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Haralson apple

Haralson

The parentage of this variety - Malinda x Wealthy - was verified by DNA tests in 2004.

Haralson apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Haralson
  • Haralson

USDA identification images for Haralson

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

  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Haralson

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


Offspring of this variety


Visitor reviews

  • 20 Oct 2023 
    Wow...What a great apple. We got to eat 3 apples from our newly planted tree. Great flavor, juicy and crisp. Looking forward to next years batch.
  • 17 Nov 2022 
    I am in Zone 4 (used to be Zone 3). I planted this variety around 1973 and it is still going strong. The apples are a little on the tart side as they may not ripen completely here. Dependable. My number one variety.
  • 03 Oct 2022 
    Wow the most Prolific apple tree we’ve ever owned! We live in Michigan and we planted this tree four or five years ago. It looks like we’re going to harvest several bushels off the small tree. The apples are free of most bugs without any spray whatsoever we can’t believe it. Medium to large and very crisp. I can’t wait to try them in a pie or some applesauce. If you live in a northern climate don’t hesitate to buy this tree.
  • 29 Apr 2021  MN, United States
    As far as I am concerned, there is no other apple worth eating, once you have tasted a Haralson. All my neighbors beg for apples off my tree, and say that they are the best apples they have ever tasted. I agree 100%.
  • 06 Sep 2018  MINNESOTA, United States
    Wonderful apple for baking. It holds it's shape and doesn't mush up. Great flavor for pies.
  • 31 Aug 2018  IN, United States
    We have 2 Haralsons almost 30 years old. The apples make the best sweet (not hard) cider we have ever tasted. Our friends rave about the flavor and bed for more. We have a little party to harvest and press each large crop year.
  • 29 Jun 2018  United States
    We never peal our Harolson before baking. The peels dissolve and add a wonderful flavor. Often, we are asked “is there some rhubarb in this pie?” It is also a lot less work...
  • 02 Nov 2016  CA, United States
    I grew up in Wisconsin in the 1960's and went apple picking with my Dad every fall. There used to a a couple of apple orchards outside our town and they were filled with Haralsons, Cortlands, and Macs. It was heaven.
  • 23 Oct 2016  CO, United States
    I have had a Haralson for more than 20 years. Excellent bearer every other year, smaller crop in off years. Has not been bothered by fire blight although I have lost many other varieties from the disease. Excellent all-purpose apple (fresh, baking, cooking). Very good flavor.
  • 07 Sep 2015  SD, United States
    My tree is 14 years ol and is very healthy. I do prune every March. Water it weekly, and fertilize twice in summer. Spray every 10 days. It is a BIENNIAL. This is theoff year. I will get one pickle pail full of apples. I gather the drops every morning and when I get a dozen I make applesauce. I planted a Haralred last fall and a Connel and Honey Crisp this spring. I'll keep adding 3-4 trees every year.
  • 04 Sep 2015  MANITOBA, Canada
    Excellent apple for eating or pies. Late ripening/ needs to freeze before picking usually around Halloween-End October. Easily succumbs to Fire Blight. Both Haralson and Goodland excellent for cold climate.
  • 12 Apr 2015  OR, United States
    Produced young; 3 or 4 years. Great flavor! Fruit size is good and quantity prolific. Our late frosts which nip the blooms challenge most apple trees but not the Haralson! Vigorous and disease resistant. Love this tree!
  • 19 Oct 2014  IOWA, United States
    Dang good! Just made apple sauce and crisp with these apples and in the spring I will be grafting this tree to add to my orchard. I had to add a little sugar so my two year old will eat it but still damn good apple
  • 28 Sep 2014  WI, United States
    I have 0ne Haralson tree and it produces wonderfully each year: but so many apples have blemish that is black and does not sink deep into the apple; but I wonder if this is normal. This happens every year: we have other apple trees of other kinds but none of them have this. Can you comment?
  • 22 Sep 2014  MOWER COUNTY / MN, United States
    I love my two Haralson dwarf trees. This year is the heavy, and I mean heavy, year! We had our first frost about a week ago so the apples should be ready in a few more days. That cold snap really brings up the sugars and changes the apple from tart to sweet. If you live in cold-country, be patient if you haven't had a cold snap. :-)
  • 14 Sep 2014  ID, United States
    It is mid-Sept and we are still waiting to harvest our Haralson tree, but they seem like they will be delicious from the ones we've tasted. It is planted next to a Honeycrisp which was devoured by insects of all sorts. The Haralson was not bothered at all by the insects. The tree is only 3 years old and I will be getting a good crop of apples from in.
  • 27 Aug 2014  AB, Canada
    We live in Calgary Alberta Canada and have (according to my dad, who planted it 40+ years ago) a Haralson in our yard. The apples have rarely turned red, barely even pink-tinged. They are green and small. Often, they start falling off in August. We have many more apples than we can use - hundreds. Over the years, we have eaten them in pies, desserts, as applesauce and juiced them. Last year a gung-ho neigbour picked them ALL and made cider, though we haven’t heard about or tasted the results. I just picked and ate one today, Aug 27, 2014 and it is crisp and nice, not too tart to eat off the tree. I'm wondering if this tree is maybe not Haralson? Or maybe they never get red or larger because we live in such a short-summer climate? The seeds in the one I picked today are white. Not fully ripened?
  • 04 Oct 2013  MISSOURI, United States
    We have a 3 year old tree in mid-Missouri and got about 30 apples from it this year! Love the flavor- I need to plant more!
  • 29 Sep 2012  MN, United States
    We have one tree that is just plain incredible...we had/have a harvest this year that was/is super!! Great size, great taste! Perfect with carmel dip or carmel apples!! With the late season drought, we watered and kept the tree from early drop...was worth it! I like the way they do not turn brown quickly after cutting...nice white coloration that stays!!
  • 21 Sep 2011  NEBRASKA/ SCOTTSBLUFF COUNTY, United States
    I recently harvested a Haralson tree in my backyard. I live in a cold climate with harsh winters that get 20 below zero. I am pleased with the apple crop that was produced from my five year old tree. They also weathered hail storms in June.
  • 10 Sep 2011  MINNESOTA, HENNEPIN, United States
    Complex flavor. Very cold hardy

