The 'Kronprinz Rudolf' apple tree grows ideally on meadow orchards and in open gardens with the right fertilization. It comes from the wind-open slopes of Styria in Austria and thrives best under the right location conditions.
The 'Kronprinz Rudolf' apple is a variety of great regional importance in Styria, Austria. The cheerful coloring of the flat, wide apple is striking and it delights us with its good taste. We explain under which conditions the beautiful regional variety will also find a place in your garden or on your orchard.
Kronprinz-Rudolf-Apfel: Profile
| Synonyms | Crown Prince, Rodolfo, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria |
| Fruit | Medium sized, flat round, attractive yellow-red |
| Flavour | Balanced, sweet wine |
| Yield | Alternating very high and very low |
| Harvest time | From October for storage |
| Maturity for pleasure | From November |
| Shelf Life | In best conditions until February |
| Growth | Strong, tall, tends to overbuild |
| Climate | Open to the wind, medium and high altitudes |
| Diseases and Pests | Only susceptible to scab in unsuitable locations |
Origin and history of the winter apple
The 'Kronprinz Rudolf' apple variety originated in Austria in Styria, where it still enjoys a high local reputation today. It is said to have been discovered around 1863 as a chance seedling and 15 years later it was presented at the Vienna World Exhibition. It has been mentioned in various pomological journals and books. Since then, the variety has hardly left Styria in Austria, as attempts to cultivate it in other fruit-growing regions have rarely been successful. Unfortunately, due to some properties of the fruit, which will be explained later, it is not suitable for global trade either, so it is probably primarily a local speci altywill stay. In Styria and Lower Austria you can find the Kronprinz Rudolf apple in supermarkets and in many fruit tree nurseries.
Apple variety 'Kronprinz Rudolf': taste and properties
The Kronprinz Rudolf apple is an almost artificially glowing, at most medium-sized and flat-round apple. The width is about 5.5 cm more than the average height of 4.7 cm. The shape is mostly regular and the calyx is only slightly bumpy, while the stalk is deep, narrow and slightly russet. The stem is light green-brown, thin and long. The smooth skin, which is slightly supple due to the layer of fat, has a greenish-yellow base color and is only faintly or heavily covered with a blood-red top color and seldom with small rust figures. It is only thin and hardly protects the yellowish-white, very juicy, somewhat soft and fine flesh. The flesh of the Kronprinz Rudolf apple tastes balanced and, depending on the location, sometimes sour, sometimes sweeter - but always a bit wine-like. The core house inside is hollow.
Special features of the cultivation and care of the Kronprinz Rudolf apple
The properties of the 'Kronprinz Rudolf' apple tree make it particularly suitable for cultivation on windblown meadow orchards. It grows vigorously, especially when young, and can be grafted as a standard, half-stem or low-stem on medium to strong-growing rootstock. Because it tends to become overgrown, stale and produce poor quality fruit, regular pruning is necessary in any cultivation.
The location should be free and may also be rough and high in the terrain. Scab-promoting, moist areas should be avoided. The subsoil is at best permeable and rich in nutrients, because the fruits of 'Kronprinz Rudolf' remain significantly smaller on poor soil.
Tip: Do you have permeable but not very nutrient-rich soil? Use a primarily organic long-term fertilizer like our Plantura organic universal fertilizer once a year in spring to prevent deficiencies. It ensures he althy soil life and thus improves the subsoil in the long term.
In the right location, the Crown Prince Rudolf apple tree is not susceptible to diseases. However, in damp gardens with stagnant air, it is very likely to struggle with scab.
The flowers appear early to mid-early and are also somewhat sensitive to moisture. ThisCharacteristic can easily trigger the varietal alternation, i.e. an annual alternation between full yield and yield loss.
The 'Kronprinz Rudolf' is a good pollen donor and is best combined with the cultivars 'Charlamowsky', 'Gelber Bellefleur', 'Jonathan ' and 'Weiser Klarapfel' combined.
Yet the yield starts early even with young trees, but it is characterized by the alternation mentioned above. To counteract this, only a very good location and regular, appropriate pruning of the apple tree can prove effective.
When the 'Kronprinz Rudolf' forms its luminous fruits, these can be seen in large numbers and are wind-resistant.
Apple 'Kronprinz Rudolf': harvest and use
October is the harvest time for storing the Kronprinz Rudolf apple. It is important to proceed cautiously and sort out bruised fruit straight away - because the apple is sensitive to pressure due to its thin skin and soft flesh. From November the apples in the warehouse and on the tree are ready to eat. They can now be consumed directly or used for processing. Due to the versatile use of the Kronprinz Rudolf apple, it is worth storing only part of it in October and leaving the rest on the tree for juice, purée or other forms of processing. Under the best apple storage conditions, the variety lasts until February.
The Kronprinz Rudolf apple tree specializes in special site conditions. The situation is different with the new apple variety 'Merkur': This apple is a hardy all-rounder, which also tolerates slightly moist soil and is even recommended by the Bavarian State Institute for Horticulture and Viticulture for home gardens and small gardens.