‘Alexander’ likely originated in Ukraine sometime during the 1700s where it was thought to have been called the Aporta. The name Alexander was attributed to this apple in honor of Russia's Emperor Alexander I. In the early 1800's, as pioneers migrated to the colder and harsher western part of the United States, european cultivars and their American seedlings could not withstand the harsh winters of WI, MN and northern New England. Seeing the need to bring new cold hardy apples to America, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society partnered with the London Horticultural Society to import four Russian cultivars, 'Tetovsky', 'Red Astrachan', 'Duchess of Oldenburg' and 'Alexander'. These varieties are all over Montana now and ‘Alexander’ can be found anywhere from the Bitterroot and Flathead areas to valleys all over Eastern Montana (although in lower numbers than ‘Duchess;). The Montana State Board of Horticulture in 1906 stated that ‘Alexander’ was a cultivar "successful in nearly every part of Montana".

‘Alexander’ is a large dessert apple that is quite good fresh off the tree. But given that it does not store well and goes mealy fairly quickly, it is better used as a sauce apple. The sauce from ‘Alexander’ has an intense but very pleasant lemony apple flavor. Apparently ‘Alexander’ can make a great cider, too, although we have yet to try this.

‘Alexander’ is hardy to -50F or more. However, we grafted Alexander only on M26 and not the more hardy Dolgo (we’ll have them on Dolgo next year!). M26 is only hardy to -40F, therefore, if you are in an area where your winters can experience sub -40F, we recommend burying the graft entirely and letting the ‘Alexander’ genetics root on on its own. This will result in a full size tree.