. Annual
bearer. <1855 Red-yellow. Good Sept
Firm.
Aromatic, Mild
sweet.
Eat, cook,
cider. x x x Heavy.
Winesap,
Stayman
Origin Kansas. Another
progeny of Winesap. Stayman
came from seeds of the
Winesap. Good tasting,
disease resistant, keeps well. 1866 Red Very good. Sept
Firm/crisp.
Mildly tart,
tangy.
Eat, cook,
cider,
juice. x x x Heavy.
Blacktwig
Origin: Arkansas or Tennessee.
Much controversy surrounded
origin. Most likely another
Winesap seedling. Grows well
on any soil type. Very good
fresh eating apple. Keeps well.
Resistant to fire blight and
Cedar Apple Rust. Very good
all purpose apple for eating,
drying, cooking or cider. 1800 Red-Green. Good.
Sept-
Oct
Firm, juicy.
Mildly tart to
mildly sweet.
Eating,
cooking,
cider. x x x Medium
Buckingham
Origin: uncertain (likely
Virginia). Planted for two
hundred years all over the
South. Settlers spread the tree
widely due to it's good traits
and it's tendency to sprout.
Widely planted and depended
on by Southerners in the past.
A great all purpose apple used
for eating, cooking, drying and
cider. Calhoun calls it the
"quintessential southern
apple". 1777?
Yellow-red
striped.
Good
(susceptible to
Cedar Apple
Rust)
Sept-
Oct
Crisp.
Sprightly sub
acid.
Eating,
cooking,
drying,
cider. x x x x Heavy
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Dixie Red
Delight
Origin Alabama. Very popular
in early 1900 sold widely.
Sweet, crisp, good for fresh
eating, good keeper. Probably
originated fron seed of a
Yellow Transparent. Vigorous.
Referencing Calhoun fire blight
may be a problem.
early
1900's Red
Good
(possibly
susceptible
fire blight)
Sept-
Oct
Crisp. Mildly
Sweet. Eating x Heavy.
Kinnaird's
Choice
Origin Tennessee. Grows in
South well.
LimbertwigxWinesap cross.
Origin TN. Dessert and cider
apple. A pie bakers favorite.
Said to be the finest apple
grown in Tennessee at one
time. 1843 Red Very good.
Sept-
Oct
Firm. Mildly
tart to sweet.
Eating,
cooking. x x x Heavy
Mutzu
Origin Japan. Cross Indo and
Golden Delicious. Bears
abundant crops. Great tasting,
spicy. Origin Japan. Keeps
well. Good for cooking. 1949 Green Good
Sept-
Oct
Crisp. Sweet-
tart. Spicy.
Eating,
cook. x Heavy.
Red Delicious
(Hawkeye)
Origin Iowa. The progenitor of
the well known Red Delicious.
The Hawkeye delicious is a
seedling from a Yellow
Bellflower. It is immensely
more flavorful than the store
bought sport. Because of its
beauty, fine eating qualities,
hardiness and productiveness,
this variety displaced almost all
the other commercial apples. <1870 Red. Good
Sept-
Oct Crisp. Sweet. Eat. x Heavy.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Roxbury Russet
Origin Massachusetts. A russet
apple. Widely grown across
the South. Widely known as a
great Cider apple. The oldest
American Apple said to have
arrived with the Pilgrims in
Roxbury, Massachusetts. <1649
Dull green /
russeted. Very Good.
Sept/
Oct
Firm/mild
sweet.
Eating,
cider,
cook. x x x
Heavy.
Annual.
Virginia Beauty
Origin Virginia. Excellent
eating apple. Grows well on
poor soils including clay. One
of the most beautiful apples.
Adapted to much of the South. 1810 Red
Good
(resistant to
fire blight)
Sept/
Oct
Mild sweet to
sweet.
Eating,
cooking. x x Medium
Mattamuskeet
Origin North Carolina.
Legendary keeper that is said
to have been stored outdoors
and last until May or June.
Considered the best winter
apple for the low county. May
hang on tree till November. <1888 Red
Good
(susceptible to
CAR)
Sept/l
ater
Firm. Slightly
tart improving
in storage.
Keeper,
cooking,
eating. x x x Heavy
American
Golden Russet
Origin New Jersey or New York.
Good keeper. Delicious eating
apple with complex sweet-tart
flavor. Old American Apple.
