Mutsu, or Crispin as it is called in New York and out East, was one of Grandpa's favorites, but not good enough to be a "Choice" variety. Mutsu is a very large, golden apple that picks late in the season. It can produce prodigious amounts of apples. The fruit is very similar to Golden Delicious in flavor when it mellows after a few weeks of storage.

Mutsu is one of the famous Japanese apples to come to us. The Japanese liked it for its sweet, excellent dessert flavor and its huge size, similar to Wolf River. It has been renamed "Crispin" in many apple growing regions, apparently because mispronunciations of the Japanese name can be embarrassing! Grandpa liked to grow Mutsu, but swore at them because of their problems. His highest ever production was off a small Mutsu block one year.

Mutsu is a very vigorous tree with strong, open spreading limbs. Give it extra space in the backyard orchard. Mutsu is prone to "blister spot", fire blight, and bitter pit. It is biennial if not aggressively thinned on the heavy set years. It is a triploid variety and must be pollinated by other non-triploid varieties that bloom mid-season. Even with all these problems, the diligent backyard grower will often be reqarded with big crops or huge apples that store well through the winter.

Height

10-14

Spread

12-14

Zone

5-8

Color

Greenish yellow

Categories

Apple--- All Varieties, 

Tags