Zestar!® apple

Zestar! identification images

USDA identification images for Zestar!

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.

Visitor reviews

• 10 Sep 2018  Khashline@Gmail.ComNY, United States

  Tried my first ever Zestar! today and what a treat it was. The flavor was super sweet and with just a hint of tart mixed in. Flesh was more flavorful then I was expecting with this apple. I planted 5 of these this past spring on B9 and I'm really excited about trying one fresh off the tree in the next couple of years. Highly recommend this apple.
• 06 Nov 2016  Christopher HerbstCA / HUMBOLDT COUNTY, United States

  This is one of my favorite early apples I'm growing in my trial orchard in coastal NW California. Sweet and rich flavored with nice crunch and texture.
• 29 Aug 2016  Guy MaddoxILLINOIS, United States

  Bought at Edward's Apple Orchard Northern Illinois. Excellent Taste with sharp sweet taste. Highly recommend.
• 09 Sep 2015  Marsha BaileyONTARIO, Canada

  I first purchased zestars at a local farmers' market last year and loved them. This year's apples are even better. Lots of tartness with a touch of brown sugar and a good crunch. I eat alot of apples and this year's zestars are amongst my favourites.
• 02 Sep 2014  Renate sNEW JERSEY, United States

  Zestar is tart/sweet juicy. The crisp but not hard texture is just perfect. Purchased these in Delaware County NY 08/31/14. One of the first early apples available at the co-op. Wonderful.
• 21 Oct 2013  BrentMN, United States

  Kurt - If you just bought it and ate it (close to the date of your review), the fruit was likely picked upwards of 6 weeks ago. The mealiness you experienced was probably a result of bad shipping or storage. A properly stored Zestar will never be mealy. Zestar doesn't have the highest flavor intensity, but it should have been tart with a good sweetness.
• 15 Oct 2013  KurtMN, United States

  Wow from the comments I've been reading, Byerly's must have had them mislabeled. But, I don't think so. It was a pretty apple from the outside, one bite...it was mealy, lacked flavor...I wouldn't even think of cooking with them. I think the UofM needs to go back to the drawing board!
• 27 Sep 2013  RitaMINNESOTA, United States

  I bet this apple will be great for use in baking were you want an apple that is crisp and tart, yet still has a sweetness to it. No hint of the brown sugar taste that was in the describtion, however reminds me of the candy "Sweet-Tarts".
• 11 Sep 2012  GregWI, United States

  Purchased these recently (9/6/12) , hadn't seen them before. These are EXCEPTIONAL! Sweet & tart, juicy, crisp...what more could one want in an apple?
• 08 Sep 2012  AnnaVA, United States

  I usually won't eat apples from the grocery store (preferring "real" apples from the fruit stand), but Zestar made the cut. It's tart and nearly as full-bodied in flavor as Winesap, but with a crispness that keeps my husband happy. Top notch!
• 03 Sep 2012  IsaiahOREGON, United States

  Very fragrant, sweet-tangy, crisp, light apple with floral tones. I also did not detect brown sugar taste, but it did remind me of some kind of candy - not sure what kind!
• 27 Aug 2012  TracyVERMONT, United States

  We just discovered this apple at our local orchard. We love the taste, sweet yet with some tartness. I am a diehard Cortland fan, but Zestar will definately be my early season apple.
• 30 Sep 2011  David M. TaylorWI, United States

  This is one of the very best newer apples out there. Very crunchy and juicy, and much more smackingly tart than sweet, with just a very pleasant appley flavor. (I also do NOT detect any "brown sugar" flavor at all.) I would guess this should be a great apple for cooking and cider making as well as fresh eating -- very versatile! Can't wait to make some cider of this one!!
• 19 Sep 2011  MattWISCONSIN, United States

  "Zest" is the word. If you like an apple to open your eyes and slap your taste buds than this is the apple for you. It is crisp with sweetness to balance the zing. Keeps well for an early apple.
• 31 Aug 2011  ZmanMA, United States

  A very tasty apple, a very nice sweet-tart combo. Supposedly it tastes of brown sugar, but I do not detect that. It is crisp and the skin is delicious as well as the fruit. Will definetly buy it again.

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Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Zestar!:

United States

• Colorado

  • Ela Family Farms, Hotchkiss
  • Masonville Orchard, Fort Collins

• Connecticut

  • Karabin Farms, Southington

• Georgia

  • Freedom Farms - Apple & Peach Orchard, Chatsworth
  • Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge

• Idaho

  • Kelley Orchards (Weiser), Weiser

• Illinois

  • Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch, Champaign
  • Meadowmoor Orchard, Woodstock
  • Royal Oak Farm and Fruit Orchard, Harvard        *** Feature Orchard ***

• Indiana

  • Apple Works, Trafalgar
  • G. W. Stroh Orchards, Angola
  • McClure's Orchard, Peru
  • Harker Family Farms & Orchard, Waldron

