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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Sweet Sixteen apple

Malus domestica
Sweet Sixteen
Large, red striped fruit. Firm, crisp, aromatic flesh. Moderately acidic.

Sweet Sixteen apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Sweet Sixteen
  • Sweet Sixteen

USDA identification images for Sweet Sixteen

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

    Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

    Parents and other ancestors of this variety


    Visitor reviews

    • 07 Oct 2022 
      I'm a small apple orchard about 12 trees. sweet sixteen is a very good apple tree for southwestern Pa very hardy apples are a very good taste. Juicy and sweet holdup good.
    • 25 Oct 2018  CO, United States
      Crisp and juicy, but small fruits. Picked the last few mid/late Oct. That first bite will amaze, a taste of cherry and cotton candy, with delectable aroma. The most ambrosial apple in the orchard.
    • 22 Oct 2018  MA, United States
      Maybe the apple I bought was mis-identified, but I thought it was very similar to a McIntosh in flavor and texture.
    • 08 Apr 2017  United States
      One of my favorite. Very complex, sweet flavor. Texture is great similar to MacIntosh.
    • 19 Oct 2014  MA, United States
      2 trees on G30 planted Spring 2014 have grown from 3 feet to 6 feet this year.
    • 20 Nov 2013  MAINE, United States
      Sweet Sixteen's rich, complex sweet flavor -including hints of cherry candy and raw sugar... really!- coupled with its lovely yellow crisp flesh make this one of the most eye opening, fantastic apple eating experiences.
    • 20 Sep 2011  WISCONSIN, United States
      Sweet sixteen is an excellent mid-season apple. The fruits are medium to large and crisp. They are extremely sweet with just a bit of zing. They have an anise flavor that makes for a unique apple tasting experience. A great apple for the North as they are hardy trees.

    Tree register

    United States

    United Kingdom

    • Gray in Rugby, WARKS

    Netherlands

    Canada

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2023 season

    • 29th May  2023  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States

    2022 season

    • 30th May  2022  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 12th May  2022  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States

    2021 season

    • 23rd May  2021  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 5th May  2021  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States
    • 5th May  2021  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States

    2020 season

    • 29th May  2020  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 21st May  2020  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States
    • 30th April  2020  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

    2019 season

    • 12th June  2019  - tree owned by Steven in Skandia, United States
    • 31st May  2019  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 9th May  2019  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States
    • 4th May  2019  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

    2018 season

    • 29th May  2018  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 20th May  2018  - tree owned by Kurt in Ladysmith, United States
    • 1st May  2018  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

    2017 season

    • 28th May  2017  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 16th April  2017  - tree owned by Cj in Horseshoe Bend, United States

    2016 season

    • 27th May  2016  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 18th May  2016  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States

    2015 season

    • 30th May  2015  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 10th May  2015  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States

    2014 season

    • 6th June  2014  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 27th May  2014  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States
    • May  2014  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States

    2013 season

    • 8th June  2013  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 20th May  2013  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States
    • 9th May  2013  - tree owned by James in Estacada, United States

    2011 season

    • 19th May  2011  - tree owned by Ron in Orion, United States
    • May  2011  - tree owned by Dan in Camano Island, United States

    Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.


    Harvest records for this variety

    2022 season

    • 1st week October  2022  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 2nd week September  2022  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States

    2021 season

    • 4th week September  2021  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 2nd week September  2021  - tree owned by Jim in Hallstead, United States

    2020 season

    • 4th week September  2020  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States

    2019 season

    • 1st week October  2019  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 4th week September  2019  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States
    • 2nd week September  2019  - tree owned by Jon in Shaw Island, United States

    2018 season

    • 2nd week October  2018  - tree owned by Jerry in Point Reyes Station, United States

    2017 season

    • 1st week October  2017  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 2nd week September  2017  - tree owned by Jon in Shaw Island, United States

    2016 season

    • 1st week October  2016  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 3rd week September  2016  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States

    2015 season

    • 3rd week September  2015  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 3rd week September  2015  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States
    • 2nd week September  2015  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States
    • 2nd week September  2015  - tree owned by Jon in Shaw Island, United States
    • September  2015  - tree owned by Roger in Madison Heights, United States

    2014 season

    • 2nd week October  2014  - tree owned by David in Two Rivers, United States
    • 2nd week September  2014  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States
    • 2nd week September  2014  - tree owned by Jon in Shaw Island, United States

    2013 season

    • 3rd week October  2013  - tree owned by Craig in Manning, United States
    • 2nd week October  2013  - tree owned by James in Estacada, United States
    • 4th week September  2013  - tree owned by Charley in Grantsburg, United States
    • 3rd week September  2013  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States
    • 2nd week September  2013  - tree owned by Jon in Shaw Island, United States

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Parentage: Frostbite x Northern Spy
    • Originates from: Minnesota, United States
    • Introduced: 1973
    • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1976-004

    Identification

    • Country of origin: United States
    • Period of origin: 1950 - 1999
    • Fruit colour: Red
    • Leaf colour: Green
    • Popularity: Best sellers
    • Annual cycle: Deciduous
    • Developer: University of Minnesota

    Using

    • Picking season: Mid
    • Keeping (of fruit): 1-2 months
    • Flavour quality: Very good
    • Flavour style (apples): Sweeter
    • Discoloration of fruit: Slightly oxidising (browns slowly)
    • Cropping: Good
    • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Culinary
    • Picking period: mid-September
    • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

    Growing

    • Gardening skill: Beginner
    • Flowering group: 3
    • Pollinating others: Average
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Vigour: Vigorous
    • Precocity: Precocious
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
    • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile

    Climate

    • Cold hardiness (USDA): Zone 3 (-40C)
    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Good
    • Scab (Apple and Pear): Some resistance
    • Fire blight: Some resistance
    • Cedar apple rust: Some resistance

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Sweet Sixteen apple trees for sale:


    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Sweet Sixteen:

    United States


    Canada




    References

    • Apples for the 21st Century
      Author: Manhart

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