Tree register

United States

Canada

  • Cody in BEAUMONT, ALBERTA

Spring blossom records for this variety

2019 season

  • 23rd May  2019  - tree owned by Wynne in River Falls, United States

2016 season

  • June  2016  - tree owned by B. in Searsmont, United States

2014 season

  • 8th May  2014  - tree owned by Doug in Glen Ellyn, United States
  • May  2014  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States

2013 season

  • 19th April  2013  - tree owned by Janet in Englewood, United States

2012 season

  • 15th April  2012  - tree owned by Dan in Long Prairie, United States

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


Harvest records for this variety

2016 season

  • 1st week October  2016  - tree owned by JSchreiber in West Concord, United States
  • 4th week September  2016  - tree owned by Mark in Pagosa Springs, United States
  • 3rd week September  2016  - tree owned by B. in Searsmont, United States

2013 season

  • 3rd week October  2013  - tree owned by Craig in Manning, United States
  • October  2013  - tree owned by Slippy in Hamburg, United States

2012 season

  • 4th week September  2012  - tree owned by Dan in Long Prairie, United States

2011 season

  • 4th week September  2011  - tree owned by Susan in Middleton, United States

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
  • Parentage: Malinda x Wealthy
  • Originates from: Excelsior, Minnesota, United States
  • Introduced: 1913
  • Developed by: University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm
  • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1966-037

Identification

  • Country of origin: United States
  • Period of origin: 1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colour: Green - light
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Fruit colour: Orange flush
  • Annual cycle: Deciduous
  • Flowering duration: Average (2-3 weeks)
  • Fruit size: Average
  • Developer: University of Minnesota

Using

  • Picking season: Very late
  • Keeping (of fruit): 3 months or more
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Flavour style (apples): Sharper
  • Cooking result: Keeps shape
  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
  • Food uses: Eating fresh
  • Food uses: Culinary
  • Food uses: Juice
  • Food uses: Dual purpose
  • Picking month: October
  • Picking period: late October
  • Picking period: early November
  • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing

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

Climate

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

Other qualities

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

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Haralson apple trees for sale:


Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Haralson:

United States


Canada




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