Collaos is a medium vigor, upright tree that is highly precocious and productive. Its disease resistance is generally good, but it is somewhat susceptible to canker. The bloom time is late and the ripening time is mid October in NY state. Collaos has a tendency to biennialism. This variety is used exclusively in cider production; it is not suitable for fresh eating.

This is an Asturian cider (sidra) apple, approved by The Regulatory Council of Origin Cider of Asturias. The fruit is a medium-large, hard, conical apple that turns greenish-yellow at maturity. It is russeted, mainly around the stem. The flesh - juicy, astringent, and granular - yields a semisharp juice with a high tannin content (pH ~ 3.4; TA ~ 8 g/L; tannins ~ 1.0 g/L). The Spanish classification is semiácido. (The traditional Spanish cider apple classifications are ácido, semiácido, dulce, amargo, ácido-amargo, amargo-ácido semiácido-amargo, amargo-semiácido, dulce-amargo.)

Spanish cider apples have not yet been widely tested in the United States, but the native climate of these apples should be taken into consideration. Asturias enjoys abundant year-round rainfall, mild summers, and temperate winters. Costal winter temperatures are typically in the 50s and summer temperatures are in the 70s.