Northern Spy apple

Malus domestica

A widely grown American heirloom apple variety. The fruit is late ripening and stores well.

Northern Spy is a very "old-fashioned" American variety which retains its popularity.

The variety has been used as a rootstock for other varieties, although it is not particularly easy to grow.  It is also one of the parents of the popular MM106 apple rootstock - more info here.

Last updated 18 Aug 2010 by Orange Pippin.

Summary

  • Parentage: Unknown
  • Origin: North East USA, United States
  • Introduced: Early 1800s
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 119900
  • We are grateful to Brogdale Farm - home of the UK National Fruit Collection - for providing samples of this variety.

Identification

  • Bultitude apple group: 6. Red flushed, smooth, sweet

Visitor comments

(Use the form at the bottom to add your own comments about this variety)

09 Nov 2009Autrement Qu'EtrePORTAGE CO., OH, United States
These a big lumpy funny-looking apples, but my goodness I think they are my favorite. Tart and perfect and my go-to apple for galette aux pommes. Yum!

16 Sep 2009Nancy WilsonONTARIO ,, Canada
Hi Nancy.....from Nancy!!!! I've read different things about the odd name of this apple. This probably means nobody knows for sure. I've read that it's possibly "Northern's Pie Apple". That explanation makes most sense to me, since it was (& is) mostly used for pies......it used to be a dessert apple,too,But not until it "mellows" after long storage. I'm thinking that's why the "Northern's Pie" explanation is the right one.....it was definitely the #1 pie apple in Ontario(it's great for cooking, right from harvest till Spring) But only used for dessert, for a few months .... It really is more of a pie apple. Around here (Ontario) people who're familiar with it(mostly older people) usually just call it "Spy".

27 Aug 2009RoseAURORA, ARAPAHOE COLORADO, United States
Where can we purchase these apples? I have tried our local grocers, and some high end ones, and still no northern spys.

29 Jun 2009Nancy MckeeST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, United States
In a recent conversation with friends about apples, the question arose as to why "Northern Spy" was so-named? Any answers?

20 May 2009Bee Biggs-JarrellCANYON/IDAHO, United States
We found an ancient apple tree in a mountain gully, bearing golden/green with slight blush or brown streak from the stem over the shoulder of apple. It seems much like the Northern Spy trees I found in upstate New York. This tree ripens in early October, and is located next to an ancient mining road. Maybe a Johnny Appleseed Northern Spy? We picked a few that made great pie and sauce. Apples kept until March in dry, cool place. Buried the cores and pealings and VOILA 2 years later were the baby trees! About the 5th year growing at same elevation of mother tree, we had the first fruits!. Using Dr.Robert M. Crassweller's system, we sprouted seeds and planted indoors and have 13 healthy plants now, each about 8 inches tall. Question: Do we prune the top off this plant and move to gallon containers outside now that frost is past? HELP??? Any advice for culture of these young plants will be greatly appreciated!

08 Oct 2008Albasemi-Plena@Comcast.NetESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, United States
I have only had this apple once, some 20 years ago. I don't clearly recall the flavor, although I recall that I enjoyed the apple. I do recall that the flesh of this apple is naturally pale yellow in color, not white.

24 Sep 2008Corlyss McculloughOREGON, United States
We have an apple my great grandfather planted in the late 1800's or very early 1900's. It is not very large, has very deep, bright red color with tiny white spots on, white meat very juicy and flavourful. May have come from Johnnie Appleseed in a covered wagon. I would like to know variety.


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Where to buy apple trees

The following fruit tree nurseries offer Northern Spy apple trees for sale:


Apple tree register

The following Northern Spy apple trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree:

Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.


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