What kind of apple tree is this?

[bmd2k1]

Trying to identify an old orchard apple tree in my yard....there are a number of them spread through my sub...which was developed in early 1970s. I'm located in southeast Michigan. Tree was most likely planted before 1960. Here's a pic of a typical apple. Apples are bit tart but can be eaten right off tree & make great apple pies. Let me know if there's any other info I can provide.

 

[bmd2k1]

Here's a pic of the tree

 

[mredge73]

Try this:
http://www.applename.com/id.aspx

Apples are strange creatures.
If it wasn't grafted it may not fit any particular type/breed.

 

[bmd2k1]

Thanks...did try that already...and came up with Northern Spy.

http://www.applename.com/varieties/northern-spy

 

[Jhoss]

Hi bmd, When does it ripen? And by that I mean a closely monitored almost daily sampling of apples checking for totally dark seeds. Usually the apple tastes good as the seeds turn. Spy is a good apple for sure. Coincedentally, I'm in Ortonville (SE Mich) and ramping up to squeeze some apples this fall (2018). I have a Spy but it is not bearing yet.

 

[bmd2k1]

Hi bmd, When does it ripen? And by that I mean a closely monitored almost daily sampling of apples checking for totally dark seeds. Usually the apple tastes good as the seeds turn. Spy is a good apple for sure. Coincedentally, I'm in Ortonville (SE Mich) and ramping up to squeeze some apples this fall (2018). I have a Spy but it is not bearing yet.

I'll need to pay closer attention this fall...but looking back we made a couple pies mid-Aug last summer. [emoji111]

Cheers!

 

[Oginme]

Check with your local cooperative extension office. They usually jump at helping to figure out what type of apple tree it is.

 

[madscientist451]

TApples are bit tart but can be eaten right off tree & make great apple pies. Let me know if there's any other info I can provide.

I've seen a similar apple, but I can't remember where, I'm going to dig out some books I have and see if I can find something.
It's hard to tell from the picture, but is it mostly yellow or more greenish?
Do some of the apples get more red than the one in the picture?
What size are the apples?
BTW, your tree could use some pruning.

 

[bmd2k1]

Yep...pruning coming thus spring. [emoji41]

More green.....size of a baseball or smaller.

I'm leaning toward Northern Spy....a few of my neighbors indicated that's what they were told there's are....and that applename.com site seems to reinforce that type.

 

[madscientist451]

The Northern Spy's I've picked at a local orchard are more red than the one in the photo, but that might have something to do with local growing conditions.
When do they get ripe?
Also, does it have a bigger crop every other year? (biennial?)

 

[madscientist451]

Maybe Duchess of Oldenburg?

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/yardandgardenreport/documents/lost-found-heirloom-apples

http://www.hardyfruittrees.ca/catal...rg-zone-3-the-first-choice-apple-tree-in-1888

 

[bmd2k1]

Interesting! Those do look a lot like the apples from this and the other trees in my sub.

Seems like they start ripening early Sept...though I know I've picked em still in mid-Oct.

It seems our crazy springs have affected the harvests...otherwise I haven't really noticed big changes one year to the next.

 

[bmd2k1]

...says Duchess could be an ancestor of Northern Spy...hmmm

https://www.orangepippin.com/apples/duchess-of-oldenburg

 

[dmtaylor]

Good luck, looks like it could indeed be Spy or Duchess.

FYI, the "proper" time to prune is right now, or before about mid March anyway. Let me know if you need any pruning pointers. I've been growing, training, and pruning my trees for almost 10 years.

EDIT: Yeah, I'm willing to bet almost positively that it's Duchess of Oldenburg.

http://www.seattletreefruitsociety.com/wp-content/gallery/bobs-100/duchess-of-oldenburg.jpg

 

[bmd2k1]

Good luck, looks like it could indeed be Spy or Duchess.

FYI, the "proper" time to prune is right now, or before about mid March anyway. Let me know if you need any pruning pointers. I've been growing, training, and pruning my trees for almost 10 years.

EDIT: Yeah, I'm willing to bet almost positively that it's Duchess of Oldenburg.

http://www.seattletreefruitsociety.com/wp-content/gallery/bobs-100/duchess-of-oldenburg.jpg

Thanks! Will take any tips ya got [emoji111]

 

[MarkKF]

All I know is I wish it were in my yard! I’d be making single varietal cider whatever it is. So how does it get pollinated if the other trees in the area are the same varietal?

 

[bmd2k1]

All I know is I wish it were in my yard! I’d be making single varietal cider whatever it is. So how does it get pollinated if the other trees in the area are the same varietal?

Not sure! As a new cider guy just this past Dec....all we've made up to this point are apple pies, baked apples, etc etc.

Gonna do some experimenting this fall though - may need to get myself a press et al [emoji3] [emoji111]

We've actually got a great cider mill that backs up to our sub...but they bring in their apples from offsite orchards. Their stuff is unpasteurized...gonna be trying batches with their stuff too.

