Pristine is a very early-ripening yellow apple that delivers a crisp, tart-sweet flavor with subtle notes of spice, banana, and green apple. Bred as part of the Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois (PRI) disease-resistant breeding program, Pristine was named for its notably clean, disease-resistant fruit and foliage.

Flavor & Use

• Flavor profile: Tart to sweet with a touch of astringency and spice

• Best for: Fresh eating, salads, light cooking

• Storage: Although most summer apples don’t store well, we’ve successfully kept Pristine in refrigeration for about a month post-harvest with no signs of breakdown—surprisingly good for an early apple.

Disease Resistance

Pristine is an excellent choice for organic or low-spray growers due to its:

• High resistance to scab

• Moderate resistance to powdery mildew, fire blight, and cedar-apple rust

In essence, it’s a more refined, disease-resistant version of Golden Delicious, tailored for the 21st century.

Climate Considerations

While Pristine performs well in many climates, it is only hardy to around -40°F, making it marginal or unsuitable for the coldest areas of Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota, or Wisconsin. If you’re in one of these ultra-cold regions, consider hardier alternatives such as:

• Norkent

• Prairie Sensation

• Rescue or other early applecrabs

Spring 2025 Availability

Our Spring 2025 Pristine trees are bare root, 5–7 ft tall, and grafted onto M7 semi-dwarf rootstock, which, like the scion, is cold hardy to -40°F. Not recommended for areas that regularly experience temperatures below -40°F.