Northern Spy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Malus pumila 'Northern Spy'
Species	Malus pumila
Cultivar	'Northern Spy'
Origin	United States

The Northern Spy is a special kind of apple. It is also sometimes called Spy or King. This apple first grew on a farm in East Bloomfield, New York, in the United States around 1840. It is very popular in the northern part of New York State.

In 2013, the United States Postal Service honored the Northern Spy. It was one of four apples featured on a set of special stamps. The other apples were the Baldwin, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith.

What Does the Northern Spy Apple Look Like?

The Northern Spy apple ripens late in the year, usually in late October or even later. Its skin is mostly green, but it has red stripes where the sun touches it.

The inside of the apple is white. It is very juicy, crunchy, and a little bit sweet. It has a rich, slightly tart flavor. This apple is also known for having a lot of Vitamin C. Its taste is usually tarter than many other popular apples. The flesh is firm and crunchy, and its skin is thin.

How Are Northern Spy Apples Used?

Northern Spy apples are great for cooking. People often use them to make desserts and pies. They are also used to make apple juice and cider.

These apples are excellent for storing. Because they ripen late, they tend to last a long time when kept properly.

How Do Northern Spy Apples Grow?

The Northern Spy apple was first found around 1800. It grew in East Bloomfield, New York, which is south of Rochester, New York. It came from a seedling that had failed but then sprouted again. This seedling's parent plant came from Connecticut. Many people believe that the Wagener apple is one of its ancestors.

Over time, this apple became less popular. This was partly because its color is not very bright, and its shape can be uneven. Its thin skin also makes it bruise easily. The Northern Spy apple can also get certain plant diseases, like bitter pit and blossom fireblight. However, it is strong against woolly aphids and somewhat resistant to scab.

You might not find Northern Spy apples in regular stores outside of where they are grown. But they are still important for making apple products in those areas.

One interesting thing about Northern Spy apple trees is that they can take a long time to grow fruit. Sometimes it takes up to ten years! This is unless they are grafted onto a special rootstock. Even so, the Northern Spy tree itself makes a great rootstock for grafting other types of apples. This helps those other apple trees grow to a standard size.

The Northern Spy apple has also appeared in literature. It is mentioned in a poem called "Conrad Siever" by Edgar Lee Masters. This poem is part of his book Spoon River Anthology. Poet Chase Twichell also named her first book Northern Spy in 1981.

See also

In Spanish: Northern Spy para niños