Apple & Pear Varieties Guide

Descriptions, History, Harvest, Usage & Characteristics – 45 Varieties Shipped Fresh

Click any variety to expand – from Honeycrisp to Winesap, all shipped from our NY orchards.

Quick Links To More Detail

Empire  Fuji  Gala  Honeycrisp  Honey Crisp  McIntosh 

       MacIntosh  Stayman  Winesap

Acey Mac Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Small to medium-sized, with smooth, red-orange skin and an occasional yellow or green streak. Their aromatic flesh is crisp, juicy, and offers a balanced sweet-tart flavor with delightful hints of honey and citrus. These apples are an ideal choice for fresh eating, pies, and applesauce.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Thrives in temperate climates but can handle various conditions.
• Harvest Time: September to October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, pies, applesauce.
• Characteristics: Small-medium, sweet-tart, honey-citrus, crisp, aromatic.

Ambrosia Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-sized with a bi-colored appearance, featuring a creamy yellow background with a pink to red blush and occasional russeting around the stem. Exceptionally sweet with honeyed, floral flavor, crisp and juicy texture.
History: Early 1990s chance seedling in British Columbia, Canada – named after the food of the gods.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Warm summers, cool nights.
• Harvest Time: September.
• Usage: Snacking, salads.
• Characteristics: Medium, very sweet, honey-floral, crisp, juicy.

Autumn Crisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium to large, glossy bright red skin, crisp and juicy, sweet with a hint of tartness, resists browning.
History: 2011 cross Monroe × Golden Delicious (New York State).
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold winters.
• Harvest Time: October–November.
• Usage: Fresh eating, salads.
• Characteristics: Large, crisp, sweet-slight tart, browning-resistant.

Blondee Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Small to medium, pale yellow skin with pink blush, sweet honey-like flavor with vanilla and tropical hints, crisp and juicy.
History: Early 2000s Purdue cross Gala × Lodel.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold winters.
• Harvest Time: September.
• Usage: Snacking.
• Characteristics: Small-medium, sweet, honey/vanilla/tropical, crisp, juicy.

Cameo Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-sized, bright red-orange striped skin, sweet-tart with honey hint, firm and crunchy.
History: Late 1980s chance seedling in Washington state.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Adaptable.
• Harvest Time: September–October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, baking.
• Characteristics: Medium, sweet-tart, honey notes, firm, crunchy.

CandyCrisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium to large, bright red skin, sweet honey-like flavor, crisp and juicy.
History: 1970s New York State cross Honeygold × Jonathan.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Temperate, cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: October.
• Usage: Snacking, fruit salads.
• Characteristics: Medium-large, sweet, honey notes, crisp, juicy.

Cortland Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-sized, bright red skin, snowy white flesh, sweet-tart leaning sweet, tender, resists browning.
History: Late 1800s New York cross Ben Davis × McIntosh.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold winters.
• Harvest Time: September.
• Usage: Salads, pies, fresh eating.
• Characteristics: Medium, sweet-tart, tender, slow to brown.

CrimsonCrisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium to large, deep red skin, sweet-tart with zesty note, crisp and juicy.
History: Early 2000s Purdue cross Jonathan × Nittany.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Adaptable.
• Harvest Time: October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, cooking, cider.
• Characteristics: Medium-large, sweet-tart, crisp, juicy.

Empire Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-sized, bright red over creamy background, sweet-tart, crisp and juicy.
History: 1940s Cornell University cross McIntosh × Red Delicious.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold winters.
• Harvest Time: Early fall.
• Usage: Snacking, pies, applesauce.
• Characteristics: Medium, sweet-tart, crisp, juicy.

EverCrisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Large, bright red with yellow-green background, sweet-tart, exceptionally crisp and firm.
History: Midwest Apple Improvement Association cross Honeycrisp × Fuji.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Adaptable.
• Harvest Time: Late fall.
• Usage: Fresh eating, long storage.
• Characteristics: Large, sweet-tart, extremely crisp, firm.

Fortune Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Large, red with yellow streaks, tart flavor, crisp texture.
History: New York State cross NY 4292-1 × Schoharie Spy.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: Late season.
• Usage: Cooking, cider.
• Characteristics: Large, tart, crisp.

Fuji Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium to large, red-pink over yellow-green, very sweet, crisp, dense flesh.
History: Japanese cross Ralls Janet × Red Delicious, introduced 1960s.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Warm days, cool nights.
• Harvest Time: Late October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, long storage.
• Characteristics: Medium-large, very sweet, crisp, dense.

Gala Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Small to medium, yellow-orange with red striping, mild sweet flavor, crisp and juicy.
History: New Zealand cross Kidd’s Orange Red × Golden Delicious, 1930s.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Mild to warm.
• Harvest Time: August–September.
• Usage: Snacking, salads.
• Characteristics: Small-medium, mild sweet, crisp, juicy.

