Cedar-Apple Rust Resistant Apple Trees

Apple trees that resist cedar-apple rust. The disease spends half its life on junipers and red cedar and the other half on apples, so if you've got junipers in the yard or a windbreak full of them nearby, these are the apples to plant.

More about cedar-apple rust

Rust shows up as bright orange spots on apple leaves and fruit, and a bad year can strip a susceptible tree. You can't do much about the neighbor's junipers, so genetics is the way to go.

For the coldest spots, Chestnut applecrab is hardy to zone 2. Arkansas Black, Zestar, Paula Red, Fred's Mac, Golden Russet, Prairie Spy and Gravenstein take zone 3, and Spartan goes a bit colder at 2b.

Liberty, William's Pride, Nova Easygro, Claygate Pearmain and St. Edmund's Pippin resist rust along with scab and mildew. Black Oxford resists rust, scab and fire blight. Our apple disease resistance chart has every variety side by side.

Questions we get

What apple trees resist cedar-apple rust?

Liberty, William's Pride, Spartan, Zestar, Arkansas Black, Black Oxford, Empire, Macoun and Chestnut applecrab, along with the rest of this list.

Can I plant apples near junipers?

Yes, if you plant rust-resistant varieties. Junipers and red cedar carry the disease, so susceptible apples close to them will get hit hard in wet springs.

What's the hardiest rust-resistant apple?

Chestnut applecrab, hardy to zone 2. Spartan is rated to zone 2b.

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