Early-Ripening Apple Trees

Apples that come ripe in August here in Missoula, before the end of the month. In a short season these are the ones that always finish before the first hard freeze, and they're the first fresh apples of the year. Most early apples don't keep long, so eat them, sauce them or press them.

More about early apples

Lodi is usually the first one ready, around the start of August, and it's a great sauce apple. Pristine, William's Pride and Zestar are the best early eaters, with William's Pride and Pristine resisting scab too. Gravenstein comes at the tail end of August and is one of the best sauce and juice apples there is.

For the coldest country, September Ruby is hardy to zone 1b, and Oriole, Mantet, Parkland, Shafer, Kindercrisp and Crimson Beauty take zone 2. Goodland, 9-22 End and Redstar are rated to zone 2b.

These are Missoula dates, and they move with your climate. Our ripening map converts every variety to your town and shows what finishes before your freeze. Plant an early apple with a mid-season and a late one and you're picking from August into October.

Questions we get

What is the earliest ripening apple?

Lodi is usually first, in early August here. Crimson Beauty, Pristine and Norland follow within a few days.

What early apple is best for eating fresh?

Zestar, Pristine and William's Pride. All three are crisp and sweet-tart, and Pristine and William's Pride resist scab.

Do early apples store well?

Not really. Most keep a few weeks in the fridge at best. For storage, plant a late apple too.

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