Sweet Sixteen Apple
Sweet Sixteen is a vigorous tree that produces a cheerful apple with bright cherry red over a warm yellow back colour. This fruit has a somewhat cult following, adored for its very sweet and unusual sugar cane and spicy cherry candy flavour. Many growers have noted that these flavours intensify in our colder climate. Sweet Sixteen is highly recommended as a fresh eating apple and for juice. The fruit imbues great flavour to cooking and baking; however, the flesh dissolves when heated, making it excellent for sauces but not necessarily pies.
Ripens during the start of quintessential apple season, mid-to-late September.
Disease resistance:
Despite the teenage moniker, Sweet Sixteen is well-equipped and capable of facing many orchard challenges. It is well known for its winter hardiness, apple scab and fire blight resistance.
Parentage:
Developed by the University of Minnesota in 1977, Sweet Sixteen is a cross between the famous pie apple Northern Spy and the punchy Frostbite.
References:
University of Minnesota Apple Varieties
Missouri Botanical Gardens - Malus 'Sweet Sixteen'
Images:
1: Gertens.
