A very beautiful heirloom apple that stores well.
Chieftain Apple on G.41 (Spring 2025)
A delicious cold-hardy cross of Jonathan and Delicious.
Chieftain is vigorous, cold hardy, and productive. This tree is generally disease resistant and particularly resistant to fireblight and scab. It is easy to grow and makes a great addition to the home orchard.
This lunchbox-sized apple is an attractive, deep rosy red with creamy flesh. A child of Jonathan and Delicious, Chieftain has the sweetness of Delicious balanced by the acid of Jonathan. The flesh is firm and juicy, and the fruit hangs well on the tree. Chieftain is an excellent, tasty apple for fresh eating or baking, and the kids will love it.
Developed in 1917 by Spencer Beach at Iowa State University, Chieftain was not released until 1966. Beach's goal was to create a cold-hardy apple. A statement by the Iowa State University Alumni Association reports that Chieftain gets rave reviews from students and staff all across campus. It is a superb apple that was never properly promoted in the industry.
Please Confirm
The Fruit
Fruit Type
Category: Apple
Subcategory:
Disease-Resistant, Cold-Hardy, Hot-Climate
Fruit Uses & Storage
Uses: fresh eating, baking
Storage duration: one to three months (approximate, depending on storage conditions)
Fruit Appearance
Skin color: red
Flesh color: white
Fruit Origins
Parentage: Jonathan x Delicious
Origin: Iowa State University
Introduced in: 1966
Introduced by: Spencer Beach
The Environment
Calendar & Geography
USDA zones: 4 - 8
Chill hours: Not yet determined
Ripening date: Nov 03 (approximate, in New York State) + 49 days after McIntosh
Tree Height & Spacing
glossary
Rootstock: G.41 Rootstock
Rootstock size class: Dwarf (30% of Standard)
Tree spacing (natural spread of tree): 8'
Good for wildlife planting? N
Diseases & Pests
glossary
Fireblight: Resistant
Apple Scab: Resistant
Pollination
Pollination Factors
glossary
Bloom group: 4
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 Chieftain Apple on G.41. 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 |
|---|---|
| Macoun Apple on G.41 | 339 |
| Chisel Jersey Apple on G.41 | 289 |
| Dabinett Apple on G.41 | 234 |
| Sweet Coppin Apple on G.41 | 226 |
| Brown Snout Apple on G.41 | 213 |
| Redfield Apple on G.41 | 174 |
| Graniwinkle Apple on G.41 | 166 |
| Tolman Sweet Apple on G.41 | 151 |
| Campfield Apple on G.41 | 143 |
| Stoke Red Apple on G.41 | 139 |
| Cortland Apple on G.41 | 126 |
See all pollination matches for Chieftain Apple on G.41
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