Popular American apple varieties

This smallish apple variety has red or red and green skin, and was discovered in 1811, by its namesake American expat farming in Canada. It is considered the national apple of Canada, but sells well in the US and Europe. An all-purpose variety, it can be eaten raw or cooked.

With red and yellow skin, this Japanese cultivar has a larger size and is sweet and firm.

This Iowan-born variety is often solid red in color and usually eaten raw. Though it has declined in popularity since the '80s it is still very popular.

New Zealand was the origin of this variety, said to be Queen Elizabeth II's favorite. The skin is orangish in color or red mixed-with yellow and they are sweet and crisp.

Another New Zealand apple, also with a red and yellow or orange skin, this one is is said to be "spicy & sweet" or tart and sweet.

This recent Minnesota-born favorite was just released in 1991. They are sweet, firm, tart and very juicy.

New York State is the origin of this hybrid apple. The skin can be green-yellow with just a blush of red, or fully red or fully green less often. They are larger than many other varieties with a sweet, crisp, tart and juicy fruit.

With its distinct green color and tart acidic flavor, this Australian apple is very popular for baking.

This sweet yellow variety has a mild flavor and is great raw or cooked. It originated as a chance seedling in West Virginia and is now the official fruit of that state. It has the highest number of genes (57,000) of any plant genone studied thus far.

Dryden, in Washington state, is where this new cultivar was discovered in 1987. Usually bright red or red and orange, its parentage is officially unknown although orchards of two previously mentioned varieties were nearby and are the likely suspects.

A new apple from New Zealand, this one was just launched commercially in 2004. Another cross between two of the above-mentioned varieties, it is a sweet, very crisp and juicy fruit. Its skin is usually crimson red, often with patches of yellow and/or orange.

Originating from Sparta Michigan, this red skinned (or red with yellow) apple is tart and sweet, great for eating fresh or made into applesauce (they're soft, so they don't work as well for pies). This variety was discovered in 1960 and named to honor the grower's wife.

British Columbia is home to this very sweet flavored apple. They are pink/red with some yellow markings and have a firm flesh. They weren't available until the 1990s, but they have become popular due to their versatility.