Elstar apple

Elstar apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

USDA identification images for Elstar

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

• 06 Oct 2024  SCOTTISH BORDERS, United Kingdom

  Fruit 4years after planting sapling growing on dwarf stock. About 20 fruits, all a good size Not ready for picking until later than first week of October
• 28 Sep 2023 

  My favorite apple, nice flavors sweet, soure and honey taste. For health it’s good to eat apples, keeps the doctor away ;-)
• 10 Sep 2022 

  my seventeen year old tree has cropped consistently - every other year. and yes I do seriously thin the crop when it has one. It is seriously biennial, but have never read any review saying that. Well worth the wait for each two years.
• 09 Mar 2021  WEST YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom

  Noticed that Home Bargains were selling two year old trees of this variety earlier today (March 2021) as pre packs for £5.99. They also had Jonagold, Cox's and Comice pears for the same price. Hope this helps UK readers currently looking for trees.
• 12 Oct 2019  ANTRIM, United Kingdom

  One of those varieties you have to leave on the tree as long as possible as the last couple will be the sweetest. Big apples.
• 27 Apr 2014  COLORADO, United States

  about 15 years ago i ate an elstar apple and its one of those times in my life that sticks in my head. i thought it was the best apple ive ever eaten. never able to find another, or tree to plant.
• 12 Apr 2014  ALBERTA, Canada

  These are the best pie apples ever.
• 20 Sep 2013  Ireland

  I agree with Jordan. I tried a couple of trees of this variety. I found the apples to be rather bland, insipid and lacking in character. I grafted them over with better varieties - Adam's Pearmain and Sunset.
• 30 May 2012  United Kingdom

  Compared to some of the apples out there, the taste of this apple - at least the one I tasted - is very much mediocre. Very juicy. Sweet compared to older eating apples, but not compared to something like Royal Gala or Discovery. Discovery itself isn't the deepest taste, but even compared to discovery the taste of Elstar is poor as a dessert apple. Noticed a russet-like taste, changing towards the end of eating the apple into a more pear like flavour. Would be much nicer just to eat a pear; even though I tend to prefer apples to pears. Certainly wouldn't plant it as a dessert apple. I envisage that it would make a good juice, but perhaps blended with a stronger tasting apple to give it some depth, which Elstar lacks. Main advantage would be for bulking up - if tree has gold yields.
• 30 Mar 2012  ENGLAND, United Kingdom

  I bought one of these trees for my garden and it's budding at the moment. I searched in the shops for the variety and bought some and found that they taste very nice, they're a bit like a better Cox's (many of those from the supermarkets are somewhat bland).
• 05 Feb 2012  BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada

  Excellent flavor both fresh and cooked. Seems to store quite well - the apples picked four months ago are still firm and sweet, and good eating. If I could have only one apple tree, this would be my first choice.
• 11 Jun 2010  N.IRELAND, United Kingdom

  Just bought one of these today in a pot. It has about 30 little fruits on it. A good start. I chose this variety as label says..Good pollinator...I have a 'self pollinator' which seems to need a mate. We'll see what happens.
• 24 Apr 2010  CO.ANTRIM, United Kingdom

  100% agreement. Happy tree and delicious fruit even in Co.Antrim, not known as one of our apple counties
• 20 Apr 2010  Ireland

  I agree with Niamh, - a brilliant apple, & grows easily here in Ireland.
• 05 Nov 2009  IL, United States

  I bought one of these for my mom about 5-6 years ago from Trees of Antiquity in CA. It bore very well this year in Zone 5 - rural IL - and we love the sweetness of the apples. So much better than anything you can buy in the store. If you're looking for a great apple, Trees of Antiquity still stock them and I've had very good experience with the quality of their products, delivery, etc.
• 14 Oct 2009  IRELAND, Ireland

  I love this variety. They are so hardy, they can be grown in Ireland organically. That's no mean feat with our weather. Ireland and Holland are the main suppliers of this variety.
• 05 Oct 2009  ONTARIO, Canada

