Empire apple
You probably know the Empire apple already. Empire apples are round, deep red, crunchy and firm, with a great taste. It is called an ideal ‘lunch box apple’ because they don’t easily bruise. It is very widely grown commercially, being the most successful apple variety to come from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. But even though grocery store Empires can be pretty good, the best would still be the one you pick straight from your own tree.
Disease resistance:
Resistant to fire blight, susceptible to apple scab.
Parentage:
McIntosh x Red Delicious. Developed from a large batch of open-pollinated seedlings from a McIntosh & Red Delicious orchard. Out of 1,199 seedlings, Empire was selected by famed plant breeder Roger Way as the best, and was released to the public in 1966.
References:
Experiment Station's successful Empire apple has its 30th birthday.
Image 1: Bower and Branch.
Image 2: Carter Hill Orchard.
Image 3: Orange Pippin.