High sugar content makes it a
good cider apple . Good drying
apple. <1800
Russet-Green
/Yellow
Good
(susceptible
CAR)
Sept-
Nov
Crisp-
crunchy/firm.
Very sweet.
Cider, Eat,
dry. x x x x x
Moderate.
Tip bearer.
Virginia Gold
Origin Virginia. Cross
Albemarle Pippin and Golden
Delicious (two all time greats).
Store for a few months for
peak distinctive flavor. Great
for pies. Becoming popular
rapidly because of distinctive
taste. 1976 Yellow
Good
(susceptible
CAR) Oct
Crisp. Tart to
mild sweet.
Eating,
cooking,
cider. x x x
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Enterprise
Great tasting extremely
disease resistant apple.
Parents include McIntosh,
Golden Delicious, and Rome
Beauty. Store 3-6 months in
refrigeration. Has been called
a disease resistant Winesap
type apple. 1999 Red
Very Good -
never any
issues at TCO. Oct
Crisp/Firm.
Sweet to
mildly tart and
mildly spicy.
Eat,
storage,
cooking. x x x Heavy.
Goldrush
Pollinator. Modern disease
resistant variety. Disease
resistant (scab and mildew).
Tart tang sweetens with age.
Fruits early. Keep 8 months in
refrigeration. Derived from
Golden Delicious. 1999 Green-Yellow
Good
(susceptible
CAR) Oct
Firm/Crisp.
Tart - sweet.
Eating,
cider. x x x Very heavy.
Johnson
Keeper
Origin North Carolina. Good
eating and storage apple. red Very good. Oct Crisp. Tart.
Eating.
Storage. x x
Joseph Apple
Origin Yugoslavia. Beautiful
red disease resistant apple.
Good for eating, cooking.
Stores well. Red Very Good. Oct
Firm. Mild
sweet.
Eating,
cook. x x
Limbertwig,
Black
Origin Georgia. Very resistant
to diseases. Prized for cider
and apple butter. Good
keeper. This is a great tasting
apple. <1914 Red-Green. Very good. Oct
Crisp. Sweet
to tart.
Eat, cider,
cook,
keeping. x x x Heavy.
Limbertwig,
Red Royal
One of best apples for fresh
eating, apple butter, and cider.
Keeps well. Red Very good. Oct Crisp. Sweet.
Eating,
cooking,
cider. x x x x
Limbertwig,
Royal
Very good Limbertwig variety.
Grows well in South. Sold
widely by old Southern
nurseries. Good for apple
butter. Good eating. 1860 Green-Red Very Good Oct Firm. Sweet.
Eating,
apple
butter. x x Heavy.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Limbertwig,
Swiss
Origin Kentucky? Maroon
colored. Grown by Swiss
settlers. Very good taste,
extremely crisp.
Maroon-
green. Very good. Oct Crisp. Sweet. Eating. x Heavy.
Limbertwig,
Brushy
Mountain
Origin North Carolina. Great
eating and keeping apple. Will
keep until June. A commercial
variety at one time.
unkno
wn Red-yellow. Very good.
Octob
er
Crisp. Juicy
unique
aromatic
flavor. Eat, keep. x x Heavy
Newtown
Pippin
(Albemarle
Pippin)
Origin England. Calhoun calls
this one of the truly great
Southern apples. A very
interesting history has this apple
being sent to Benjamin Franklin
while in London. England
developed such a taste for the
apple that it became an
important export. Susceptible to
fire blight and bitter rot.
Requires high fertility soil to do
well. Taste improves greatly in
storage. Great keeper. Keeps
until March in a cellar. <1666 Yellow Good Oct
Crisp.
Aromatic,
mildly sweet.
Eat,
storage,
cook,
cider x x x x Medium
Ralls Janet
Origin Virginia. Good eating,
good keeper. Said to do well
on clay soils. Bears heavily
every year. Often called
neverfail due to its blooming
late and escaping late frosts..
A parent of Fuji. It is
susceptible to fire blight.
Yellow-red fruit color. <1790 Yellow-red.
Good
(susceptible
fire blight) Oct
Crisp. Mild
sweet. Eat, keep. x x Very heavy.
Shockley
Origin Georgia. Legendary
keeper said to keep until late
summer. Widely planted and
depended on by Southerners in
the past. <1852 Red Good.
