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Orange Pippin Trees USA logoSpecialist fruit trees for your orchard or back-yard

Sweet Sixteen apple tree

Sweet Sixteen
Sweet Sixteen is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 3

Sweet Sixteen is one of the best apple varieties for the north country - when grown on suitable rootstocks it is a reliable cropper in zone 4 and even zone 3.

Sweet Sixteen inherits its cold-hardiness from both its parents. Northern Spy is a well-known cold-hardy apple, and it is also descended from a more obscure north country variety called Malinda.

The bright red apples have a high quality, fruity flavor, primarily sweet but with some acidity and complexity. They keep fairly well in natural cold storage or a fridge.

Sweet Sixteen apple trees for sale

  • 1Dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $38.95
    Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
    Dwarf rootstock
    Out of stock
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  • 2Semi-dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $38.95
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    Semi-dwarf rootstock
    Out of stock
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  • 3Semi-standard 1-year bare-root tree $38.95
    Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
    Semi-vigorous rootstock
    Out of stock
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How to grow

Sweet Sixteen is an easy variety to grow and very cold-hardy.

It has reasonable resistance to scab, fireblight and cedar apple rust, and is naturally vigorous.

It comes into bearing within a few years.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Sweet 16 was developed by the University of Minnesota in the 1970s. It is descended from Northern Spy crossed with a seedling of Malinda.

Sweet Sixteen characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Pollination group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Picking seasonMid
  • UsesEating freshCulinary
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • General resistanceGood
  • FireblightSome resistance
  • ScabSome resistance
  • Cedar apple rustSome resistance
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 3 (-40C)
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originUnited States
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Fruit colorRed