Iowa Beauty is a rare and often overlooked apple variety. We obtained these genetics from Bob Purvis, and this is our first year growing it. As far as we know, Bob’s tree is the only known mother tree of Iowa Beauty. This variety was introduced in the early 1900s by C.G. Patten of Charles City, Iowa.

Flavor and Culinary Use

According to the description on Pomiferous, the flesh of the Iowa Beauty is yellowish and firm, with a very juicy, sweet, and tangy flavor. It’s said to be excellent for fresh eating and has culinary potential as well. However, since we have no personal experience with the fruit yet, we consider this information as hearsay. Being a summer apple, it likely does not keep well for long after harvest.

Hardiness and Cold Tolerance

In terms of hardiness, Bob Purvis lists Iowa Beauty as hardy to Zone 2a. Purvis uses a hardiness system where 2a signifies the extreme temperature a tree can survive, rather than the annual average temperature over a 30-year period (as the USDA uses). Based on this, Purvis would argue that Iowa Beauty can survive temperatures as low as -50°F.

Rootstock and Availability for 2025

For Spring 2025, we’ve grafted Iowa Beauty onto Dolgo rootstock, one of the hardiest rootstocks available. Dolgo comes from a Siberian Crab seedling and is known for producing full-sized trees that bear oblong, tart, yet relatively sweet crabapples. The name "Dolgo" translates to "long" in Russian, which reflects the longevity and durability of this hardy rootstock.