Malus Crimson® Gold – Apple – 5-Gallon

There is great confusion about the name Crimson Gold in apple world. In the early to mid-twentieth century, Californian horticulturist Albert Etter sought to create a sweet crabapple by crossing crabapples with modern apple varieties. He named his last creation ‘Little Rosybloom’, but the variety did not become well-known before Etter passed away in 1950. Rediscovered in the 1970s it was renamed ‘Crimson Gold,’ but some growers, including Red Hook’s Montgomery Place Orchards, where we first fell in love with this crab’s complex flavor, still call it ‘Little Rosybloom’. ‘Little Rosybloom’ is not only great for eating out of hand, but also makes a lively cider and can be baked, poached or made into apple jelly. It’s also an excellent pollinizer. The confustion started when an apple from the Czech Repubic appeared with the trademarked name Crimson® Gold. We now think the trees we have are this variety and not Etter’s ‘Little Rosybloom.’