Enterprise Apples

Enterprise was developed by the cooperative apple-breeding program of Purdue University, Rutgers University and the University of Illinois, commonly called the PRI program.

The program combined fruit quality with genetic resistance to apple scab and other important diseases.

The letters PRI embedded in enterprise commemorate Purdue, Rutgers and Illinois, the three institutions behind the cooperative breeding program.

The cultivar was tested as Co-op 30 and carried the breeding designation PRI 2693-1.

The parent seedlings were crossed at Purdue in 1971. The resulting tree was planted in 1972 and selected in 1978 after fruiting and disease evaluation.

Enterprise was released in 1993 and received a United States plant patent in 1995.

No, not in the antique sense. Enterprise is a modern scientifically bred cultivar.

It appears in Honeycrisp.com's rare and historic collection because it is distinctive, limited in supply and connected to an important chapter in public apple breeding.

The direct cross was PRI 1661-2 x PRI 1661-1, two complex disease-resistant breeding selections.

The deeper pedigree includes well-known apples such as McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Starking Delicious and Rome Beauty, together with disease-resistance material from Malus floribunda 821.

Malus floribunda 821 contributed the Vf resistance gene used by the PRI program to develop apples with strong resistance to apple scab.

Breeders repeatedly crossed resistant descendants with high-quality eating apples to improve fruit size, flavor, appearance and storage while retaining resistance.

The original patent reports 19 seeds from the 1971 cross. Eleven seedlings survived scab inoculation and were planted in the field.

Co-op 30, later named Enterprise, was the single selection chosen from that family.

At harvest, Enterprise can be richly spicy, lively and noticeably acidic.

After several weeks in cold storage, the acidity moderates and the flavor becomes more balanced, making the apple feel sweeter without changing into a bland sweet apple.

Apples continue to change after harvest. Starches convert, acids shift and aromatic compounds develop.

The original Enterprise description rated fruit quality very good at harvest but best after roughly one month of storage, with peak winter dessert quality in December through March under trial conditions.

Yes. Enterprise flesh is firm, crisp and breaking at harvest and remains firm after storage when the fruit is properly refrigerated.

The official cultivar description calls the skin moderately thick and tough.

Some people enjoy the peel, while others prefer Enterprise peeled for fresh slices or desserts. The sturdy skin contributes to handling and storage performance.

Harvest maturity, sunlight, crop load, weather and storage time all affect acidity, sweetness, firmness and aroma.

An apple eaten immediately after harvest may taste sharper than one allowed to mellow for a month.

Enterprise is a late-season apple. The original Purdue description placed maturity around October 17-25 at West Lafayette, Indiana.

In northern orchard regions, a practical customer window is mid to late October, depending on the year.

Visit our Apple Harvest Calendar for current seasonal guidance.

It can be eaten at harvest, but Enterprise was developed as a winter dessert apple and commonly improves after several weeks of storage.

Customers who find the fresh crop very tart may prefer to refrigerate it and taste again later.

Visit Fresh Apples Ready to Ship for current inventory.

If Enterprise is still on the trees, check Apples Still Growing.

No. Enterprise is an annual crop. Once harvested and stored inventory is sold, the next supply must wait for another growing season.

Yes. Strong apple-scab resistance was a central goal of the PRI breeding program.

The original release described Enterprise as field immune to scab during its evaluation period. Modern extension guidance more cautiously rates it very resistant.

No. Current Purdue Extension guidance emphasizes that resistance is not immunity.

Pathogen populations can change, and even resistant cultivars may develop disease under extreme pressure, stress or unfavorable environmental conditions.

Current Purdue ratings describe Enterprise as very resistant to apple scab and resistant to fire blight and juniper rust diseases.

Current guidance lists it as susceptible to powdery mildew, illustrating why one broad phrase such as “disease-proof” would be misleading.

No. Disease resistance can reduce disease pressure and some spray needs, but trees still require appropriate pruning, thinning, nutrition, pest monitoring, site selection and orchard management.

Yes. Washington State University created WA 38, marketed as Cosmic Crisp, by crossing Enterprise with Honeycrisp.

