An attractive, highly disease-resistant apple, ideal for organic growers.
Cap Of Liberty Apple on G.214 (Spring 2024)
A very old bittersharp English cider apple from Somerset. Also known as Red Soldier, Bloody Soldier.
This is a medium-sized tree whose habit is "rangy"; it produces a few long, unbranching limbs. It is productive but tends to biennialism. Cap of Liberty is susceptible to fireblight, canker, and scab, and it is predisposed to watercore. This apple is used exclusively in cider production; it is not suitable for fresh eating.
The fruit is small, conical, and yellow with dull red stripes. It is similar to other Somerset varieties, yielding an amber juice of excellent quality, high in tannin and acid, which can be used for single-variety ciders. The flavors are complex and spiced, with a long, bitter finish. (From WSU: Tannin (percent tannic acid): 0.20; Acid (percent malic acid): 1.14; pH: 3.14; SG: 1.047; oBrix 11.8.)
This apple is thought to be related to the Lambrook Pippin. Its exact origin is obscure; it probably arose in the 13th century, but any time from the 11th-14th centuries is possible.
Please Confirm
The Fruit
Fruit Type
Category: Apple
Subcategory:
Heirloom, Cider, Hot-Climate
Fruit Uses & Storage
Uses: cider
Cider classification: bittersharp
Storage duration: (approximate, depending on storage conditions)
Fruit Appearance
Skin color: yellow
Flesh color: off-white
Fruit Origins
Parentage: unknown
Origin: Somerset, England
Introduced in: 11th-14th century
Introduced by:
The Environment
Calendar & Geography
USDA zones: 5 - 8
Chill hours: Not yet determined
Ripening date: Sep 08 (approximate, in New York State) 7 days before McIntosh
Tree Height & Spacing
glossary
Rootstock: G.214 Rootstock
Rootstock size class: Dwarf (30% of Standard)
Tree spacing (natural spread of tree): 8'
Good for wildlife planting? N
Diseases & Pests
glossary
Apple Scab: Very Susceptible
Perennial Canker: Susceptible
Fireblight: Susceptible
Pollination
Pollination Factors
glossary
Bloom group: 2
Is it self-fertile? N
Is it fertile? Y
Ploidy: Diploid
Rootstock size class:
Dwarf (30% of Standard)
Pollination Partners
This table shows the first few results from a full search for pollenizers of Cap Of Liberty Apple on G.214. Please see our Pollenizer Search to run other queries and read how the application uses various factors. Also read more about fruit tree pollination.
See all pollination matches for Cap Of Liberty Apple on G.214
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