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Ambrosia apples are an apple cultivar created in Canada in the early 1990s, the ambrosia apple tree is famous for its colour, juice content, sweetness, and overall flavour, making it one of the most purchased apples in many countries. 

The original tree was first cultivated by the Mennell family of Cawston, British Columbia, who discovered it growing from a chance seedling in their orchard in a row of Jonagold apple trees. It is named after the mythical food of the Greek gods. The Ambrosia is suspected to be a cross of the Starking Delicious and the Golden Delicious because those apples existed in the orchard where the Ambrosia was discovered growing.

The  Barnsby Apple Tree was discovered during the 1999–2000 growing season in Pemberton, Western Australia. It is noted for its exceptional colour and early maturity, compared to Cripps Pink. 

The Barnsby apple—a strain of the Cripps Pink variety often sold under the Pink Lady brand—delivers a signature sweet-tart flavor with a honeyed finish and a satisfyingly crunchy texture. Because it ripens earlier than other Pink Lady strains, it has lower acidity right off the tree, allowing for an immediately palatable, sweet, and effervescent eating experience.

 The Braeburn Apple Tree originated as a chance seedling discovered in the early 1950s near Motueka, New Zealand. Believed to be a cross between Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith apples, it was first commercially grown in the Braeburn Orchard from which it takes its name. Today, Braeburn is valued worldwide for its attractive red-orange striped skin, vigorous growth, and excellent storage qualities.

The Braeburn apple is celebrated for its well-balanced sweet-tart flavor and exceptionally crisp texture. Its flesh is firm, juicy, and aromatic, offering layers of honeyed sweetness complemented by bright, refreshing acidity. This complex flavor profile makes Braeburn an excellent fresh-eating apple while also lending itself well to baking, cooking, and cider production.

 The Empire Apple Tree was developed in 1945 by researchers at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, and was introduced commercially in 1966. A cross between the classic McIntosh and Red Delicious varieties, Empire was bred to combine the rich flavor of McIntosh with improved firmness, productivity, and storage life. Its attractive deep red fruit and dependable performance have made it a popular choice among growers and home orchardists alike.

The Empire apple is prized for its crisp, creamy-white flesh and its balanced sweet-tart flavor. Juicy and aromatic, it offers the refreshing tanginess of McIntosh alongside a richer sweetness inherited from Red Delicious. The result is a flavorful, well-rounded apple with a satisfying crunch, making it an excellent choice for fresh eating, salads, baking, and sauces.

The Combination Apple Tree is a unique multi-grafted tree that features several different apple varieties growing on a single rootstock. Developed through grafting rather than traditional breeding, these trees are designed to provide an extended harvest season, improved cross-pollination, and a diverse selection of apples from a single planting space. Combination Apple Trees are especially popular among home gardeners who want to enjoy multiple apple varieties without needing to plant several separate trees.

The flavor of a Combination Apple Tree depends on the varieties grafted onto it, offering a range of tastes and textures from one tree. Depending on the selections included, the apples may vary from sweet and honeyed to tart and refreshing, with textures ranging from crisp and juicy to tender and aromatic. This diversity allows growers to enjoy a broad spectrum of flavors throughout the harvest season, making Combination Apple Trees an excellent choice for fresh eating, baking, cooking, and cider making.

The Fireside Apple Tree was developed in Minnesota in the early 1940s as a cross between the McIntosh and Longfield apple varieties. Introduced by the University of Minnesota's fruit breeding program, it was selected for its exceptional cold hardiness, attractive appearance, and ability to produce high-quality fruit in northern climates. Fireside has remained a popular variety throughout the Upper Midwest and other cold-growing regions due to its reliability and excellent storage qualities.

The Fireside apple is known for its exceptionally sweet flavor and tender, juicy flesh. Its crisp texture softens slightly in storage, allowing its rich sweetness to become even more pronounced. With low acidity and subtle hints of honey and spice, Fireside offers a mild, pleasant eating experience that appeals to those who prefer a sweeter apple. Its flavor and texture also make it well suited for baking, sauces, and fresh eating throughout the winter months.

 The Golden Delicious Apple Tree originated as a chance seedling discovered in the early 1900s on a farm in Clay County, West Virginia. Recognized for its productivity, adaptability, and exceptional fruit quality, it was introduced commercially by the Stark Brothers Nursery in 1914. Golden Delicious quickly became one of the world's most widely grown apple varieties and has since been used extensively in apple breeding programs due to its desirable flavor and reliable performance.

The Golden Delicious apple is celebrated for its sweet, mellow flavor and crisp, juicy texture. Its creamy-yellow flesh is rich and aromatic, offering notes of honey, vanilla, and subtle floral undertones with very little acidity. As the fruit ripens, its sweetness intensifies, creating a smooth, well-balanced eating experience. Its versatility makes it an excellent choice for fresh eating, baking, cooking, and juicing.

 The Granny Smith Apple Tree originated in Australia in the late 1860s as a chance seedling discovered by Maria Ann Smith in Ryde, New South Wales. Believed to have grown from discarded French crab apple seeds, the tree was cultivated and propagated for its exceptional vigor and reliable fruit production in warm climates. The variety was later introduced commercially and quickly gained international popularity for its durability, productivity, and ability to thrive in a wide range of growing conditions.

The Granny Smith apple is best known for its bold, tart flavor and exceptionally crisp, firm texture. Its bright green skin encases a juicy, sharply acidic flesh that delivers a clean, refreshing bite. As one of the tartest common apple varieties, it is especially valued for balancing sweetness in baked goods, salads, and sauces, while also providing a crisp, mouth-puckering freshness when eaten raw.

