Valstar™ Elstar Apple

Malus domestica 'Lustre Elstar'

Valstar™ is an improved red strain of Elstar, which is popular in Europe. The fruit ripens late in the summer and has excellent sweet-tart flavor. It is medium sized and keeps well. The fruit is mostly red striped over a golden background color.

Valstar™ is an improved red sport introduced from France of Elstar, which was bred in the Netherlands in 1955 and became a very popular in Europe, where sweet-tart apples are the norm.

Valstar™ is very vigorous, but an early producer. Not quite as productive as most apples. It harvests rather early, but its flavor will improve by holding it and letting it "mellow" for a couple weeks. The foliage tends to hang on the trees well into the winter.