Northern Spy

Good Apple Info Snapshot:

Coveted multi-purpose NY apple. A king of pie apples.

Good Apple Info Difficulty Rating:

Medium. Immune to wooly apple aphid.

Tree Habit:

Vigorous grower and cold hardy. Slow bearing and can tend toward biennial.

Apple Color:

Reddish, smooth-skinned.

Size:

typically large.

Flavor:

Tart – bright white, crisp, juicy flesh.

Bloom:

Late

Ripe:

mid-October

History:

Introduced in the mid 1800’s. The original Northern Spy apple tree was set in an orchard by Heman Chapin, and some sprouts were taken from it by Roswell Humphrey, and by him the fruit was first raised…as the original tree died before bearing.” One of the best winter apples in the East, also does well in the Northwest. It was named after James Fenmore Cooper’s novel, “The Spy,” which was very popular during this time.

Storage:

Excellent, 5 months.

Uses:

Excellent cooking apple, fresh eating, cider, storage. Does not dry well. Ferments into a crisp, clean cider that is described as minerally.