Fruits of Malus ‘MN #1711’, or honeycrisp apple
Autumn is in full swing! Here at UBC Botanical Garden the annual Apple Fest celebrations are taking place this weekend–and the weather is looking good!
Malus ‘MN #1711’, far better known as honeycrisp apple, is one of the many kinds of apples that will be sold this weekend. This cultivar was developed at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station’s Horticultural Research Center, within a breeding program “to develop winter hardy varieties with high fruit quality”. The process from seedling to market is a long one in apple breeding. Planted as a seed of known parentage in 1962 (Malus ‘Macoun’ x Malus ‘Honeygold’), it was identified as a potentially-improved apple in 1974 by Dr. David Bedford (and somewhere around this time designated ‘MN #1711’ or Minnesota 1711). The variety was patented in the USA in 1988 and an attempt was made to trademark the name Honeycrisp in 1991 (in the USA), but the application was abandoned. The trademark application states: “For: apple trees, namely variety Minnesota 1711 R”, suggesting that Malus ‘MN #1711’ was intended to be the legitimate cultivar name (as the hoped-for trademarked name could not be a cultivar name). Since the first commercial sales in the last decade of the 20th century, Malus ‘MN #1711’ has become one of the most popular apple cultivars where it is available.
Honeycrisp apples are juicy, sweet, tart, firm and described as “explosively crisp”; this signature crunch is due to the apples having cells twice as large as most other apple cultivars. The colour of the fruit is long-lasting, usually a vibrant red with striping over a yellow base. This apple variety is also known for its stellar keeping qualities and very long shelf life. Like many apple varieties, they can be stored for months in low-oxygen environments with cold temperatures, and are therefore available as a “fresh” commodity through most of the year.
It is estimated that the growth and production of honeycrisp apples costs two to three times as much than that of other top-sellers like Malus ‘Gala’ and Malus ‘Fuji’. Demand by consumers for Malus ‘MN #1711′ proved to farmers that the market was willing to pay a premium for a superior variety. As noted in the previous link, “It has consistently ranked as one of the highest quality apples in the University of Minnesota sensory evaluations”.
For a comprehensive description of honeycrisp apples, see the Canadian Plant Breeders’ Rights description for the variety or visit the Missouri Botanical Garden’s factsheet for Malus ‘MN #1711’.
they are the best. I worked in retail garden centers and was first apple to sale out.
“Unusually for a modern American apple, Honeycrisp has some balancing acidity to its flavour that will appeal to European tastes.”
I haven’t seen it in the UK but apparently it is available at some supermarkets as “HoneyCrunch”. The trees have been sold here since at least 2012. I like a lot of acidity in my apples – Granny Smith, Lord Lambourne and Santana being among my favourites.
My favorite tart apple is the Arkansas Black. I was talking to a vendor here in Alabama with a orchard on Crow Mountain. He said Arkansas Black was hard enough that you could probably drive a nail with one. They also keep for a long time if kept cool & dry.
must be related to a Baldwin they are like that. HARD’
Honeycrisp is hands down my favorite apple. It’s also the name of my favorite hard cider (by Crispin), though they don’t actually use MN #1711 😀
Yep, favourite apple! Every word in that description is accurate. Not as tough as Granny Smith.
Love this post! I had no idea there were cultivar names aside from brand names. My former faves were Red Delicious, Gala,and Braeburn; my honey’s fave was Granny Smith. MN #1711 is a hit with both of us!
Just unloaded a couple of dozen Honeycrisp trees on dwarf rootstock to sell at the UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival this weekend. Here’s the chance to grow your own.
Interesting that Honey Crisp has penetrated the Australian market having been bred for cold hardiness. Its value in Australia where climate zone shift is favouring heat tolerant varieties is debatable. A nice coloured, flavoured and textured apple but under Australian conditions, not a patch on Fuji “Nagafu #2” which is shunned by the industry, despite it having exceptional flavour and texture as well as good keeping qualities, it isn’t bright red. Madness!
Having grown apples commercially, picked and packed apples and taught budding horticulturists I marvel at the fact that, in Australia, it is near impossible to buy a decent apple.
Ah, Braeburn, now that was an amazing apple..a delightful reminisce on this third day in Richmond VA without electricity.. challenging days to keep body, mind, and spirit bound in faith in Christ.
but thank you Aussies for Granny Smith!
Why would production of Honeycrisp apples be 2 to 3 times more costly than other apples? Are the yields lower, or are the plants much, much more expensive?
I think the answers to the ‘why are they so expensive’ are well covered here:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/519290/why-do-honeycrisp-apples-cost-so-much
My husband’s favourite apple is ‘Northern Spy’, which is a late-harvest, large, tart, crisp apple. Good pie apple – doesn’t turn to mush, but takes longer than average to flower. We’ve had a tree for over 25 years, and it was about four when we bought it. It took twelve more years, at least, before it started to fruit. That is on the long side even for Spies, but it certainly explains why these are not a favoured variety with growers anymore.
I’ve never heard of ‘Baldwin’, ‘Lord Lambourne’, ‘Santana’ or ‘Arkansas Black’, but now I’ll have to look them up! I know it pays to check what the ploidy is before buying a variety. When we first bought some apples, one was a ‘Mutsu’ (= ‘Crispin’). Nice apple (died the next year, though), but being triploid couldn’t be pollinated by the ‘Ida Red’.
it does well in SW Missouri too! And being European, I do love the little bit of acidity in it 🙂
Beautiful image