- Ontario Apple: Profile
- Origin and History
- Ontario apple characteristics and taste
- Cultivation features
- Harvest Time and Use of the Ontario Apple
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Its late harvest and long shelf life make the Ontario apple a perfect source of vitamins for the cold season. We tell you the most important thing you should know about the apple variety.
Since its discovery, the 'Ontario' dessert apple has spread widely and can now be found in many gardens and in numerous orchards. And for a good reason. The tasty winter apple has many good qualities and is quite undemanding.
Ontario Apple: Profile
| Fruit | very large; yellowish-green, reddish on the sunny side |
| Flavour | juicy, sour |
| Yield | high |
| Harvest time | End of October to November |
| Maturity for pleasure | December to May |
| Shelf Life | very good; Can be stored until May |
| Growth | medium strong |
| Climate | rather undemanding; suitable for late frost |
| Diseases and Pests | susceptible to fruit tree canker |
Origin and History
In the late nineteenth century, the Ontario apple originated in Canada, in the state of Ontario. Carefully selected, this variety could be bred from the two apple varieties 'Wagner' and 'Northern Spy'. It didn't take long for the North American novelty to start conquering Europe, where it's still widespread today.
Ontario apple characteristics and taste
Ontario apples are heavyweights. They weigh up to 200 grams and are correspondingly large. Their color is yellowish-green, with the sunny side tending to have a washed-out reddish glow. A bite into one of the apples is a juicy, sour taste experience. It is also he althy because the fruits of this apple variety are rich in vitamin C. The green-white flesh is hard and the shape of the apple is slightly flattened.
Cultivation features
Ontario apple trees are medium-sized and have littleDemands on location and soil. Due to the good frost tolerance of the flowers, a tree of this variety is ideally suited for late frosts, as it still bears plenty even during late cold snaps. Regions with extreme frost in winter, however, tend not to be the case, because the wood of the tree is quite sensitive to frost.
What is special about this apple tree is its diverse shape. You can grow Ontario apple trees as standard, half-stem or bush trees. Its strong and relatively short shoots bear plenty of fruit in all variants almost every year. Due to the frost-sensitive wood, however, it is advisable to graft standard trees onto another apple variety.
In general, Ontario apple trees are quite disease resistant. Only in dry locations does apple powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha) occasionally attack the tree. However, fruit tree canker (Neonectria ditissima) can become a problem.
You can find more general information about planting apple trees in this article.
Harvest Time and Use of the Ontario Apple
You can pick the apples from the end of October until November. However, this typical winter apple is not ready for consumption until December and May. The Ontario apple is one of the few fruits that are also in full season at this time of year. If you always store the apples in a cool and humid place, they will keep for months. Note, however, that the apple is quite sensitive to pressure.
You can then use the Ontario apple in many different ways. You can enjoy the dessert apple straight away, but it is also ideal for making purée or juice. The Ontario apple is also a real treat as a baked apple.
If you prefer sweeter apples, the 'Rheinische Winterrambur' might be something for you. In this article you will find information on the cultivation, care and harvest of the apple variety 'Rheinischer Winterrambur'.