Pre-order for spring 2024We are now accepting pre-orders for the spring 2024 planting season.
Orange Pippin Trees USA logoSpecialist fruit trees for your orchard or back-yard

Dayton apple tree

Dayton is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 3
Dayton is an attractive red modern disease-resistant apple with crisp flesh and a sweet/tart flavor.

Dayton apple trees for sale

  • 1Dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $38.95
    Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
    G.11 rootstock
  • 2Semi-dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $38.95
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    G.969 rootstock
Next deliveries

Our inventory is up to date, you can pre-order now for the spring 2024 planting season.


Dayton is a modern red American disease-resistant apple, with a sweet-tart crisp flesh, which ripens in early fall. It is easy to grow, and a reliable cropper.

Dayton was developed to be resistant to scab, and also has some resistance to fireblight and powdery mildew.

History

Dayton is named after Daniel F. Dayton, who led the disease-resistant apple breeding program at the University of Illinois during the mid-20th century. Working in partnership with Rutgers and Purdue universities the "PRI cooperative" developed many of the leading disease-resistant apple varieties in use today.

Dayton is a complex cross of intermediate research station experimental varieties, but its distant ancestry includes Wealthy, Red Rome, Jonathan, and the crab-apple Malus floribunda which is often used in disease-resistant programs because of its scab-resistance.  During development it was known as "Co-op 21".

Dayton characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Pollination group3
  • Bearing regularityRegular
  • WildlifeRHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking seasonMid
  • UsesEating fresh
  • CroppingHeavy
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • Flavor style (apples)Sweet/Sharp
  • General resistanceGood
  • FireblightSome resistance
  • ScabVery resistant
  • Cedar apple rustSome susceptibility
  • MildewSome resistance
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originUnited States
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Flesh colourCream
  • Fruit colorRed
  • Fruit sizeAverage