Rust & Disease Resistant Apples - Solution Guide
Duchess of Oldenburg
A Russian culinary, heirloom apple for zones 3-7, that ripens as early as mid-August to Sept. Available on Dwarf (M9), Semi-dwarf (EMLA 7) and Standard (Bud 118) rootstocks. 'Wealthy' (#30584) and 'Liberty' (#30552) are good pollination partners, providing reliable resistance to scab, rust, and fire blight.
Enterprise
Part of the most disease-resistant trifecta with 'Freedom' and 'Liberty'. Enterprise was released in 1993 as a collaboration between Purdue, Rutgers, and Illinois apple breeding programs. Appropriate for zones 4-8, it is a bright red apple ripening in early October. It is available on Dwarf (M26) or Semi-dwarf (EMLA 7) rootstocks. 'Freedom' (#30526) or 'Liberty' (#30552) are good disease-resistant pollination partners. It is immune to scab and resistant to fire blight and rust, with moderate resistance to powdery mildew.
Freedom
This October ripening apple was developed from cross breeding program in the 1950s by NY State Agriculture Station at Geneva and Cornell University. Suitable for zones 4-8 it is available on Dwarf (Bud 9) and Semi-dwarf (EMLA 7) rootstocks. 'Enterprise' (#30522) and 'Liberty' (#30552) are good pollination partners. Exceptionally resistant to fire blight and scab, with moderate rust, mildew, and canker resistance.
Liberty
Red-striped, crisp, and juicy apple originating from New York Geneva Exp. Station released in 1978 is rated for zones 4-8 that ripens from mid-Sept. to Oct. 'Liberty' is available on Dwarf (M26) and Semi-dwarf (EMLA 7) rootstocks. 'Enterprise' (#30522) and 'Freedom' (#30526) are good disease-resistant pollination partners. Reliably resistant to scab and rust, with moderate resistance to fire blight and mildew.
Northwest Greening
An heirloom grown from a seed in Iola, Wisconsin. This apple is known for winning first prize at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. It has smooth skin, pale yellow to greenish. It can have some russeting color around the stem. The flesh has a medium texture and is firm, crisp, tart, and juicy. Excellent cooking apple. Very long storage. Standard rootstock is Budagovski 118, which is extremely cold hardy, vigorous and good for dry soils. Resistant to fire blight and rust. Ripens in mid to late Sept. Many pollination partners are offered, 'Liberty' (#30552), 'Wealthy' (#30584), and 'Wolf River' (#30592)
Wealthy
Important heirloom originated in Minnesota around 1865 by the intrepid apple grower Peter Gideon, who made the cold hardy selection and named it 'Wealthy' after his wife. Wealthy, one of the top 5 most popular varieties of the early 20th century, has a pale-yellow color with narrow stripes of crimson and splashes of red. Delicate textured flesh is crisp, tender, juicy, sweet, and somewhat aromatic. It is a delicious dessert apple. Long bloom period makes it suitable pollinator for many. Resistant against fire blight, scab, and rust. EMLA 7 Semi-dwarf rootstock.
Wolf River
Heirloom apple grown from a seed on the Wolf River in Waupaca County WI. This sizeable round apple was believed to have descended from an Alexander apple. One account is that a Quebec lumberman moved his family to Wisconsin in 1852. Along the way, he bought a bushel of apples and planted the seeds where he settled. One of those seeds became the Wolf River apple. This substantial yellow and green apple is blushed with deep red. Its flesh is slightly tinged yellow, moderately coarse, and juicy. It is a cooking apple and is well known for baking. One apple may weigh up to one pound. Resistant to scab and mildew, with moderate fire blight and rust resistance. It is a good pollinator for many, with most ripening in late September. Bud 9 is early fruiting and cold hardy. Semi-dwarf is EMLA 7 and Bud118 is cold hardy, vigorous standard rootstock.
Yellow Transparent
A stellar and persistently popular Russian heirloom that dates back to 1870, Yellow Transparent stands alone as an extremely cold hardy and the earliest ripening edible apple variety. It is a prolific yielding tree, with fruits ripe as early as July. Pollination partners would include other early blooming types like 'Duchess of Oldenburg' (item #30516), 'Whitney' Crabapple (#30588), or 'Wealthy' (#30584). Yellow Transparent shows reliable resistance to scab and rust, with moderate resistance to mildew, but it is susceptible to fire blight. However, because it bears so early in the season other common cosmetic fungal caused issues like sooty blotch and flyspeck are no issue at all for this sweet, slightly tangy flavored, white-fleshed apple that is prized for making sauce.
Prairiefire Crab
When they're in bloom, 'Prairiefire' crabapples are some of the most stunning ornamental flowering crabapples available. Large clusters of big, deep rosy pink blooms will cover the entire tree, followed by clusters of small, inedible dark red fruits. It is a vigorous yet well-behaved tree suitable for any yard, garden, or landscape. Disease resistant to virtually all common apple tree ailments like fire blight, scab, and rust. This crabapple makes a solid pollination partner for many other varieties that bloom around the same time.
Whitney Crab
Developed by A. R. Whitney of Franklin Grove, Illinois, before 1869, this is considered a precocious and extremely cold hardy. 'Whitney' has significant resistance to scab and powdery mildew, with moderate resistance to fire blight and rust. This heirloom crabapple is reliably early blooming and early ripening, which pairs well as a pollination partner for other early types like 'Duchess of Oldenburg', 'Yellow Transparent', and 'Wealthy'. It can be periodically available on EMLA 7, semi-dwarfing rootstock.
