This apple is one that seems worthy of its own discussion thread. It’s an apple I have planted and have very high hopes for based on all the descriptions and videos I can find. I have one growing on dwarf G.11 and one from Blue Hill Wildlife that is on seedling rootstock.
Can anyone who has grown this attest to its disease resistance and eating quality? My only concern so far is that it is in bloom group 2 (early bloom) according to Cummins nursery so I am wondering if that will be a problem for me in VA. However, it is from Canada and is extremely cold hardy so, not sure how that coincides.
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My Kerr grafted to antonovka from earlier this summer. It has not been disease free here. It has also had limited vigor
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We tried it when visiting Geneva and liked it so much I grafted 4. Two of them snapped off above the graft and are recovering (winter snow and ice, they would have benefited from a tree tube over winter). The other two are growing well, but I’d agree with @smsmith that they lack vigor. I haven’t noted disease issues, but they get sprayed along with everything else. I’ve had a very bad fire blight year here in 2026, but Kerr has remained clean.
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I had a graft but the tree that it was on gave up the ghost. Thankfully i have one on rootstock that is still going. It seems healthy but itisntas vigorous as my other “crab” which is a chestnut.
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I’ve had Kerr, on M26, for nearly 30 years.
Does it have any significant disease issues in my no-spray orchard? No.
Insect pests, yes.
That said, I like it better than it’s half-sib, Centennial.
Mine is finished for the year; I picked the last 3/4 gallon n of fruits a week ago.
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Mine have also been slow vigor so thats good to know they aren’t dying or something. I do see some leaf sickness on mine as well, but that’s all fine with me if it fights off fireblight and actually produces fruit. I figure with an apple like this that sets heavy, if i only get 15% clean fruit in my no-spray orchard I’ll be thrilled
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FB is my main concern. CAR hasn’t seemed to bother it and my CAR pressure is pretty extreme.
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i have 20 i started from seed in Apr. theyre about 12in. now. seed came from Oikios in M.I from some of his best producing, most disease resistant trees hes grown there. im going to plant some out and maybe use the rest as rootstocks.
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