Ginger Gold Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large, pale yellow-green skin, sweet-tart, crisp, resists browning.
History: Chance seedling discovered in Virginia, 1960s.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Warm regions.
• Harvest Time: Early season (August).
• Usage: Fresh eating, salads.
• Characteristics: Medium-large, sweet-tart, crisp, slow to brown.

Golden Delicious Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large, golden-yellow skin, sweet, tender flesh, honeyed flavor.
History: Chance seedling in West Virginia, early 1900s.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Adaptable.
• Harvest Time: September–October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, baking, applesauce.
• Characteristics: Medium-large, sweet, tender, honey flavor.

GoldRush Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, yellow with russeting, very sweet-tart, extremely crisp, excellent storage.
History: 1970s Purdue/Illinois/Indiana cooperative breeding.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: Late October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, long storage.
• Characteristics: Medium, intense sweet-tart, super crisp, stores months.

Granny Smith Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large, bright green skin, very tart, crisp and juicy.
History: Chance seedling in Australia, 1860s by Maria Ann “Granny” Smith.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Warm climates.
• Harvest Time: Late season.
• Usage: Pies, baking, fresh eating for tart lovers.
• Characteristics: Bright green, very tart, crisp, juicy.

Honeycrisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large, red mottled over yellow, explosively crisp, sweet with mild tartness.
History: University of Minnesota, released 1991.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: September–October.
• Usage: Fresh eating, salads.
• Characteristics: Explosively crisp, sweet, juicy cells.

Idared Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large, bright red, tart, firm, excellent for cooking and storage.
History: Idaho 1935 cross Jonathan × Wagener.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: October.
• Usage: Pies, sauce, storage.

Jonagold Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Large, red over yellow, sweet-tart, honeyed flavor, crisp.
History: New York 1953 cross Jonathan × Golden Delicious.

Jonathan Apple (Shop Now)

Description:Description: Small-medium, bright red, tart, tender flesh.
History: Old American variety, 1820s.

Lady Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Tiny ornamental apples, red/yellow, sweet-tart, used for decoration and fresh eating.

Macoun Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, dark red-purple, sweet, juicy, aromatic, crisp.
History: New York 1920s cross McIntosh × Jersey Black.

McIntosh Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, red and green, tender, juicy, sweet-tart, classic flavor.
History: Discovered 1811 Ontario, Canada.

Mutsu (Crispin) (Shop Now)

Description: Very large, yellow-green, sweet, crisp, great for baking.
History: Japanese cross Golden Delicious × Indo.

Northern Spy Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Large, red-striped, tart, firm – the classic pie apple.
History: New York 1800s.

Paula Red Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Early season, red with yellow, tart, crisp.
History: Michigan chance seedling.

Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, pink blush over yellow, sweet-tart, very crisp.
History: Australian cross Lady Williams × Golden Delicious.

Pinova (Piñata) (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, orange-red stripes, sweet-tart balanced, crisp.

PoundSweet Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Very large, yellow-green, sweet, soft flesh, baking apple.

Red Delicious Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Tall shape, deep red, sweet, mild flavor, crisp.

Rome Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Large, round, red, mild flavor, excellent baking apple – holds shape.

RubyFrost Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Bright red, sweet-tart, crisp, great storage.

Senshu Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Japanese, yellow-red, sweet, crisp.

Shizuka Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Sister to Mutsu, large, sweet, crisp.

SnapDragon Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Honeycrisp offspring, spicy-sweet, super crisp.

SnowSweet Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Sweet, slow to brown, white flesh.

Spartan Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Dark red, McIntosh child, sweet, juicy.

Stayman Winesap Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Firm, tart, wine-like flavor, excellent cider & cooking.

Tolman Sweet Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Very sweet, pale yellow, old American heirloom.

WineCrisp Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Deep red, crisp, sweet-tart, disease-resistant.

Zestar Apple (Shop Now)

Description: Medium, red blush over yellow-green, sweet-tart, very juicy, crisp with zingy flavor.
History: University of Minnesota 1999.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Cold hardy.
• Harvest Time: Late August–early September.
• Usage: Early season fresh eating.

Housi Pear (Hosui) (Shop Now)

Description: Medium-large Asian pear, russeted bronze skin, extremely crisp like an apple, very sweet and juicy.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Warm summers.
• Harvest Time: August.
• Usage: Fresh eating, Asian dishes.

Olympic Giant Pear (Shop Now)

Description: Very large European-style pear, yellow-green skin, sweet, juicy, buttery flesh.
Additional Information:

• Climate: Various.
• Harvest Time: Late summer–early fall.
• Usage: Fresh eating, dessert.