Pixie Crunch (formerly known as Co-op 33) is a release of the PRI (Purdue-Rutgers-U of Illinois) breeding program. It is deemed too small for commercial use, but the excellent quality of the apple lends itself well to home gardeners.

It has been released for trials in all areas. All that we've tried here in So. California have done well with our 200 or so chill hours.

Applenut

Walter,
PC was recently mentioned in a discussion on 'antique' apples on the NAFEX list - though it's not an antique:

"May I suggest Ed Fackler's favorite, Pixie Crunch. I have this amongst my antique apples, and it's easy to grow, a reliable cropper and very tasty. I bag my apples and never spray, but Pixie Crunch is one of those Purdue disease-resistant creations. The apples taste almost as good as Honeycrisp (same flavors) and are nearly as crunchy. Apples color an even, brilliant red like Red Delicious. The only down side is that fruits are small--about 4 oz. on average, but the perfect size for kids. I usually eat two of them at a time. They ripen around Labor Day in my Zone 4b region along the IL-WI border."

I wonder why the Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center 2003 harvest report listed Pixie Crunch under the fruits to discard, saying "mildew susceptible, russets, flavor acceptable but not best". Guess someone didn't like it there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvest Report 2003

The things commercial growers look for in an apple are ease and uniformity in growing, marketing appearance, and disease resistance. It really doesn't matter how good the flavor is, as they pick them so green it never gets a chance to develop.

Since growing our own Fujis I can't stand the store ones anymore.

Applenut

We planted 2 apple trees a couple of years ago; a Williams Pride and a Honeycrisp. The Williams Pride didn't make it so I need to get another tree for crosspollination. Is the Pixie Crunch too closely related to the Honeycrisp to be a pollinator?

edie:

There is no reason why Pixe Crunch should not be a good pollinator for Honeycrisp. Any apple that is the result of a cross (absent a triploid which PC is not) will comfortably pollinate another crossed apple, even if they share one parent.

And while we are on the subject of Pixie Crunch, and with all due respect to the Western Washington experimental orchard, I tend to place great confidence in the judgment of midwestern orchardist and nurseryman Ed Fackler. If Ed says it is good, you can pretty much take that to the bank.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thanks Don! I am going to order a Pixie Crunch this weekend. I really appreciate the help!

This is my first year planting apple trees (a pixie crunch, and a sundance) do these trees need a pollinator? The catalogue I ordered from didn't say. Thanks

Be advised that the Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center is not near the commercial apple growing area of Washington State. It is located on the west side of the Cascade Mountain range and contends with much rain, hence the preoccupation with mildew, russet and scab, etc. They are trying to recommend what fruits to grow for people in the greater Seattle area, kinda.
The commercial fruit growing area of Washington State is east of the mountains and receives about 8 inches of precipitation per year. It is a desert. Mildew is still a varietal problem, russet is something that the commercial grower does not want for the fact that the grocery shopper doesn't want it. Scab is not a consideration here.
Mt. Vernon doesn't get the heat units so can't optimally mature certain varieties. It seems to me that this lack of heat units might sometimes account for a lack of perceived flavor.
I too value Fackler's opinion as he is one of the few people I have heard of who recommends the Orin variety, under certain conditions. IMHO Orin grown in a hot summer is one of the best kept secrets in the apple world.

I'd like to buy a pixie crunch apple tree for my brothers family in Sioux Falls, SD. I ordered one from Henry Fields last year, and they couldn't fill my order - I was really disapointed - Where can I order one for spring 2008 planting - and be assured of getting my order. Thanks. Ike Borchert.

GurneyÂs had no trouble at all filling my order for a Pixie Crunch apple tree last year. The tree wasnÂt quite as big or as well branched out as those from Raintree and Trees of Antiquity, but is growing as well as the others.
I also ordered the English apple Pixie as a benchgraft from Kuffel Creek, and itÂs almost as tall as Pixie Crunch now. ItÂs supposed to be small, sweet, aromatic as well, but has CoxÂs Orange Pippin in its genes, so may have a more interesting flavor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pixie Crunch from Gurney's

Here is a pic of a Pixie Crunch from this year from the Ithaca, NY area:

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Can Pixie Crunch be used as a pollinator for Goldrush? This is my first time planting anything and I could use some advice. Does Goldrush even need a pollinator? If Pixie Crunch can't be used, what else can be?