  I recently discovered elstar apples grown here in Ontario, Canada, at my local supermarket, and it has become my instant favourite apple
• 06 Feb 2009 

  I love this elstar apples. I regularly ate this apple. They are delicious, especially straight out of the fridge. It is true, they have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity and a lovely flavour and crispness.
• 12 Oct 2008  COLBERT, SPOKANE,WASHINGTON USA, United States

  I was introduced to the Elstar several years ago at a small orchard on Greenbluff in Washington state. It is now my favorite apple for eating and cooking.
• 09 Oct 2008  KENT, United Kingdom

  Sainsburys have Elstar on their basics range currently, and what a superb apple to discover at such a low price! Tastes of Honey, Sherbet Fizz, Crunch, Sharpness - in a very nice overall balance.
• 04 Oct 2008  NEWTON ABBOT, DEVON, United Kingdom

  This apple seems to do well in our damp West country air. Our young tree has cropped well with large crisp juicy fruit. Delicious.
• 02 Oct 2008  SWANSEA, WALES, United Kingdom

  I saw these apples for the first time last week and they were so cheap I only bought a few, thinking they wouldn't be very good. How wrong I was. They are delicious, especially straight out of the fridge. They have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity and a lovely flavour and crispness.
• 15 Aug 2008  HAVANT, United Kingdom

  Just tasted the first fruit from my own tree (amongst others such as cox, egremont russet..) and delighted to say it was a wonderful surprise - the appearance is delightful with blemish-free regular shaped fruit, good for exhibition. The flavour is tangy, juicy and sweet. The tree seems a heavy cropper from an as yet small size.
• 20 Jan 2008  VIRGINIA, United States

  I regularly ate this apple while living in Cologne, Germany. It was a favorite of mine and I am searching for a supplier in the US for a tree.
• 08 Oct 2007  WASHINGTON. UK, United Kingdom

  Just purchased an Elstar apple on coronet miniature rootstock, and fully agree with your comments. Ive tasted and enjoyed Ingred Marie and Golden Delicious and now Ive the best of both on one tree.

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• United Kingdom46
• Belgium 3
• Denmark 1
• France 1
• Germany 1
• Ireland5
• Netherlands 4
• Canada2
• Australia1
• Poland1

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Elstar apple trees for sale:

• Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (USA) United States
  Elstar apple trees
• Cummins Nursery
  United States  More >>

Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Elstar:

United States

• Michigan

  • Rennhack Orchards, Hart

• Montana

  • O'Farrell Orchards, Bigfork

• New Hampshire

  • Old Ciderpress Farm, Westmoreland

• New York

  • Indian Ladder Farms Inc., Altamont

• Ohio

  • Beckwith Orchards, Cider Mill and Gift Shop, Kent
  • Monroe's Orchard & Farm Market, LLC, Hiram
  • Peifer Orchards, Yellow Springs

• Oregon

  • Haury Farms, Salem
  • Kiyokawa Family Orchards, Mount Hood Parkdale
  • Smith Berry Barn, Hillsboro

• Pennsylvania

  • Brown's Orchard and Cider Company, McDonald

• Washington

  • Skipley Farm, Snohomish        *** Feature Orchard ***

United Kingdom

• England - midlands

  • Meynell Langley Trials Gardens, Derby

• England - north

  • Pickering Road Community Orchard, Hull

France

• Poitou-Charente

  • Les Vergers de Vendée, Maureuil sur Lay

Netherlands

• Noord-Holland

  • Het Keetje, Westwoud

Canada

• British Columbia

  • Applebarn -- Taves Family Farms, Abbotsford
  • Blue Haze Farm, Victoria
  • Salt Spring Apple Company, Salt Spring Island

• Ontario

  • O'Keefe Grange, Dobbinton

Switzerland

• Geneva

  • Verger de Saint-Loup, Versoix

References

• Apples for the 21st Century
  Author: Manhart
• Fruit Expert
  Author: Hessayon