Octob
er
Crisp. Mild
sweet to
sweet. Storage. x x x x x
Heavy.
Annual.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Winesap, Old
Fashion
Originated New Jersey. A
favorite Old Fashion apple.
Widely planted and depended
on by Southerners in the past.
Excellent keeper. Excellent
eating. Excellent cider.
Excellent storage. Grows in all
soils including clays. Best
Winesap keeper. Important
commercial variety through
the 19th century. Flavor
improves in storage. A must
have apple for any orchard.
Not a pollinator. 1800 Dark red
Very good - no
issues at TCO.
Oct-
Nov Firm. Sweet.
Eating,
cider,
keeper. x x x Heavy.
Limbertwig,
Kentucky
Origin Kentucky. Excellent
eating and keeper. Limbertwig
taste. Weeping.
unkno
wn
Green/yellow-
red. Very good.
Oct-
Nov Firm, Crisp.
Eating,
cooking,
keeping. x x x Heavy
Limbertwig,
Levering
Origin Southwest Virginia.
Smokey Limbertwig flavor.
Weeping habit. Excellent
keeper and cider apple. Red-yellow. Very good.
Oct-
Nov
Very firm,
crunchy.
Smokey
Limbertwig
flavor.
Eat, cider,
keeper. x x x
Granny Smith
Origin Australia. Pollinator.
Very heavy bearer. Good
keeper. Fresh grown much
better than store bought. 1868 Green Good
Oct-
Nov
Crisp. Tart-
sweet.
Sauce,
juice, eat,
storage,
cook. x x x Heavy.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Hall
Origin North Carolina. Said to
be progenitor of the Magnum
Bonum. An excellent keeper
keeping until May. Great
tasting apple. Both the tree
and fruit are small. The
combination of good fresh
eating and great keeper are a
rare combination in a southern
apple that made it very
popular at one time. <1800 Red Good
Oct/N
ov
Tender. Mild
sweet.
Eating,
storage. x x Heavy
Terry Winter
Origin Georgia. Adapted to all
growing conditions including
Southern conditions. One of
the best keeping apples.
Unique nutty flavor. <1868 Red
Very good - no
issues at TOC.
Oct-
Nov Crisp. Sweet. Eating x x Heavy.
Winesap,
Virginia
Origin Virginia. Sport of
Winesap that is darker red.
See above description for Old
Fashioned Winesap. 1922 Red Very good.
Oct-
Nov
Firm. Sweet
with a twang.
Eating,
cider,
keeper. x x x Heavy.
Arkansas Black
Origin Arkansas. Hardy,
vigorous, heavy bearer.
Disease resistant (especially
Cedar Apple Rust) (susceptible
to Apple Scab). One of the 1870
Dark red with
Black
tendency.
Very Good -
never any
issues at TCO.
(others note
susceptible to Nov
Crisp/Firm/mo
derately juicy.
Mildly sweet
to mildly tart.
Eat, cook,
keep,
juice. x x x Heavy
Limbertwig,
Red (Old
Fashioned)
Origin North Georgia. One of
oldest limbertwigs. Weeping
habit. Excellent keeper. Good
for pies, jelly and cider. Very
heavy bearer and very good
disease resistance. 1882
Red-
green/yellow
Very good -
never any
issues at TCO. Nov
Firm, crisp.
Sweet.
Pies, jelly,
cider,
eating,
keeping. x x x x Very Heavy.
Comparison Chart of Apple Varieties Grown [Reference: Old Southern Apples, Creighton Lee Calhoun, Jr.]
Variety Photos
Description, History, and
Orchard Opinion
Origin
Date Apple Color
Disease
Resist. Ripen
Flavor /
Texture Uses Eat Keep Cook Dry Cider
Bearing
Tendency
Yates
Origin Georgia. Good
pollinator. Small, old favorite,
heavy bearer, easy to grow,
good wildlife apple, very good
keeper. Grows all regions
mountains to coast. Bears
young. Will keep to April.
Another must have old apple
variety. 1844 Red
Very Good -
never any
issues at TCO. Nov
Tender.
Sweet. Eat, cider. x x x Heavy.
Keener
Origin North Carolina. One of
the latest apples. Good
eating, cooking, drying and
keeper. Apples can hang on
the tree until December. <1880 Russet. Very good.
Dec -
Oct.
Crisp. Mildly
sweet.
Eat, cook,
storage. x x x x Very Heavy