The apple variety 'Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg' is an old German breed, also known under the names 'Geheimrat Oldenburg' and 'Oldenburg'. We will introduce you to the apple and explain everything you need to know about cultivation, care and more.
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg' is a naturally high-yielding variety that needs some care in order to be able to fully develop the good taste of its fruits. Its climate requirements are low, so cooler locations are also well advised to use this variety. The brightly colored autumn apple is harvested in September and should then be processed within the next two months.
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg': Profile
| Synonyms | 'Privy Councilor Oldenburg', 'Oldenburg' |
| Fruit | medium; greenish-yellow base color with light to dark red top color |
| Flavour | juicy, mild, sweet and sour |
| Yield | high; not swaying; early onset |
| Harvest time | from September |
| Maturity for pleasure | from November |
| Shelf Life | medium; Can be stored until December |
| Growth | strong at first, later medium strong |
| Climate | medium claim; frost hardy, but not suitable for high altitudes; prefers warm and sheltered locations |
| Diseases and Pests | not susceptible to common diseases and pests |
Origin and history of the apple variety 'Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg'
The 'Privy Councilor Dr. Unlike many apple varieties, Oldenburg' is the result of targeted breeding. In 1897, the parents 'Minister von Hammerstein' and 'Baumanns Renette' were crossed at the fruit testing facility in Geisenheim (Hesse) to obtain a new, robust variety.
‘Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg': taste and characteristics
The apples of the variety 'Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg' are medium-sized and spherical, but sometimes also tall. The peel is firm but thin, hence the fruitsensitive to mechanical injuries. The basic color of the shell is greenish-yellow, the top color light to dark red and sometimes marbled, sometimes striped. The flesh is whitish-yellow, juicy and fine-celled with a sweet-sour, mild taste and a special, unmistakable aroma.
Tip: Wears a 'Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg' too many fruits, so they stay smaller and have a bland, boring taste. Here's how you can prevent a heavy crop by thinning.
Cultivation and care of the privy councilor Oldenburg apple
The 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg' is a very strong variety when young, but only grows moderately later. The tree grows rather upright, but forms many branches, which makes training much easier. Because this is how advantageous fruit branches are created, new skeletal branches are formed and there is plenty of scope for a good apple tree pruning. Depending on the rootstock, it can be grown as a trellis or as a slender spindle, pyramid or even as a standard on an extensively cultivated meadow orchard. Training as a trellis or slender spindle requires a slow-growing base such as M9 or M26. Pyramid trees and standard trees can stand on seedling stock or even on their own roots. It is important to know that apple trees have to grow on their own roots for several years, often even more than a decade, before they start to set many flowers and fruits.
The flowering of 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg' is early, so that the varieties 'Alkmene', 'Ananasrenette', 'Baumanns Renette', 'Goldparmäne', 'James Grieve' and 'Ontario' come into question as pollinators. Interestingly, the flower is reddish and smaller than many other strains.
The 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg' usually produces plenty of fruit wood and is considered a "mass carrier". Unfortunately, the fruit quality suffers greatly from the fact that too many fruits are set. For this reason it is important to the 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg' to perform a thinning. This means that part of the young fruit is removed before it ripens. When the young fruits are the size of a hazelnut, only one or a maximum of two fruits are left on each inflorescence, the rest are plucked off. The remaining fruits can then be taken care of by the tree and mature into large and tasty fruits.
Diseases and pests are for the 'Privy Councilor Dr. Oldenburg'No problem: the most important pests - powdery mildew, apple scab and codling moth - rarely affect this robust variety.
Oldenburger Apple: Harvest & Use
Sufficiently large and well cared for apples of the variety 'Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg' are tasty dessert apples that can be picked from September and stored until November or December. Enjoying the apples is a pleasure from November, because then they are really ripe. The firm flesh of this variety can also be used in the kitchen, for example for apple pie.
Did you know that apple trees are among the best trees for bees? If you're looking to plant more insect forage plants in your garden, check out our article on the most bee-friendly trees.