James H. Schutte
Family
Rosaceae
Botanical Name
Malus domestica 'co-Op 30'(ENTERPRISE) PP9193
Plant Common Name
Apple, Enterprise Apple, Red Eating Apple
General Description
Bred at Purdue University and first released in 1994, Enterprise is one outstanding apple for both flavor and disease resistance. The elongated fruits have moderately thick, medium red skin washed with yellow to yellow-green. The fine, cream-colored flesh of this dessert apple is firm and crisp with a tart, spicy, rich flavor. Quality is said to improve with age and fruits keep for as long as 6 months in cold storage. The trees are vigorous with spreading, rounded tops and are resistant to a wide array of diseases including fireblight, apple scab, cedar-apple rust and powdery mildew. Pollinate with other apples that bloom mid- to late-season, like 'Golden Delicious.' The fruits ripen in fall.
There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own apple trees. The domestic apple is most commonly a medium-sized tree with a rounded to oval canopy. It originates from southeastern Europe, Siberia, and southwestern Asia and has been in cultivation for thousands of years. In spring, the trees offer sweet, fragrant flowers of light pink, white or rose and in fall reward us with crisp, juicy apples.
These fruits come in a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors and may be eaten out-of-hand, pressed for cider, frozen, canned or baked in a variety of ways. There are thousands of cultivars available, including many interesting heirlooms as well as fresh new varieties. Different selections vary in height and may bear fruit in summer, fall or winter.
While the domestic apple prefers full sun and well-drained soil, it will tolerate light shade and bouts of drought. For best fruit production, trees must be vigorously pruned and maintained. Apples are susceptible to many pests and diseases, but resistant varieties are available. Most apples are grafted onto rootstock that provides a wide range of benefits such as vigor, pest and disease resistance and dwarf stature, depending on the stock.
