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

Elstar Apple tree

Owner: Cheuk

Location:  Amsterdam, NOORD-HOLLAND, Netherlands

Age:Planted in about 2011
Age of this tree:12 years
Soil:poor, turf soil, acidic soil, black, part dry, part wet, partly clay soil 
Climate at this location:zone 7a, mild sea climate, windy, hedge to slow down wind, lots of sun!!!!
Pruning:No pruning necessary
Tree form:Bush (wider at top than bottom)
Height:Up to 6ft / 2m
Cropping:Light crops
Growth:This tree grows easily here
Herbicides:Manual treatment (hoeing and weeding)
Pesticides:Un-treated
Local pests:birds

Owner's comments

Grown in containers of 50 litres, of pure compost. Fertilized: chalk, self made organic fertilizer, and regular organic fertilizer. And watered regularly. Taste: Sweet / tart, with more sweet than tart. No aromatic flavours, very juicy, nice texture, maybe little honeyed flavour. Not an exciting apple. Growth habit: Normal growth, nothing special. Biennial if not fertilized in poor soil. Fruit: Heavy bearer, thinning is the only way to get decent size apples. Wasps and birds like this fruit too.

Season records for this tree

  • 2018

    Spring blossom: 25 April
    I have 5 Elstar trees. All blossoms 99 percent open. Every year I'm amazed about the beauty of blossoms.

  • 2017

    Spring blossom: 25 April
    Harvest: 3rd week September  2kg / 4lbs
    Size: 2.0m / 6.7ft high   2.0m / 6.7ft wide
    Canker: Not present
    Scab: Not present
    Mildew: Not present
    Fireblight: Not present
    Cedar-apple rust: Not present
    Woolly aphid: Not present
    Codling moth: Not present
    Plum fruit moth: Not present
    Silverleaf: Not present
    This year (2017) the tree will be thinned ruthlessly! Last year the fruit was very tasteless! Supp: This year the Elstars were very red, we seldom get those in this nice colour. It has more sugar this year and some more aroma, taste. This year I am very happy with the Elstar apple, It is not my favourite.

  • 2016

    Spring blossom: 29 April
    Harvest: 2nd week September  4kg / 9lbs
    Size: 1.5m / 5.0ft high   2.0m / 6.7ft wide
    Canker: Not present
    Scab: Not present
    Mildew: Not present
    Fireblight: Not present
    Cedar-apple rust: Not present
    Woolly aphid: Not present
    Codling moth: Not present
    Plum fruit moth: Not present
    Silverleaf: Not present
    This is a Dutch variety. It is very well represented in the Dutch chain stores. It has no taste when bought from the chain stores. If grown well, it has a nice aroma, but not really special. It has the same taste as a rubinola. Supplemental 25-Jun 2016: Tree has set lots of fruitlets. These have to be thinned. Supplemental 18 Sept. Sweet/tart taste, juicy, honeyed aroma. Not really special. Good apple.

  • 2015

  • 2014

  • 2013

  • 2012

  • 2011

  • 2010

  • 2009

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