Alexander Apple (Spring 2027)

The Origins of ‘Alexander’

‘Alexander’ likely originated in Ukraine sometime during the 1700s, where it was thought to have been known as Aporta. The name Alexander was later attributed to the apple in honor of Russia's Emperor Alexander I.

Arrival in America

In the early 1800s, as pioneers migrated to the colder, harsher regions of the western United States, many European cultivars and their American seedlings struggled to survive the extreme winters of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern New England.

Recognizing the need for more cold-hardy varieties, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society partnered with the London Horticultural Society to import four Russian cultivars:

• 'Tetovsky'
• 'Red Astrachan'
• 'Duchess of Oldenburg'
• 'Alexander'

These varieties have since spread across Montana. While 'Alexander' is found in lower numbers than 'Duchess', it can still be spotted from the Bitterroot and Flathead areas to valleys throughout Eastern Montana.

In 1906, the Montana State Board of Horticulture declared that ‘Alexander’ was a cultivar “successful in nearly every part of Montana.”

Flavor and Usage

‘Alexander’ is a large dessert apple and tastes great fresh off the tree. However, it does not store well and tends to become mealy quickly, making it better suited for sauce.

The apples produce a rich, lemony-flavored applesauce that’s both intense and pleasantly tangy. Though not widely known for it, ‘Alexander’ also has the potential to make a great cider—something we have yet to try ourselves.

Hardiness

We rate ‘Alexander’ hardy to -40°F. Some reports have it surviving down to -50°F, but we're conservatively listing it at -40°F until we get more winter survival data from really cold areas.