December 6: Haralson
Wealthy x Malinda
University of Minnesota, 1923
Minnesotans’ favorite apple BHC (before Honeycrisp). A good eater and baker. Its flavor is tart and its texture is somewhat light, which is why it’s our preferred apple for caramel apples.
We pick our Haralsons at the end of September into the beginnig of October.
Use in combination with Cortland for an excellent pie or crisp, otherwise it bakes up a bit on the dry side on its own. Stores well, up to four months.
Haralson is a parent to Honeygold (x Golden Delicious), Kerr (x Dolgo), and Northern Lights (x McIntosh).
Sidenote: we used to grow Malinda and it wasn’t a great apple — small, yellow, dry, and not much taste. Wealthy, on the other hand, is worth seeking out. It ripens around September 1 and we do grow it here.
Read Adam’s Apples description of the Haralson.
Growing Notes
A Haralson is a well-behaved tree and is easy to prune because it has a strong central leader and a wide-angled branching habit. Its primary challenge is in its strong biennial bearing habit and requires aggressive thinning. It is extremely cold hardy.
