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Elisabeth C. Miller Library

Best apple varieties to grow in the Olympic Peninsula

My class is planting a tree in honor of our school advisor. Which apples varieties will do best in our area (Olympic Peninsula, WA)?

Washington State University Extension’s publication, Apple Cultivars for Puget Sound by Robert Norton (1997, revised edition) has suggestions of some varieties which will succeed in our area. The lists are grouped by type of apple and type of flavor. For your situation, it would make sense to choose a variety which is known for disease resistance. I will include an excerpt from the list below.

Disease-resistant varieties:

  • Pristine: Ripe early to mid August. Clear yellow skin is very attractive. One of the
    earliest disease resistant varieties, with a refreshing flavor and firm crisp flesh.
    Moderately tart, holds well on the tree.
  • Williams’ Pride: Ripe early to mid August. Attractive red stripe over yellow, good flavor but susceptible to mildew.
  • Chehalis: Ripe early to mid September. Yellow apple with good natural resistance
    to scab but susceptible to mildew. Thin skin bruises easily. Good dual purpose for fresh eating and sauce but too soft for pies.
  • Prima: Ripe early to mid September. Attractive bright red over yellow, at its best
    when fresh from the tree but texture softens rapidly in storage. Good mildew resistance.
  • Dayton: Ripe early to mid September. Trees are vigorous and crop well, but may need
    a year or two in production to reach good quality. Fruit is unattractive dark orange red
    over yellow. Flesh is crisp, juicy, with sweettart flavor. Stores better than Prima.
  • Liberty: Ripe early to mid October. Attractive, uniform red fruit with good flavor,
    very similar to Spartan in appearance and quality. Trees are very productive and need
    effective thinning for good fruit size. Well adapted to western Washington conditions.
  • Enterprise: Ripe mid to late October. Mac type, flavor fair to good, firm, crisp.
    Moderately productive. Stores well until December, then flavor starts to decline.
  • Belmac: Ripe late October. Late season Mac type, good flavor, firm and crisp. Productive, vigorous trees. Fruits store well until February.

City Fruit, a fruit-growing advice group in Seattle, recommends these varieties:
Akane, Chehalis, Corail, Elstar, Empire, Fiesta, Jonagold, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Karmijn De Sonneville (unusually scab prone, but delicious), Liberty, Rubinette, Sansa, Spitzenburg, Sweet Sixteen, and Williams Pride all have had good comments. They have different flavors and characteristics. Apples and Asian Pear-apples are subject to the Apple maggot and codling moth pests.

You may want to make sure there is a designated “tree steward” or volunteer who will maintain the tree over time. Fruit trees need regular care: watering, mulching, pest prevention, pruning. Here is more information: