Apple Varieties
Learn More About Our Most Common Apple Varieties
There are around two hundred apple varieties in Sweden. The cool climate results in slower ripening, which in turn develops more pronounced aromas and a more balanced flavour. Each variety has its own unique character — from crisp, tart, and refreshing apples to fuller, more aromatic expressions — and it is this diversity that makes Swedish apples especially appreciated.
Alice
Juicy autumn apple with a fresh aroma
Dessert apple
Ripens in late September and can be stored for 2–3 weeks. The flesh is white, firm, and juicy, with a fresh and pleasant aroma. Susceptible to the fungus Monilia, and therefore not well suited for home garden cultivation.
Growing zones: I–V
Aroma
Skåne's provincial apple: powerful aroma and long storage life
Dessert / Household Apple
Ripens in late September and keeps until December, sometimes longer. The flesh is yellow‑white, firm, and fine‑textured, with an exquisite and full‑bodied aroma. If the fruit is stored too warm, it may be affected by storage rot (Gloeosporium).
The landscape apple of Skåne!
Growing zones: I–IV
Belle de Boskoop
Tart must apple with a taste of autumn
Household / Industrial Apple
Harvested in October. The flesh is yellowish, firm, mildly sweet and tart, with a pleasant flavour and a subtle aroma. A healthy, vigorous, and easy‑to‑grow variety.
An excellent apple for apple must!
Growing zones: I–II
Blenheim Orange
Spicy scent, a long-keeping treasure for the winter
Household / Industrial Apple
Ready for consumption in January and can be stored until late spring. The flesh is yellow‑white, firm, slightly coarse, and fairly tart, with a pleasant but subtle aroma. After a sunny summer, it can develop a spicy note. A very long‑keeping variety and relatively resistant to diseases.
Growing zones: I–III
Cox Orange
Sweet and tart with an exquisite aroma – an autumn favourite
Dessert / Household / Industrial Apple
Ripens in November to December. The flesh is yellowish, juicy, sweet with a slight acidity, and a fine aroma.
Growing zones: I–II
Discovery
Picked early – firm, fresh, with a hint of strawberry
Dessert Apple
Ripens in late August. The flesh is firm, fresh, and juicy with a pleasant aroma at maturity. After a good summer, the apple can develop a distinct strawberry‑like flavour. The skin is resistant to bruising.
Well suited for making apple must, eating fresh, and making applesauce.
Growing zones: I–III
Gloster
Tender and very aromatic – a winter apple for everyone
Dessert Apple
Harvested in October for consumption from December to February. The flesh is green‑white, tender, juicy, and highly aromatic. Most people with apple allergies can tolerate Gloster when eaten peeled.
Henric Åkesson
Firm, fresh and tart winter apple
The apple variety Henric Åkesson is large and rounded to slightly flattened, and is harvested in early September. The skin is fairly thick, with a green‑yellow base colour covered to at least half by a deep red blush. The flesh is delightfully firm and crisp. The flavour is quite tart but balanced by sufficient sweetness and a very fine aroma. Henric Åkesson is therefore equally well suited for apple must and desserts — and thrives just as well in commercial orchards as in the garden of a devoted apple enthusiast.
Holsteiner Cox
Tart and juicy – a long-keeping apple
A medium‑sized apple with a pale yellow base colour and a red‑orange blush. The flesh is firm, juicy, and tart. It ripens late, in early November, and can be stored for a couple of months thereafter. The fruit is used both as a table apple and as a household apple, with good keeping quality during storage.
Ingrid-Marie
Sweet and tart with a pleasant aroma – the winter apple
Dessert / Household Apple
Ripens in November and can be stored until January. The flesh is yellow‑white, fairly coarse, juicy, and sweet‑tart with a pleasant aroma. Many people with apple allergies can tolerate this variety.
Growing zones: I–III
Rubinola
Spicy, sweet & rich in vitamin C
Medium‑sized, round apples with a bright yellow base colour and a red‑orange blush. The apple is sweet, slightly tart, and pleasantly spiced in flavour, with firm flesh. ‘Rubinola’ has the highest vitamin C content among known apple varieties. It is primarily a table apple and can be stored for a short period. Best yields are achieved in sunny locations with nutrient‑rich, well‑drained soil.
Red Gravenstein
Traditional autumn apple with a fine aroma and acidity
Dessert / Household / Industrial Apple
Ripens from mid‑September. The flesh is yellow, fairly firm, and juicy. The flavour is distinctive, with a touch of acidity, full taste, and an exceptional aroma. Gravenstein is a wonderful eating apple and is also excellent for applesauce, apple must, and cooking.
Growing zones: I–II (III)
Santana
Fresh with floral notes, balanced sweetness and acidity
The apple variety Santana offers a well‑balanced combination of acidity and sweetness, with fresh, fruity notes and subtle floral nuances. It has a clear, lingering finish, high juiciness, and a smooth, soft texture.
Signe Tillisch
Juicy dessert apple with a strong aroma
Dessert / Household Apple
Ripens in mid‑August and cannot be stored. The flesh is yellow‑white, medium‑fine in texture, juicy, and slightly sweet; before full ripeness it is fairly tart, with a pleasant aroma.
Growing zones: I–VI