 The Haralson Apple Tree was developed in the early 20th century by the University of Minnesota’s fruit breeding program and was officially introduced in 1922. It originated as a seedling discovered in 1913 at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and was named in honor of Charles Haralson, a long-time superintendent of the station. Believed to be a cross between the Malinda and Wealthy apple varieties, Haralson was selected for its exceptional cold hardiness, dependable yields, and strong performance in harsh northern climates.

The Haralson apple is known for its firm texture and distinctly tart, tangy flavor when freshly picked. Its crisp white flesh is juicy and sharply acidic, making it especially popular for baking and cooking. As it stores, the acidity softens slightly and the flavor becomes more balanced, developing a pleasant sweet-tart profile. Its reliable structure and bright taste make it one of the classic choices for pies, sauces, and fresh eating in colder regions.

 The Honeycrisp Apple Tree was developed by the University of Minnesota’s apple breeding program and officially released in 1991. It was created through a controlled breeding effort aimed at producing a variety capable of surviving extremely cold climates while delivering superior eating quality. Known for its remarkable cold hardiness and consistent productivity, Honeycrisp quickly rose to prominence and became one of the most widely celebrated modern apple cultivars in North America.

The Honeycrisp apple is renowned for its explosive crispness and exceptionally juicy texture. Each bite delivers a distinctive “snap” followed by a burst of refreshing sweetness balanced with gentle, bright acidity. Its flavor is clean and aromatic, with subtle honey-like undertones that become more pronounced as the fruit ripens. This unique combination of texture and taste has made Honeycrisp a premium choice for fresh eating and a favorite among apple enthusiasts.

 The Mutsu Apple Tree, also known as Crispin, originated in Japan in the 1930s as a cross between the Golden Delicious and Indo apple varieties. It was first developed at the Aomori Prefectural Apple Experiment Station and later introduced to international markets, where it gained popularity for its large fruit size, vigorous growth, and adaptability to a range of climates. Mutsu has since become a valued variety in both commercial orchards and home gardens for its productivity and storage ability.

The Mutsu apple is prized for its crisp, juicy flesh and its balanced sweet-tart flavor. Its pale green to yellow skin encases a dense, aromatic interior with notes of honey, citrus, and mild spice. The flavor is initially bright and slightly tangy when freshly picked, mellowing into a sweeter, richer profile after storage. Its versatility makes it excellent for fresh eating, baking, and cooking, where it holds its shape well while developing a deep, satisfying flavor.

 The McIntosh Apple Tree originated in the early 1800s in Dundela, Ontario, Canada, where farmer John McIntosh discovered a chance seedling on his property in 1811. The tree was cultivated and propagated by his family, eventually becoming one of the most important cold-hardy apple varieties in North America. Known for its adaptability to cooler climates and its early-season ripening, McIntosh played a foundational role in the development of many modern apple cultivars.

The McIntosh apple is celebrated for its tender, aromatic flesh and its distinctive sweet-tart flavor. Its soft, juicy texture makes it especially refreshing when freshly picked, with bright notes of berry-like sweetness balanced by lively acidity. As it stores, the flesh becomes softer and the flavor mellows into a richer, more fragrant profile. McIntosh apples are particularly well suited for fresh eating, applesauce, and baking where a soft, flavorful texture is desired.

 The Spartan Apple Tree was developed in the 1920s at the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia, Canada. It originated as a seedling of the McIntosh variety and was selected for its improved color, productivity, and storage qualities. Officially introduced in 1936, Spartan quickly gained popularity in Canadian orchards for its reliability in cooler climates and its attractive, uniform fruit.

The Spartan apple is known for its crisp texture and sweet, mildly tangy flavor. Its fine-grained white flesh is juicy and refreshing, with a gentle balance of sweetness and light acidity that is less sharp than its McIntosh parent. Often aromatic and subtly floral, Spartan offers a clean, smooth eating experience that makes it excellent for fresh consumption, salads, and light baking applications.

 The Westland Eating Apple Tree is a heritage-style dessert apple variety, likely originating from cultivation in the United Kingdom or northwestern Europe, where many traditional orchard apples were selected for local growing conditions and fresh consumption. It is associated with older mixed orchards and regional “eating apple” selections, valued more for garden and local use than for large-scale commercial production. Like many traditional varieties, it is typically grown for its adaptability, moderate vigor, and dependable fruiting in temperate climates.

The Westland Eating apple is generally described as a pleasant dessert apple with a balanced sweet flavor and light, refreshing acidity. Its flesh is crisp and moderately juicy, offering a straightforward, clean taste rather than intense complexity. Depending on ripeness, it can lean more sweet or slightly tart, making it a versatile apple best enjoyed fresh from the tree or used in simple kitchen preparations such as salads and light baking.

 The Yellow Newtown Pippin Apple Tree originated in the early 18th century in Newtown (now Elmhurst, Queens), New York, as a chance seedling discovered in colonial America. It quickly gained a reputation for its exceptional storage ability and high-quality fruit, becoming one of the first American apple varieties to achieve significant commercial success. The variety was later widely planted in Virginia and the Pacific Coast, where its flavor improved in warmer climates, further cementing its reputation as a premium heirloom apple.

The Yellow Newtown Pippin apple is prized for its complex, aromatic flavor and firm, crisp texture. Its pale green to golden-yellow skin encloses dense, juicy flesh with a distinctive balance of bright acidity and rich, wine-like sweetness. Notes of citrus, pine, and subtle spice emerge as it ripens and matures in storage, creating a deeply layered tasting experience. Long considered one of the finest dessert and cider apples, it is equally valued for fresh eating, baking, and fermentation.