That makes Enterprise one of the two parents of one of America's most prominent newer apples.

Parent-offspring traits cannot be assigned with certainty without genetic analysis, but Enterprise offered breeders deep red color, firmness, storage ability and disease-resistant ancestry.

Honeycrisp contributed its famous crispness and juiciness. WA 38 represents a new genetic combination rather than a simple halfway blend.

Yes, especially after the fruit has mellowed in storage.

Customers who enjoy firm, spicy, full-flavored winter apples may find Enterprise much more interesting than mild supermarket varieties.

Yes. The firm flesh and bright acidity make Enterprise useful in pies, crisps and other baked desserts.

Because the peel can be tough, many bakers prefer to peel the fruit.

Yes. Enterprise's firm structure and large size make it a good candidate for whole baked apples or stuffed apple desserts.

Yes. Enterprise creates a flavorful, brightly balanced sauce.

For a naturally sweeter or softer result, blend it with a milder apple.

Yes. Firm slices add crunch to green salads, slaws and grain salads.

Use a lemon-water dip when cut fruit must remain attractive for an extended period.

Its firm texture and spicy acidity work well with sharp cheddar, aged Gouda, blue cheese and creamy Brie.

Yes. Long storage was a defining goal of the cultivar.

Original trials reported six months or more at 1°C while retaining characteristic flavor and texture. A home refrigerator may not duplicate research or commercial storage conditions, so no exact household duration is guaranteed.

• Refrigerate promptly after delivery.
• Use a crisper drawer or breathable container.
• Keep temperature as consistent as possible.
• Avoid unnecessary bruising.
• Inspect fruit periodically.
• Use any softening apples first.
• Keep apples away from onions, garlic and strong odors.

Yes. Peel and slice them before freezing for later pies, crisps, sauce and cooked dishes.

Frozen apples soften after thawing and are better suited to cooking than fresh eating.

Purdue describes Enterprise as similar in overall market role to Rome, but with disease resistance incorporated.

Both are late, red, firm apples suited to baking and storage. Enterprise generally offers a spicier, more acidic flavor and a modern breeding pedigree.

Both came from the PRI program and combine strong scab resistance with long storage.

GoldRush is yellow, extremely firm and often intensely tart at harvest. Enterprise is deep red, somewhat less sharp and known for spicy richness.

Liberty is generally earlier and has more obvious McIntosh-style character.

Enterprise ripens much later and is better suited to winter storage.

Choose Honeycrisp for immediate juiciness and dramatic crunch.

Choose Enterprise for spicy winter flavor, firmer dense flesh, disease-resistant breeding history and longer storage potential.

The original cultivar description characterizes the tree as vigorous, spreading and round-topped.

Branch training and canopy thinning may be needed to improve light penetration and fruit color.

Yes. The official description states that cross-pollination is required for optimum yield.

Choose compatible cultivars with overlapping bloom and consult the tree nursery for rootstock- and region-specific guidance.

The original release described annual bearing and fruit that hangs well on the tree.

Crop load still requires thinning to achieve good fruit size and maintain tree balance.

Enterprise is less common than mainstream grocery-store cultivars.

When our crop is available, you can buy Enterprise apples online from Honeycrisp.com and have them shipped from our orchard operation to your door.

Check Fresh Apples Ready to Ship for current availability.

Enterprise is a limited annual crop. Visit Apples Still Growing for upcoming fruit or browse varieties currently ready to ship.

Current package options depend on crop size, grading and inventory. A bulk case can provide more fruit for storage, baking or family use.

Bulk cases generally offer lower packaging cost per apple but carry more risk of cosmetic bruising than foam-protected gift boxes.

The name suggests initiative and ambitious work, while the letters PRI inside enterPRIse honor the three-university breeding program that created it.

Enterprise was crossed with Honeycrisp by Washington State University to create WA 38, marketed as Cosmic Crisp.

Why did Enterprise wait a month before making an entrance?
It knew good winter flavor needed time to develop.

Why did Enterprise join the research program?
It wanted a career with room for growth.