A particularly attractive late-season apple with a very good flavor, quite widely available in Continental Europe and the USA. Often imported by UK supermarkets for their "value" ranges - but Elstar is actually a very good quality apple, related to Golden Delicious and (more distantly) Cox's Orange Pippin.
The skin can have a marbled appearance, often with a soft sheen to it. It tends to lack the perfect smoothness of many modern varieties. The underlying color is golden yellow but overlaid with deep red. The flavor can be more intense than is often the case with other Golden Delicious offspring, but it retains the appealing sweetness - usually described as 'honeyed' in most apple text books. It also inherits the good keeping qualities of Golden Delicious. All in all this is a variety worthy of wider planting.
Delivery discounts. Prices are for individual trees excluding delivery. There is no minimum quantity but it is cost effective to order in multiples of 3 trees.
Delivery period: Trees are delivered in March and April. However it is best to order as soon as you can to ensure items are reserved for you. If you live in a warm zone (e.g. Southern California, Alabama etc.) Fall delivery is possible. More details on our spring shipping schedule by state.
*Mature heights: Height shown is the approximate height of the tree when mature (after 5-10 years), not the height when supplied. Actual mature heights may vary considerably dependent on your local conditions and training and pruning regime.
Stock availability: Items showing as 'sold out' will probably be available again next season. If you would like to reserve in advance use our enquiry form - this does not commit you to anything.
Elstar is self-sterile and needs to be pollinated by another tree of a different variety nearby. Since it flowers in the middle of the blossom season it can be pollinated by most other apple trees.
Our online pollination checker lists suitable pollination partners for this variety.
More advice about pollination.
Whilst most supermarket varieties are grown in warm climates, Elstar prefers cooler climates although it benefits from a sunny aspect.
In the USA Elstar grows best in zones 5-6, in areas with cooler summers.
It can be grown in most parts of the southern and central UK.
Though not particularly disease-resistance it is generally easy to grow, and crops heavily.
Planting instructions.
Pruning instructions.
Developed in the Netherlands in the 1950s, a cross between Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie - the latter being an offspring of Cox's Orange Pippin.
