Fruit Tree Planner

Arkansas Black is sweet with just enough acidity to stay lively, with firm, dense flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for storage, cider, and old-style winter fruit, but skip it if you want a quick early dessert apple with instant tenderness. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Ashmead's Kernel is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with firm, dense flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating for flavor-focused growers, cider, and storage, but skip it if you want polished supermarket looks or a mild easy sweet apple. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Cox's Orange Pippin is sweet with a soft acidic lift, with tender-crisp flesh and medium fruit. In this group, this is one of the richest-tasting options. Choose it for fresh eating and growers who care most about high dessert quality, but skip it if you want rough handling, long plain storage, or a firm kitchen baking apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Enterprise is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with firm, dense flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for disease-resistant backyard orchards, storage, and baking, but skip it if you want growers looking for an immediately soft, delicate dessert apple. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Gala is sweet with light acidity and aromatic lift, with very crisp, firm texture and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating, kid-friendly snacking, and early home harvests, but skip it if you want growers chasing intense acidity, deep storage character, or big baking apples. It usually ripens around late August to early September, earlier than most of the others shown.

Golden Delicious is sweet with light acidity and aromatic lift, with very crisp, firm texture and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating, baking, and broad kitchen use, but skip it if you want a sharply tart apple or a very hard keeper. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

GoldRush is tart-forward with sharp acidity, with firm, dense flesh and medium fruit. In this group, this brings more acidity and bite than most of the others shown. Choose it for long storage, cider, and late-season baking, but skip it if you want something mild, easy, and ready to eat right off the tree. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Granny Smith is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with very crisp, firm texture and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for baking, cider, and a very sharp apple, but skip it if you want growers looking for mellow sweetness or aromatic dessert quality straight off the tree. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Honeycrisp is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with juicy flesh with moderate firmness and large fruit. In this group, it gives some of the largest fruit and feels more substantial than most of the others shown. Choose it for fresh eating, lunch apples, and premium dessert fruit, but skip it if you want sauce or baking where a softer, less explosive apple is easier to work with. It usually ripens around mid to late September, in the middle of this group.

Red Delicious is very sweet with low acidity, with very crisp, firm texture and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating for mild sweetness and classic shape, but skip it if you want baking, cider, or bold tartness and richer depth of flavor. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Cortland is sweet with light acidity and aromatic lift, with very crisp, firm texture and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh slices, salads, and apples that hold color after cutting, but skip it if you want very long storage or growers who prefer a denser late-season apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Crimson Crisp is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with very crisp, firm texture and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating, salads, and disease-resistant backyard dessert fruit, but skip it if you want a large old-fashioned baking apple or a softer sauce apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Empire is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with firm, dense flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating and mixed-use home orchards, but skip it if you want either a strongly tart specialty apple or a huge dessert apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Freedom is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with juicy flesh with moderate firmness and medium fruit. Choose it for fresh eating, disease-resistant home orchards, and mixed kitchen use, but skip it if you want growers chasing elite dessert flavor or a long-keeping winter apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Haralson is tart-forward with sharp acidity, with very crisp, firm texture and medium fruit. In this group, this brings more acidity and bite than most of the others shown. Choose it for baking, fresh eating, and cold-climate home orchards, but skip it if you want a low-acid sweet apple or a softer dessert texture. It usually ripens around mid to late September, in the middle of this group.

Liberty is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with juicy flesh with moderate firmness and medium fruit. Choose it for fresh eating, disease-resistant home orchards, and general backyard use, but skip it if you want either a giant show apple or the richest heritage dessert flavor. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

McIntosh is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with soft, juicy flesh and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the softer, juicier choices, so it leans more toward fresh eating than long holding. Choose it for fresh eating, sauce, and growers who love soft aromatic apples, but skip it if you want firm baking slices, long storage, or a dense crisp apple. It usually ripens around early to mid September, in the middle of this group.

Pink Lady is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with very crisp, firm texture and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating and long-holding modern dessert apples, but skip it if you want an early crop in cool climates or a softer, quicker-cooking kitchen apple. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Rome Beauty is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with firm, dense flesh and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for baking, roasting, and all-purpose kitchen work, but skip it if you want a high-impact fresh dessert apple right off the tree. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Bramley Seedling is tart-forward with sharp acidity, with firm, dense flesh and very large fruit. In this group, this brings more acidity and bite than most of the others shown. Choose it for baking, sauce, and traditional cooking, but skip it if you want fresh eating straight from the tree or a sweet dessert apple. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Jonagold is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with juicy flesh with moderate firmness and large fruit. In this group, this is one of the richest-tasting options. Choose it for fresh eating, baking, and a large full-flavored dessert apple, but skip it if you want very long plain storage or a dense tart winter apple. It usually ripens around mid to late September, in the middle of this group.

Mutsu / Crispin is sweet with just enough acidity to stay lively, with very crisp, firm texture and very large fruit. In this group, it is one of the firmest choices, so it handles baking, slicing, or holding its shape better. Choose it for fresh eating, baking, and huge fruit, but skip it if you want small-space growers or a sharp high-acid apple. It usually ripens around late September to early October, later than most of the others shown.

Gravenstein is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with medium-firm flesh and large fruit. In this group, it is one of the softer, juicier choices, so it leans more toward fresh eating than long holding. Choose it for sauce, baking, cider, and early-season kitchen harvests, but skip it if you want long storage or a dense late dessert apple. It usually ripens around mid to late August, earlier than most of the others shown.

Pristine is lightly sweet with a definite tart edge, with juicy flesh with moderate firmness and medium fruit. In this group, it is one of the softer, juicier choices, so it leans more toward fresh eating than long holding. Choose it for fresh eating and early-season backyard harvests, but skip it if you want long storage or a richer more complex late apple. It usually ripens around mid to late August, earlier than most of the others shown.