Fall 2018Order now for Fall shipping (warmer zones) or Spring 2019. Don't delay as we will run out of stock of some varieties before Spring!
Tree comparisons
 Kingston Black | Harrison |  Golden Russet |  Ashmead's Kernel |  Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston Black is one of the premier English cider varieties and produces a bittersharp juice. | Harrison is a traditional American cider apple, noted for its excellent juice quality. | Golden Russet is an antique apple from New York, considered the best-flavored of American russets. | A versatile English 17th century russet apple, Ashmead's Kernel is noted for its distinctive pear-like flavor. | Roxbury Russet is probably the oldest apple variety originating from North America. | |
| remove | remove | remove | remove | remove |
Using
| Cider apple trees Kingston Black | Cider apple trees Harrison | Apple trees Golden Russet | Apple trees Ashmead's Kernel | Apple trees Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picking season | Very late | Late | Late | Late | Late |
| Uses | Hard cider | Juice Hard cider | Eating fresh Cooking Juice Hard cider | Eating fresh Juice | Eating fresh Cooking Juice Hard cider |
| Cropping | Light | Good | Good | Light | Good |
| Keeping (of fruit) | 2-3 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 3 months or more | 3 months or more | 3 months or more |
| Flavor style (apples) | Sweeter | Aromatic | Sweeter | ||
| Cooking result | Keeps shape | ||||
| Juice style | Bittersharp (cider) | Bittersweet (cider) | Sweeter Sweet (cider) | ||
| Fruit persistence | Normal ripening | Normal ripening | Normal ripening | Normal ripening | Normal ripening |
Growing
| Cider apple trees Kingston Black | Cider apple trees Harrison | Apple trees Golden Russet | Apple trees Ashmead's Kernel | Apple trees Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardening skill | Some needed | Average | Average | Average | Average |
| Self-fertility | Not self-fertile | Not self-fertile | Not self-fertile | Not self-fertile | Not self-fertile |
| Pollination group | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Pollinating others | Average | Average | Average | Poor | Poor |
| Ploidy | Diploid | Diploid | Diploid | Triploid | Triploid |
| Vigour | Average vigour | Average vigour | Vigorous | Average vigour | Vigorous |
| Precocity | Slow to start bearing | ||||
| Bearing regularity | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
| Fruit bearing | Spur-bearer | Spur-bearer | Tip-bearer | Spur-bearer | Partial tip-bearer |
| Organic culture | Not-suitable | Suitable |
Disease resistance
| Cider apple trees Kingston Black | Cider apple trees Harrison | Apple trees Golden Russet | Apple trees Ashmead's Kernel | Apple trees Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General resistance | Poor | Average | Average | Good | Average |
| Canker | Some susceptibility | ||||
| Scab | Some susceptibility | Some resistance | Some resistance | Some resistance | Very resistant |
| Mildew | Some resistance | ||||
| Fireblight | Very resistant | ||||
| Cedar apple rust | Some susceptibility | Some susceptibility | Some resistance | Very resistant | |
| Bitter pit | Some susceptibility |
Climate
| Cider apple trees Kingston Black | Cider apple trees Harrison | Apple trees Golden Russet | Apple trees Ashmead's Kernel | Apple trees Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold hardiness (USDA) | (5) -20F / -29C | (5) -20F / -29C | (4) -30F / -34C | (4) -30F / -34C (5) -20F / -29C (6) -10F / -23C (7) 0F / -18C (8) 10F / -12C (9) 20F / -7C (10) 30F / -1C | (4) -30F / -34C |
| Summer average maximum temperatures | Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) | Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F) | Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F) | Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F) Hot (>30C / 86F) | Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F) |
Identification
| Cider apple trees Kingston Black | Cider apple trees Harrison | Apple trees Golden Russet | Apple trees Ashmead's Kernel | Apple trees Roxbury Russet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom | United States | United States | United Kingdom | United States |
| Period of origin | 1850 - 1899 | 1750 - 1799 | 1800 - 1849 | 1700 - 1749 | 1600 - 1649 |
| Fruit color | Crimson | Russet Yellow | Russet | Russet | Russet |
| Fruit size | Average | Large | |||
| Awards | Slow Food - Ark of Taste | RHS Award of Garden Merit |