Description
An American cider apple developed by California plant breeder Albert Etter in 1944.
The fruit is small, yellow-red, dense, has high brix and acid content, and is about 1 – 2″ in diameter. While the sugar content is 25%, the high acid flavor is probably too strong for most as a dessert apple. The addition of Wickson Crab in a cider will increase acidity and alcohol content.
Choose rootstock type depending on availability:
Malus domestica Standard sized seedling rootstock. This is what trees were historically grafted on. These will be large trees that will grow for a century or more due to their cold hardiness and drought tolerance. Plant 25 feet or more apart.
M111 Semi Dwarf rootstock. 3/4 size of standard. A good compromise if you want a slightly smaller tree. Plant 15 feet or more apart.
M7 Semi Dwarf, Smaller than M111. Probably not as long lived, but produces sooner. Longer lived than M26. Plant 12 feet or more apart.
M26 Dwarf, Short lived (a few decades), fast producing, needs staked, not drought tolerant or as cold hardy, plant as close to 1-2 feet apart.
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