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

Enterprise apple

Enterprise is a good example of a modern apple developed specifically for disease resistance.  The parentage is complex, but includes McIntosh, Golden Delicious, and Rome Beauty - as well as the ubiquitous crab apple Malus floribunda, the source of the vital gene for scab-resistance.  It is probably closest to McIntosh in overall appearance, although this is not a "Mac" style apple and it does not have the vinous flavor associated with Macs.

The apples are a glossy red color, ripening in late October.  They can be stored for 3-6 months in a domestic fridge.  The skin is quite thick and tough.  Whilst Enterprise is good for eating fresh, it is perhaps better as a cooking apple where its tart flavor can be used to advantage.

Being easy to grow and with versatile uses, Enterprise has rapidly established itself as a popular garden apple variety.

More details about this variety are available on the joint Purdue University / Rutgers University / University of Illinois website - click here.

Enterprise identification images

  • Enterprise

USDA identification images for Enterprise

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


    Offspring of this variety


    Visitor reviews

    • 16 Dec 2014  MAINE, United States
      A top U-Pick apple: great baking and storing qualities, great flavor, hangs very well, a long one-month harvest window. However, contrary to the literature, the leaves at least are not particularly resistant to the Cedar Apple Rust in our area. That said, it is one of the easiest apples to grow.
    • 28 Sep 2014  CT, United States
      I ate some of these today and enjoyed the sweet flavor. The apples were large and very red.
    • 26 Jan 2013  WASHINGTON, United States
      I really enjoyed eating this apple. Nice balance of sweet and tart. Large apple, and thick skinned.
    • 22 Sep 2012  ILLINOIS, United States
      This is a great apple. I have had a semi-dwarf tree that has borne for over ten years and it never fails me. Apples look great and taste great and keep for at least six months. It has had apples when no one elses trees have had any.
    • 05 May 2012  VIRGINIA, BEDFORD, United States
      I just moved to Virginia last year. The tree was here. Needed pruning bad. I lightened it substantially in February. A lot of blooms early because of the warm weather. Does anyone think this will be an early harvest. The apples are already the size of a cherry tomato Any advice? A lot of apples the tree is very mature 22 feet high 20 feet across. J.
    • 16 Oct 2011  NY, United States
      My 3 year old Enterprise tree bore it's first apple this year. A single apple. I had read several reviews of Enterprise that rated it's taste as average to good with thick skin. I was pleasantly surprised. Quite tasty and fairly tangy. It was quite red, but probably could have stood on the tree a bit longer. The skin is thick, similar to Mutsu. Very firm and crunchy. Very easy to grow so far and very disease resistant although aphids seem to prefer it over other apples.
    • 15 Feb 2011  WA, United States
      This is an outstanding apple! I have 1 tree that is over 10 years old and it reliably produces every year, even when all the rest of the trees have no apples (2010 summer). We don't spray or treat our trees with anything, just pruning. All other trees we have get scab except Enterprise. Apples keep until Thanksgiving and Christmas and are excellent for cooking pies. Skin gets progressively more wax in storage. They are "ok" for fresh eating, not bad, just not fantastic. Highly recommended for ease of growing and beautiful apples that keep!

    Tree register

    United States

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2022 season

    • 2nd May  2022  - tree owned by Monika in Denver, United States

    2021 season

    • 8th May  2021  - tree owned by Monika in Denver, United States

    2020 season

    • 15th May  2020  - tree owned by Monika in Denver, United States

    2019 season

    • 27th April  2019  - tree owned by Monika in Denver, United States

    2018 season

    • 29th April  2018  - tree owned by Monika in Denver, United States
    • 25th April  2018  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States

    2017 season

    • 10th May  2017  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States

    2015 season

    • March  2015  - tree owned by Phillip in Sand Springs, United States

    2014 season

    • 23rd April  2014  - tree owned by J.P.Curry in Sturgeon, United States
    • 23rd April  2014  - tree owned by J.P.Curry in Sturgeon, United States
    • 23rd April  2014  - tree owned by J.P.Curry in Sturgeon, United States

    2013 season

    • 23rd May  2013  - tree owned by Mrs. in Newport, United States
    • 6th May  2013  - tree owned by Rachel in Shoreline, United States
    • 30th April  2013  - tree owned by Florian in Brush Prairie, United States
    • 20th April  2013  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States

    2012 season

    • 8th May  2012  - tree owned by Florian in Brush Prairie, United States
    • 25th April  2012  - tree owned by Rachel in Shoreline, United States
    • 25th April  2012  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States
    • 29th March  2012  - tree owned by Janice in Canton, United States
    • 21st March  2012  - tree owned by J.P.Curry in Sturgeon, United States

    2011 season

    • 26th May  2011  - tree owned by Karen in Quilcene, United States
    • 19th May  2011  - tree owned by Ron in Orion, United States
    • May  2011  - tree owned by Rachel in Shoreline, United States

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


    Harvest records for this variety

    2018 season

    • 3rd week October  2018  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States

    2017 season

    • 4th week October  2017  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States

    2015 season

    • October  2015  - tree owned by Phillip in Sand Springs, United States

    2013 season

    • 3rd week October  2013  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States
    • 2nd week October  2013  - tree owned by Mrs. in Newport, United States
    • 1st week October  2013  - tree owned by Grouchybroad in Kirksville, United States

    2012 season

    • 4th week October  2012  - tree owned by Gil in Snohomish, United States
    • 3rd week September  2012  - tree owned by Janice in Canton, United States

    2011 season

    • 2nd week September  2011  - tree owned by J.P.Curry in Sturgeon, United States

    2010 season

    • October  2010  - tree owned by Rachel in Shoreline, United States

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica
    • Introduced: 1994
    • Developed by: Joint breeding programme of Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations.

    Using

    • Picking season: Very late
    • Cropping: Good
    • Keeping (of fruit): 3 months or more
    • Flavor style (apples): Sweet/Sharp
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Culinary
    • Discoloration of fruit: Very oxidising (browns quickly)

    Growing

    • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
    • Flowering group: 4
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Organic culture: Suitable

    Climate

    • Cold hardiness (USDA): (4) -30F / -34C
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)

    Identification

    • Country of origin: United States
    • Period of origin: 1950 - 1999
    • Leaf colour: Green
    • Fruit colour: Crimson

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Enterprise apple trees for sale:


    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Enterprise:

    United States




    References

    • Cedar-Apple Rust  
      Author: Stephen Vann, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture (FSA7538)
      Rated as very resistant - no control needed against CAR.

    Varieties you viewed


    ©2022 Orange Pippin Ltd. All rights reserved.

    You may not reproduce any of the content of this website without our express permission.
    We do not accept any liability for loss or damage incurred as a result of any errors in the content of this website.