Old apple varieties are being forgotten more and more. They are often much tastier, well tolerated and also easy to grow in the garden.
What makes old apple varieties different?
In the course of development, there are fewer and fewer old apple varieties, as the focus today is more on a high-yield harvest. In addition, there is an effort to avoid as many plant diseases on the tree as possible. Apple trees are also quite susceptible to apple scab.
One would like to counteract all these problems with certain breeding goals. Unfortunately, some old apple varieties are lost in the process. These often not only offer a better taste, they are also better tolerated by humans.
In the meantime, however, there are more and more people asking about old apple varieties. These include, for example
- Farmers
- Self-catering
- Gardener
The main reason for this is often sustainability and biodiversity. Many different tastes can be served with old apple varieties, as they are very different in terms of their aroma. For example, if you prefer a slightly more sour apple taste, you should simply try an older apple variety.
In addition to the slightly sour taste, there are also plenty of sweet varieties among the old apple varieties.
The 15 best old apple varieties
Although there are well over 15 old apple varieties, the following stand out with their properties:
| Apple variety | Features |
|---|---|
| Berlepsch | Anyone who has nutrient-rich soil in the garden can grow this apple variety. It is very well tolerated and its flesh is marbled. The Rhenish apple variety was first cultivated around 1900. |
| Red Bellefleur | Its roots can be traced back to 1760. This is a very sweet apple that is very juicy. In addition, this variety makes hardly any demands on the soil or the location. |
| Beautiful from Nordhausen | A rather tart tasting apple that has been cultivated since 1810. It has a green-yellowish skin that turns red and is ideal for making apple juice. |
| Winter Gold Parmane (Gold Parmane) | It was created around 1510 and is therefore historical, it probably comes from Normandy. The taste is relatively spicy, but it has a soft, floury consistency. |
| Red Star Reinette | An apple variety that, in addition to the slightly sour taste, also offers something for the eye. The riper the apple, the redder it gets. It is peppered with star-shaped speckles. Its natural advantage: its flowers are full of pollen and are therefore very attractive to bees and other insects in the garden. |
| Zuccalmaglio | An ideal self-sufficient apple variety that was developed as early as 1878. The susceptibility to scab is very low, the apples show white frosting, have a fine aroma and are very juicy. By the way, the trees are very productive. |
| Winterrambur | What makes these apples so special is their high vitamin C content. The taste is slightly sour, but still sweet. When fully formed, their shell has a greenish-yellow appearance, while the side that grows in the sun turns red. This strain has been bred since the 17th century. |
| Jakob Lebel | First cultivated in 1825, today it is a good apple variety that is suitable for meadow orchards and is not affected by a harsh climate. The fruits are yellowish, decorated with slightly reddish stripes. Many like to use this strain for baking and cooking. Their consistency is crunchy and they deliver a lot of juice. |
| Boskoop | A tart apple that many use in apple sauce, pancakes or apple pie. It can still be found in numerous gardens today and has been cultivated since around 1856. Almost everyone still knows this old apple variety today. |
| Cox Orange | Anyone who dares to care for a little more can try this apple variety. The old variety has been cultivated since 1825. However, the location, soil and care must be right. The climate in his home country Great Britain is ideal for this. The taste of the fruit is worth the effort though. |
| Rhenish crooked handle | It comes from the Rhineland and can be traced back to the year 1800. The trees are reliable in yield and very resistant to diseases. However, they grow very extensively, which is why a lot of space is required. Ideally, the fruits are harvested towards the end of October and then stored until December. |
| Clear Apple | They are frost hardy and can therefore also be used in colder areasto be planted. In terms of harvest, they are very early. The fruits, which smell particularly good, can be harvested as early as July. The only drawback: they don't last particularly long. |
| Jonathan | This variety comes from the USA and was created between 1800 and 1820. The black spots that appear on the skin are particularly typical of this variety, but are harmless. Sadly, in terms of disease, it is easily prone to developing powdery mildew unless avoided with proper pruning. The tree needs a warm location and produces fruits that taste mild but very aromatic. |
| Heslacher Gereutapfel | If you want to grow a really beautiful, deep red apple, this variety is a good choice. This variety originated around 1820, the trees are very productive and not particularly susceptible to diseases. |
| Ontario | Another old apple variety that comes from the USA. It has been around since around 1820. Unfortunately, it is very susceptible to frost and can therefore only be grown successfully in milder areas. The fruits contain a lot of vitamin C. In addition, their regular size makes storage quite easy. |