A highly flavored, late-season dessert apple, perfect for organic production.
Empire Apple on G.214 (Spring 2026)
A very popular cross of McIntosh and Red Delicious. Also known as NY 45500-5.
Empire is a vigorous and precocious tree with an attractive, spreading growth habit. It is susceptible to scab, mildew, and bitter rot, but somewhat resistant to fireblight and cedar-apple rust. Thinning is recommended for optimal productivity and fruit size.
Two of the most popular apples in 1945 were Red Delicious and McIntosh, so what could be better than a cross of these two varieties! Of the thousands of crosses made, Empire was finally selected and released in 1966. It is firmer and darker than McIntosh, with a red skin that deepens to purple, and it also has a longer storage life than that of its parent. The flesh of Empire is creamy white with a snappy texture and a sweet, tangy flavor. Amy Traverso in The Apple Lovers' Cookbook compares the flavor to "rosehip tea with honey." The juice has some utility in cider blending.
This apple has become one of the most commonly cultivated apples in America. Empire is an excellent lunchbox apple. Kids love them.
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The Fruit
Fruit Type
Category: Apple
Subcategory:
Cider, Cold-Hardy, Hot-Climate, Dessert
Fruit Uses & Storage
Uses: fresh eating, cider, baking
Cider classification: sweet
Storage duration: one to three months (approximate, depending on storage conditions)
Fruit Appearance
Skin color: red
Flesh color: cream
Fruit Origins
Parentage: Red Delicious x McIntosh
Origin: Geneva, NY
Introduced in: 1966
Introduced by: Cornell University, A. J. Heinicke and Lester C. Anderson
The Environment
Calendar & Geography
USDA zones: 4 - 7
Chill hours: 800
Ripening date: Sep 29 (approximate, in New York State) + 14 days after McIntosh
Tree Height & Spacing
glossary
Rootstock: G.214 Rootstock
Rootstock size class: Dwarf (30% of Standard)
Tree spacing (natural spread of tree): 8'
Good for wildlife planting? N
Diseases & Pests
glossary
Apple Scab: Very Susceptible
Fireblight: Resistant
Powdery Mildew: Susceptible
Cedar-Apple Rust: Resistant
Bitter Rot: Susceptible
Pollination
Pollination Factors
glossary
Bloom group: 3
Is it self-fertile? N
Is it fertile? Y
Ploidy: Diploid
Rootstock size class:
Dwarf (30% of Standard)
Pollination Partners
This table shows the first few results from a full search for pollenizers of Empire Apple on G.214. Please see our Pollenizer Search to run other queries and read how the application uses various factors. Also read more about fruit tree pollination.
| Tree | Currently in Stock |
|---|---|
| GoldRush Apple on G.214 | 578 |
| Sansa Apple on G.11 | 157 |
| SnowSweet® Apple on G.11 | 126 |
| Cortland Apple on G.214 | 96 |
| Chieftain Apple on G.214 | 66 |
| Galarina™ Apple on G.214 | 65 |
| Florina Apple on G.11 | 63 |
| Williams' Pride Apple on G.11 | 58 |
| Gilpin Apple on G.41 | 56 |
| Triumph™ Apple on G.214 | 55 |
| St. Edmund's Russet Apple on G.41 | 49 |
See all pollination matches for Empire Apple on G.214
Dwarf 13A9-13K3; V 1.052-54; PG 4.05-7; Standard SE 3.3-6, 3.7, 3.9, 4.2-3, 4.5.4.8, 5.10
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