Item Number: FT051
Empire Apple Tree
Empire Apple Tree
Excellent Flavor with Big Harvests
Semi-dwarf on M111 rootstock.
- Zones: 4-9
- Chill hours: 200-800
- Bloom Time: Late (Based on typical Central Valley California weather)
- Harvest: August 18 - September 4
- Looks: Red with yellow-green flesh.
- Personality: Sweet and juicy with sprightly flavor.
- Facts of note: The Empire Apple is a classic example of natural selection and how long it takes to get a great new variety to Market. A wonderful sweet and sprightly flavored apple combining the two most popular varieties of the time, the Red Delicious and McIntosh. The result is a McIntosh flavor with the extra sweetness of the Red Delicious along a better crunch than both the McIntosh or Red delicious. Very adapted to hotter climates, where it achieves its fine high desert quality or the colder apple regions where its great flavor and colors are standout. Ripening in early fall this is a great variety to start out the apple harvest season. Is also a great pollinizer for Gravenstein, Mutsu, Winesap and Jonagold. The Empire apple is named after the Empire State of New York and was originally a project started by a Cornell University fruit nutritionist, Lester C. Anderson. Anderson conducted his own research on different personal orchards, one being an orchard of Red Delicious and McIntosh apples. He was looking for the best attributes of these two successful varieties and makes seed available to the University. His effort would result in one of the most successful apple varieties to come out of Cornell University Apple research program. First selected in 1947 it would not be introduced until the New York State Fair in 1966 when Cornell introduces it for the first time, six years after A.J. Heinicke the Cornell professor that worked with it retires. He does however remain active with the university during his retirement and sees the introduction of what would be hailed as the most successful Apple introduction to come out of Cornell’s Geneva research program; 20 years from conception to introduction. Tree begins to fruit in 2 years.
- Pollination: Self-fruitful. Good pollenizer for Gravenstein.
Visit our Fruit Tree Central for a listing of all our fruit tree videos and articles.
Visit Tree Characteristics for a listing of all our fruit & nut tree growing characteristics.
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Description
Description
Semi-dwarf on M111 rootstock.
- Zones: 4-9
- Chill hours: 200-800
- Bloom Time: Late (Based on typical Central Valley California weather)
- Harvest: August 18 - September 4
- Looks: Red with yellow-green flesh.
- Personality: Sweet and juicy with sprightly flavor.
- Facts of note: The Empire Apple is a classic example of natural selection and how long it takes to get a great new variety to Market. A wonderful sweet and sprightly flavored apple combining the two most popular varieties of the time, the Red Delicious and McIntosh. The result is a McIntosh flavor with the extra sweetness of the Red Delicious along a better crunch than both the McIntosh or Red delicious. Very adapted to hotter climates, where it achieves its fine high desert quality or the colder apple regions where its great flavor and colors are standout. Ripening in early fall this is a great variety to start out the apple harvest season. Is also a great pollinizer for Gravenstein, Mutsu, Winesap and Jonagold. The Empire apple is named after the Empire State of New York and was originally a project started by a Cornell University fruit nutritionist, Lester C. Anderson. Anderson conducted his own research on different personal orchards, one being an orchard of Red Delicious and McIntosh apples. He was looking for the best attributes of these two successful varieties and makes seed available to the University. His effort would result in one of the most successful apple varieties to come out of Cornell University Apple research program. First selected in 1947 it would not be introduced until the New York State Fair in 1966 when Cornell introduces it for the first time, six years after A.J. Heinicke the Cornell professor that worked with it retires. He does however remain active with the university during his retirement and sees the introduction of what would be hailed as the most successful Apple introduction to come out of Cornell’s Geneva research program; 20 years from conception to introduction. Tree begins to fruit in 2 years.
- Pollination: Self-fruitful. Good pollenizer for Gravenstein.
Visit our Fruit Tree Central for a listing of all our fruit tree videos and articles.
Visit Tree Characteristics for a listing of all our fruit & nut tree growing characteristics.
Apples are generally late blooming. Need full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate fertility. Thin fruit to maximize quality and size. Susceptible to codling moth, apple scab, powdery mildew, and gophers. Generally self-fertile, which means that the variety is pollinated by itself, or by a different variety of the same fruit. Three or more varieties are best. Browse all our apple trees for sale.