 

[dmtaylor]

Thanks! Will take any tips ya got [emoji111]

See red line above. Snip. Doesn't have to be that one. Pick the one that produces the most shade to all the others or goes too high into the sky. Just one major limb should be good for this year. The first of a series over the course of several years. Leave a couple inches of a stub from the main branch, and it will send up dozens and dozens of new shoots. In June timeframe, choose just 2 or 3 of these new shoots to keep, and remove every other one. Weigh down the 2 or 3 that remain so you might be able to reach the fruit from the ground in the future -- essentially turn the tree into a big umbrella over the course of several years. Then eventually you won't need a ladder to reach all the fruit.

My 2 cents. Cheers.

 

[bmd2k1]

View attachment 559309

See red line above. Snip. Doesn't have to be that one. Pick the one that produces the most shade to all the others or goes too high into the sky. Just one major limb should be good for this year. The first of a series over the course of several years. Leave a couple inches of a stub from the main branch, and it will send up dozens and dozens of new shoots. In June timeframe, choose just 2 or 3 of these new shoots to keep, and remove every other one. Weigh down the 2 or 3 that remain so you might be able to reach the fruit from the ground in the future -- essentially turn the tree into a big umbrella over the course of several years. Then eventually you won't need a ladder to reach all the fruit.

My 2 cents. Cheers.

Wow...that's a good size limb to prune off. How long does it typically take for the new growth branches to bare fruit? (Asks the pruning knob [emoji6] )

 

[dmtaylor]

Fruiting is all about keeping the branches as horizontal as possible, or definitely less than 45 degrees from horizontal. Even turning the branches into an upside down U is not wrong in a case like this. The more vertical the branches, the less likely they are to fruit. Plus, like I said, wouldn't it be nice to be able to reach all the fruit easily? Bringing the branches downwards, you could see fruit in year 2 or 3, but probably more fruit in years 4 or 5. This is indeed a very long process, and requires a lot of babysitting, but it will get there after a few years.

If babysitting and pruning to ensure horizontal growth is not your thing, that's fine, but then you might be better off just leaving the tree alone to maintain its natural symmetry, and only prune to remove dead wood or where large limbs are shading others severely.

 

[bmd2k1]

Fruiting is all about keeping the branches as horizontal as possible, or definitely less than 45 degrees from horizontal. Even turning the branches into an upside down U is not wrong in a case like this. The more vertical the branches, the less likely they are to fruit. Plus, like I said, wouldn't it be nice to be able to reach all the fruit easily? Bringing the branches downwards, you could see fruit in year 2 or 3, but probably more fruit in years 4 or 5. This is indeed a very long process, and requires a lot of babysitting, but it will get there after a few years.

If babysitting and pruning to ensure horizontal growth is not your thing, that's fine, but then you might be better off just leaving the tree alone to maintain its natural symmetry, and only prune to remove dead wood or where large limbs are shading others severely.

Thanks...I appreciate the insight!

Cheers [emoji111]

 

[madscientist451]

It looks like the tree in the photo is near your home next to a patio?
Severe pruning that would be normal for an orchard tree isn't appropriate for a yard tree.
In addition to providing fruit, it looks like the tree provides shade.
Don't worry about picking cider apples, you can pick them up off the ground and wash them or use a pole picker. Commercial orchards never allow fruit to ripen properly on the tree, or the fruit would go bad on the way to market. But the home orchardist can allow the fruit to properly ripen on the tree, which produces better cider. If you have deer that get in your yard, you'll want to pick the apples before they fall, or the deer will get them all.
With that tree, I'd use a large stepladder and a pole pruner and try to reduce the amount of the highest vertical branches, but not cut the large branches that make up the structure of the tree. Prune out branches that are touching others and any dead wood. Don't remove more than 1/3 of the canopy in one year. Don't be in a hurry, sitting in a lawn chair with a glass of cider and pondering which branches to remove is a worthwhile activity.
If your neighbors have similar trees, I'd approach them about trading apples for some cider.

 

[bmd2k1]

I also have a 2-variety (not sure which) dwarf apple tree planted mid-90s & a couple crab apple trees on my property.

My new found cider hobby...will be keeping me more busy with all these trees! [emoji111] [emoji6]

 

[dmtaylor]

Crab apples are wonderful in cider. That's a real treasure.

 

[bmd2k1]

Crab apples are wonderful in cider. That's a real treasure.

They are small...typically smaller than a US quarter.

Always kinda viewed they as a nuisance tree...since I got in trouble as a youth writing on new concrete driveway with em...lol.

 

[dmtaylor]

They are small...typically smaller than a US quarter.

Always kinda viewed they as a nuisance tree...since I got in trouble as a youth writing on new concrete driveway with em...lol.

I have used dime-sized crabapples in the past with great success. They are somewhat of a pain to harvest since you need to pick thousands of them to amount to anything, but for tannin, tartness, and flavor, they can be very beneficial in a good cider.

 

[bmd2k1]

Duchess in bloom!

 

[bmd2k1]

Maybe Duchess of Oldenburg?

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/yardandgardenreport/documents/lost-found-heirloom-apples

http://www.hardyfruittrees.ca/catal...rg-zone-3-the-first-choice-apple-tree-in-1888

I was able to dig up a bit more info....my sub was a fruit orchard from 1938-1963...so my tree is roughly 80years old [emoji111] (...and she's now referred to as Duchess O) Thanks again for the feedback!