Cortland has an upright-spreading habit, and it is somewhat susceptible to the major apple diseases: cedar-apple rust, fireblight, powdery mildew, and scab. It is also susceptible to blister spot, but this is a cosmetic issue that will be of concern only to commercial growers. An extremely cold-hardy tree, it is widely grown in New York, northern New England, and the Great Lakes area.

This medium-sized apple is covered with a dark red flush over a yellow background. The flesh is soft, fine-grained, and juicy, and the flavor is sweeter than McIntosh, which is its mother. Cortland's most notable feature is that its snow-white flesh doesn't brown after cutting; this makes it an excellent apple for slicing into salads, fruit plates, or lunchboxes. It is also a favorite baking and sauce apple.

Cortland is a cross of McIntosh and Ben Davis, first produced in Geneva, New York and released in 1915. It was bred by S. A. Beach, who is also author of the venerable Apples of New York.