Last I heard Southmeadow was only in the business of cashing checks, not supplying fruit trees. Avoid them like the plague! See their Garden Watchdog reviews.

Scarlet Surprise: Starks http://www.starkbros.com/access?action=product&productID=6887&collection=0

Cherry Cox - try Sandy Bar http://store.sandybarnursery.com/store/p/364-Cherry-Cox-Apple.html

Paulared - try http://www.maplevalleyorchards.com/Pages/AppleTrees.aspx

Scott

I checked my favorite source of fruit tree stock, The St. Lawrence Nursery, which has hundreds of varieties, but only N. Spy from your list made it to their cataloge. Its amazing how many varieties of apples there are.

There are a lot of varieties. It is amazing how the local nurseries only stock the usual Red and Golden Delicious -- if I wanted a boring apple I'd go to the store (which is easier and less expensive than growing your own)!

My all time favorite has to be the Ribston Pippin.

Loho:

You don't say where you are located, critical information for choosing apple varieties, but if you plant E. Spitzenberg you surely won't be bored. You will be busy as hell trying to figure out how to deal with fireblight. I had one and it was history some time ago for that reason. Just a few weeks ago, I took out a Cox's Orange that had been in the ground for 14 years, producing a decent crop in only one of all those years. If you had to choose the one most difficult apple to grow, it would be Cox. And it's not that good, compared to many modern varieties, accepted "heirloom" wisdom to the contrary. 90% or more of the apples crack, most develop a thick, scabby russet, and it doesn't keep very well. As for red-fleshed apples like Scarlet Surprise, expect it to be just plain sour. I have a Geneva Crab here that produces beautiful red-fleshed apples, but so sour that no one would eat one fresh off the tree. We use it for blending in applesauce or cider, where it gives the product a nice, pink color, but that is its only virtue.

Apparently, you have eaten Ribston (I have not) or you wouldn't be impressed with it, but I would suggest you not fall too deeply in love with "heirloom" apples until you have tried them in your climate, whatever that is. I have tried a bunch of heirlooms, and the modern varieties like Fuji, Goldrush, Blushing Golden, and Pink Lady are much better for fresh use and storage, and a whole lot easier to grow. Applesauce is a different matter, and we use Yellow Transparent for that very successfully.

I still have the saucemaking Yellow Transparent, Kandil Sinap, Pomme Gris, Macoun, Albemarle Pippin, Stayman, and Ashmead's Kernel, all of which have some virtues, but more vices and a lot more problems than the modern varieties in my climate. Ashmead's is good, but keeps only about 6 weeks in refrigeration before becoming mealy, while the Goldrush from a tree growing right next to it has a better flavor and keeps into April in the spare refrigerator. Albemarle Pippin keeps very well, but falls short in flavor compared to the modern varieties, even after storage.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

I had both Spitzenberg and Cox's Orange Pippin trees at our previous property. The Spitzenberg was not too picky, the Cox's Orange was picky but we did get a few apples every year.

We used to go to a local orchard where the owner sold apples on his front porch. He must have had hundreds of varieties and through the years I tasted most of them. That is where I discovered the Ribston Pippin, I especially like the ones with water core.

Yes, I really do like my apples sour!

The best and easiest apple I have grown would have to be Paulared and N. Spy. The worst tree was a full size G. Delicious, lots and lots of scabby apples!

Raintree has their Queen Cox self-fertile and Esopus Spitzenburg, try their website. I have their Queen Cox, three years old now, and it has been LOADED with delicious apples every year so far.
(I didn't look for your other choices, they might have them too)

http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/index.cfm

Trees of Antiquity also has Northern Spy:

http://www.treesofantiquity.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=41_1&sort=20a&page=5

And THIS place has a gazilion scion woods for sale, including Paulared:

http://www.maplevalleyorchards.com/Pages/ScionWood.aspx

Don't be discouraged by Jellyman unless you live in a very similar climate. Up here we grow Cox and Esopus succesfully though Cox is a bit difficult and Esopus a light bearer. My only problem with Cox is keeping grafts alive because of their extreme attraction to leaf-hoppers. These issues are extremely regional so I suggest you consult with local growers if at all possible in choosing varieties in the future.

Kuffelcreek doesnÂt list Cherry Cox, but was able to get scions and is making a custom bench graft of it for me. You might email them and ask if they can do the same for you. IÂve had 100% success with the bench grafts I bought from there last year. All grew around five feet or more over the summer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery

http://www.treesofantiquity.com
I'm pretty sure they carry all of those trees.

Maple Valley Orchards in Wisconsin should have all of those apple trees as bareroot trees on either M26 or Bud 9. They can also create you benchgrafts of any of those trees or any others from their scionwood list on either M26 or Bud 9. Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: Maple Valley Orchards

Hi Loho!

One more vendorÂ

IÂve been pleased with Cummins Nursery in NY. They have a good variety of apples. ItÂs late to place an order, but worth sending an email to see what they have left for 2008.

Regards,
PoseyPlanter