A friend has asked for cider apple varieties that will/may thrive in Mississippi. Anybody growing cider apples in the South???
What part of Mississippi? There is north, central and southern sections of Mississippi and the differences in climate is substantial. I am only about 30 miles from Mississippi in Tennessee and I can grow just about any variety of apple. Winsaps are okay here.
Same lattitude as Birmingham, AL. Essentially northern third of MIssissippi.
I don’t grow it, but Yates is an apple that was very popular in GA and the South for many years that supposedly made good cider.
A few people around here still grow it and seem to have good success with it.
Another good American heirloom variety to try might be Harrison, which produces a good single-variety cider, and is supposedly disease resistant.
Sorry no first-hand experience, hopefully someone else can chime in, just sharing the bit I know.
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@hambone, it appears that any of the mid-Atlantic/Upper South apples would do fine, based on a 1921 booklet called “Apples in North Mississippi”, a pdf file of which can be found at this link. Larry Stephenson backs up this assertion.
Particularly, some of the apples listed are Winesap, Yates, Jim Day, Horse, both Paragon and Mammoth Black Twig (assuming they’re different), Red Limbertwig, and Yellow Delicious. Not mentioned (!) was Goldrush, which ought to do very well there. Rumors have it that it makes a fine cider.
Granted, I have no experience with apples there (or anywhere, for that matter). However, being a native of north MS, I maintain a particular interest. I hope this helps.
Al- Yeah, Larry is the friend I was gathering this information for. He already knows more than most of us! Thanks for that link.
Ahh. In retrospect, I should have said that he “would probably” back up that assertion.