Please Note: Although most of our bare-root trees arrive to our warehouse in mid-December, there are a few varieties that will not arrive until mid-January. If you order any of those varieties along with varieties that arrive in mid-December, your order will be delayed for shipment until mid-January. If you'd like us to split your shipments, please contact us at (888) 784-1722 or orderdesk@groworganic.com. Additional shipping charges will apply.
Shipping Information
Shipping Information
Cannot ship to the following states: HI, AK, PR, GU, VI
Cannot ship via USPS.
Cannot ship via SmartPost.
Shipping Weight: 5.0 lb
Dimensions: 55.5"L x 7.3"W x 2.75"H
Features
Features
- Flavor Pick
- Self-fruitful
- Suited to Cold Climates
Characteristics
Characteristics
Planting & Care
Planting & Care
Useful Information
Useful Information
Guarantee
Guarantee
Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee
* Claim deadline is June 15th
We guarantee that your dormant tree or plant will arrive in good, viable condition. If your tree arrives in substandard condition, notify us within 3 days of delivery. Please email pictures of the box, inside packaging, the tree and its roots to helpdesk@groworganic.com. We will investigate your claim and process a request to exchange or refund the damaged product.
If your dormant tree or plant has not grown new leaves by June 15th, you may be eligible for our Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee. This guarantee provides for a store credit for the purchase price of the tree, excluding shipping. Please see the Instructions below.
Important Dates:
- April 1st Dormant trees/plants must be planted in the ground
- May 15th Perform scratch test, if no new leaves have grown
- June 15th Deadline to apply for a dormant tree/plant credit
All required documentation must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. Claims or documentation received after June 15th will be denied, without exception. Instructions listed below
Terms and Conditions
We cannot guarantee that your tree or plant will remain alive and healthy after it is received, or bear fruit as there are too many variables in your environment that are beyond our control (i.e. soil preparation, weed and pest control, proper irrigation, chill hours, compatible hardiness for your growing zone, proper choice of pollinator, extreme weather, rodent damage, disease, etc.).
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a replacement tree/plant of the same species either that same growing season or in future years. Customers are responsible for all shipping fees associated with replacement trees and plants.
If we determine that the tree you purchased directly from us is not viable, we will issue you a store credit (not a refund) for the purchase price of the affected dormant tree or plant. Shipping is not included in the dormant tree/plant guarantee. Store credits can be used to purchase any product we sell and are valid for use only until July 1st of the following year.
Historically, 98% of our dormant trees and plants grow and thrive when they have been cared for and planted using our growing guides. Dormant trees and plants must be planted in the ground by April 1st in order to be eligible for credit. If the ground in your area is still frozen solid, you may temporarily plant your tree or plant in a pot.
Potted, non-dormant trees or plants are excluded from this guarantee as they are not dormant at the time of shipment. Evergreen trees such as citrus, avocado and olive trees are not available for credit under the Dormant Tree and Plant Guarantee.
Instructions
We guarantee that your dormant fruit tree or plant will leaf out, if you care for it according to our growing guides. In the unlikely event that your dormant tree or plant does not have leaves by May 15th, follow these simple steps to apply for a store credit:
Before you call or email, please perform a “scratch test” to determine if the tree or plant is still alive. This video shows how to check for live tissue under the bark. Scratch tests need to be done a few inches above and below the graft.
Green Cambium Layer / Living Trees
If the cambium layer under the bark is green, give your tree a little more time. It is still alive, but hasn’t come out of dormancy yet. Check to make sure that it is getting the right amount of deep root water, enough sunlight and that the weather is warm enough for that type of tree/plant to come out of dormancy. Every tree has its own personality and will come out of dormancy at different times. Be sure to submit the required documentation listed below by June 15th, if it doesn’t grow leaves.
Brown Cambium Layer / Dead Trees
If the scratch test shows a brown cambium layer or if your dormant tree/plant doesn’t have leaves by June 1st, please email us at helpdesk@groworganic.com. All required documentation listed below must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. To be considered for the guarantee claim, all required documentation must be received by June 15th. Incomplete submissions will be denied.
Required Documentation
- Order number
- Name of dormant tree/plant and the quantity affected
- Photos of each tree or plant showing:
- The roots (tree or plant must be pulled out of the ground)
- The scratch test areas
- The entire tree/plant
We reserve the right to not issue credit for items that have already been replaced. We also reserve the right to require photographic evidence that the tree/plant was not killed by root rot, rodent or mechanical damage.
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