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Lobo apple

A McIntosh-style apple from Canada, generally believed to be better all-round than its parent.

USDA identification images for Lobo

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Lobo
  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Lobo
  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Lobo

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


Visitor reviews

  • 15 Sep 2022 
    I grew this apple on my lifestyle orchard here in New Zealand and found it a great apple to dehydrate, has a great flavour, and being large makes it good for this purpose. Also cooks up well, just trying to locate it again so I can graft another tree, the original got removed by the new owners, unfortunately.
  • 18 Sep 2016  ONTARIO, Canada
    Tried this apple this week and do like it very much. It seems sweeter than the Mac which is my favorite. Goin g to make a pie to see how it turns out.
  • 13 Jan 2015  ONTARIO, Canada
    They have Lobos at Burnham Family Farm Market in Cobourg ON...closed now until May 1st...but when the apples are ready they have many many different varieties!!...check them out!
  • 09 Sep 2013  ONTARIO, Canada
    Lobo's are picking right now at Organics Family Farm in Markham
  • 10 Oct 2012  ONTARIO, Canada
    Lobo are so delicious! I can only get them in Quebec! Where can I purchase in Durham region?
  • 28 Sep 2012  QUEBEC, Canada
    These apples are grown all around here and are great tasting. They aren't my favorite, but there is no denying they are a great all around apple. Any pies I make with them are exceptional. My relatives have a Lobo apple tree growing on their property which is at least 50 years old, if not older. The apples from it are so large, they're the size of softballs.
  • 02 Sep 2011  ONTARIO, Canada
    Lobo have been my favorite since I was a child 45 years ago. We used to drive down to Mont. St. Hilaire in the Townships of Quebec and pick bushels of them. The best are tart/sweet and give a very satisfying crunch. They are the best apples for pie, but I still love eating them right off the tree. We grow two trees organically -- no chemicals at all, so most of the apples go back to nature, but we usually get just enough off our young trees to share the bounty.
  • 10 Aug 2011  ONTARIO, Canada
    Best of all apples. Tasty, juicy, good for pies and sauce. Ready in late August. One orchard that has them is in Mountain, On.
  • 16 Nov 2010  CANADA, Canada
    absolute best eating apple
  • 21 Sep 2010  ONTARIO, Canada
    You can get this variety at Siloam Orchards which is northeast of Toronto. I believe they also sell trees.
  • 12 Sep 2010  CANADA, Canada
    Where can I buy some of these trees ,or even seeds...?
  • 04 Oct 2009  HALIFAX, NS, Canada
    I am just eating my first Lobo apple and I'm enjoying it very much. I had never heard of this variety until I saw them at the grocery store yesterday and was a little skeptical about liking them. I like them a lot - they do remind me of MacIntosh but I think I like them better. I wouldn't have thought that possible. I'll look for them more often.
  • 19 Sep 2009  OTTAWA, Canada
    There are orchards here in Ottawa and surrounding that have Lobo right now - they emerged just ahead of the traditional macs and are really good. Perfect size for little hands too.
  • 11 Sep 2009  TORONTO, ONTARIO, Canada
    Question: How does this apple compare with the Macoun?
  • 11 Sep 2009  ROCKLAND, ONTARIO, Canada
    I recently purchased a 1/2 bushel of Lobo apples from a local orchard. I'd never heard of this variety before but they are so lovely, no blemishes at all, that I decided to give them a try. My apple pies are fabulous using them. I'm making apple sauce this morning and I think it will be very good too. I highly recommend these now that I've tried them.
  • 27 Apr 2009  BELLEVILLE, ON, Canada
    I had these as a child from my grandparents apple orchard in Salem, ON (near Colborne). They were my favourite (Grandpa only had 3 trees of them). The orchard is long gone and I have never found them again. Crisp and sweet, empire is the closest I ever found.

Tree register

United States

United Kingdom

Netherlands

Canada

New Zealand

Spring blossom records for this variety

2011 season

  • June  2011  - tree owned by Susan in Ottawa, Canada

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


Harvest records for this variety

2013 season

  • 3rd week March  2013  - tree owned by Katrina in Nelson, New Zealand

2011 season

  • 3rd week August  2011  - tree owned by Susan in Ottawa, Canada

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
  • Parentage: McIntosh
  • Originates from: Canada
  • Introduced: 1898
  • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1979-171
  • We are grateful to Brogdale Farm - home of the UK National Fruit Collection - for providing samples of this variety.

Identification

  • Annual cycle: Deciduous

Using

  • Picking period: mid-September
  • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing

  • Pollinating others: Average
  • Ploidy: Diploid
  • Bearing regularity: Regular

Climate

  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Lobo apple trees for sale:

  • Cummins Nursery
    United States  More >>

Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Lobo:

Canada




References

  • Apples of England (1948)
    Author: Taylor

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