• Iowa

  • 3 Bee Farms, Griswold
  • Allen's Orchard, Marion
  • Applecart Orchard, Vinton
  • Community Orchards, Fort Dodge
  • Gravert's Apple Basket Orchard, Sabula
  • Storybook Orchard, Story City
  • The Big Apple Orchard, Mount Vernon
  • Wilson's Orchard, Iowa City

• Kansas

  • Meadowlark Farm, Rose Hill

• Maine

  • Circle B Farms, Caribou
  • Hooper's Orchard, Monroe
  • McDougal Orchards, Springvale
  • North Chester Orchard, Chester

• Michigan

  • Apple Valley Orchard, Saginaw
  • Brainerd Farms, Onsted
  • Husted Farm Market and Cider Mill, Kalamazoo
  • Jacques Orchard, Hemlock
  • KlineKrest USDA Certified Organic Produce Farm, Lyons
  • Markillie Orchard and Cider Mill, Howell
  • Rennhack Orchards, Hart
  • Robinette's Apple Haus and Winery, Grand Rapids

• Minnesota

  • Afton Apple Orchard, Hastings
  • Apple Jack Orchards, Delano
  • Apple Tree-O, Delano
  • Big Woods Orchard, Winona
  • Center Creek Orchard, Fairmont
  • Cider Flats Apple Orchard, Hinckley
  • Fireside Orchard and Gardens, Northfield
  • Fischer's Croix Farm Orchard, Hastings
  • Hidden Cove Orchard, Cold Spring
  • Irish Mountain Orchard, Elysian
  • J.Q. Fruit Farm, Princeton
  • Lee Peterson Tree Farm Apple Orchard, Becker
  • LuceLine Orchard, Watertown
  • Lucking's Cannon Valley Orchard, Cannon Falls
  • Maple Hills Orchard, Frazee
  • Maple Run Orchard, Finlayson
  • Minnesota Harvest, Jordan
  • Minnetonka Orchards, Minnetrista
  • Montgomery Orchards, Montgomery
  • Nelson's Apple Farm, Webster
  • Novak's Orchards, LLC, Woodbury
  • Nystrom Orchard, Worthington
  • Pleasant Valley Orchard, Taylors Falls
  • Red Barn Orchard, Pine River
  • Sekapp Orchard, Rochester
  • Southwind Orchards, Dakota
  • Straight River Farm, Faribault
  • Sweetland Orchard, Webster
  • Two Fruit's Fruits, Hinckley
  • Woods' Edge Apples, Buffalo

• Nebraska

  • Union Orchard, Union

• New Hampshire

  • Butternut Farm LLC, Farmington
  • Demeritt Hill Farm, Lee

• New Jersey

  • Alstede Farms, Chester

• New York

  • Albany Apple Guy:Purveyor of Rare & Exotic Apples, Castleton
  • Apple Ridge Orchards, Warwick
  • Bellinger's Apple Orchard, Fultonville
  • Indian Ladder Farms Inc., Altamont
  • LoveApple Farms, Ghent
  • Northern Orchard Co Inc., Peru
  • Whittier Fruit Farm, Rochester

• Ohio

  • Eshleman Fruit Farm, Clyde
  • Johnston Fruit Farms, Swanton
  • Ochs Fruit Farm, Lancaster
  • Reaver Farms Orchard, South Charleston
  • The Orchard & Company, Plain City
  • Tüken's Farm Market and Orchard, West Alexandria
  • Votaw Farms, Pioneer

• Oregon

  • Haury Farms, Salem

• Pennsylvania

  • Godfrey Run Farm, LLC, Lake City
  • Kauffman's Fruit Farm, Bird-in-Hand
  • Masonic Village Farm Market, Elizabethtown
  • Paulus Orchards, Dillsburg

• South Dakota

  • Hoversten Orchards LTD, Brandon
  • Krause Family Orchard & Nursery Inc., Glenham

• Vermont

  • Outback Orchard, Florence

• Washington

  • Skipley Farm, Snohomish        *** Feature Orchard ***
  • Tonnemaker Hill Farm, Royal City

• Wisconsin

  • Birch Creek Apple & Honey, Holcombe
  • Cattleana Ranch, Poygan Township/Omro
  • Ecker's Apple Farm, Trempealeau
  • Ferguson's Orchard, Eau Claire
  • Hillside Apples, Casco
  • Maple Ridge Orchard, Cashton
  • Orchard Store at Old Homestead, Franksville
  • Peck & Bushel Fruit Company, Town of Erin/City of Colgate
  • Pleasant View Orchard, Niagara
  • Rim's Edge Orchard, Germantown
  • Rush River Orchard and Bakery, Ellsworth
  • Sacia Orchards, Galesville        *** Feature Orchard ***
  • Sutter's Ridge Orchard, Mt Horeb

Canada

• British Columbia

  • Dragonfly Farm, Salt Spring Island

• Ontario

  • DeVries Fruit Farm, Fenwick