Apples are a common fruit known all over the world and come in many varieties. Have you heard of the Lodi Apple and Lodi Apple Tree? This guide will teach you all about the Lodi apple as well as how to grow this apple tree.
The Lodi fruit tree and apple are a recent creation and have only been around since the 1920s. It would not be surprising if you have not yet heard about this specific apple tree or fruit. So, dive in to learn as much as you can about this unique fruit and tree. You may like the sound of it so much that you want to add it to your fruit tree garden this year!
History of the Lodi Apple / Lodi Apple Tree
The Lodi apple and tree is a hybrid cross of the ‘Montgomery Sweet’ also known as the ‘Autumn Bough’, and the ‘Yellow Transparent’ apple. Both apples originated at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station. The Lodi apple and tree were first introduced to the public in 1924. This tree is mainly grown in the southern part of the United States.
The ‘Yellow Transparent’ is sometimes mistaken for the white transparent apple. Autumn Bough is also known as Montgomery Sweet. The New York Agricultural Experiment Station was renamed Cornell AgriTech, although the official name has not been changed. The Station, as it’s known, is the sixth oldest of its kind in the United States.
Lodi Apple Tree / Lodi Apple Characteristics
The tree grows in an oval shape with spreading branches. The trees also grow horizontally or upright. You can train it to grow upward and outward by tying supports around it as the tree grows and matures.
If you enjoy flowers, you will love the blooms the lodi tree produces in the springtime. Large amounts of flowers in pure white will cover your tree in early or middle spring. They not only look beautiful but also smell great.
Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies will enjoy the sweet scent and pollen from your tree’s flowers. The flowers fall in bunches along the branches, creating a beautiful scene for you and your family to enjoy.
Apples will not be ready to be picked until July or August in most growing locations. The fruit has a light-green tint to it with a pale yellow, whitish flesh.
Planting Zones
The Lodi apple tree can grow in planting zones 3 – 8, which means the tree can be grown in most of the United States. To learn more, please read about How to Grow The Lodi Apple Tree.
Size and Spacing
A Lodi Apple tree can grow as tall as 20 to 25 feet, with a width of 25 feet when fully grown. There are also semi-dwarf and dwarf versions of the tree. The semi-dwarf Lodi will mature at around 12 to 15 feet with the width being the same. The dwarf Lodi can grow 10 feet tall with a 10-foot width.
Since these trees have large widths once they reach maturity, make sure there is plenty of space if you plan on growing more than one tree. No matter how large or small an outdoor space you have, you can pick from different sizes of lodi trees to fit your outdoor space and enjoy the fruit of the tree.
Pollination
You will need to grow at least one other apple tree to ensure the pollination of your lodi apple tree. If you want an early harvest, grow a red Jonathan or tree from another apple family that can be harvested around the same time.
Lodi Apple Tree Care
There are several things to keep in mind when growing a healthy fruit tree, such as sunlight, enough water, pruning, and watching out for diseases and pests. Read each over carefully so that you have plenty of information so you know what to do when growing a healthy and happy apple tree.
Sunlight
A Lodi apple tree needs plenty of sunlight to grow to maturity and produce plenty of apples for you and your family to enjoy year after year. Your Lodi apple tree will grow best in a location with full sun, or at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.
Watering
Give your apple tree the right amount of water to produce healthy apples and keep the tree healthy in general. Regularly water your Lodi tree or trees to keep it healthy and happy. Water the tree on a regular basis for the first few years to give your tree a strong and healthy foundation so that it produces healthy fruit.
Pruning
Cut back on dead branches during the late winter or early springtime. You want to start in late winter so that fresh cuts are not damaged from the cold winter weather.
Pruning helps the tree produce plenty of apples and provides strong support for its fruit. Pruning will also help your tree maintain its shape year after year.
For more information, please visit Pruning Apple Trees.
Diseases & Care
Just like with other fruit trees, you want to watch out for signs of disease on your Lodi apple tree. Common diseases include Apple scab and powdery mildew.
Although Lodi apple trees are known to be resistant to powdery mildew, its good to know and watch out for the signs. They are somewhat resistant to Apple Scab, but some are more prone to it than others.
For more information, please visit Apple Tree Diseases and Care.
Pests
Codling Moths and aphids have been known to affect Lodi apple trees. Aphids are common plant pests that come in various colors to blend in with plant foliage. If not watched, aphids can destroy the leaves of your Lodi apple.
Codling Moths can cause wormy apples, ruining harvests as well.
Fertilizing The Lodi Tree
You will also want to fertilize your Lodi tree throughout the year to keep the plant healthy and encourage it to produce plenty of apples for you and your family to enjoy.
Lodi trees can take up to six years before they start producing fruit, so you don’t have to fertilize the tree right away. A good time to start is about two years after planting your tree.
You may want to invest in a rake to easily mix the fertilizer into the soil. Place the fertilizer about two and a half feet away from the trunk.
You can repeat this every three months or so. Once your tree is two years old, you can widen the distance you place the fertilizer to three feet around the base of the trunk.
Common Uses For The Lodi Apple
Below are common uses for the lodi apple. Try out each one to see if you have a favorite way to enjoy the fruits of this tree.
What Does This fruit taste like?
The lodi apple has a sweet, but tart taste to it. These apples will be preferred by those who like just a little sweetness.
Cooking
Lodi apples are great apples to cook with. They make wonderful apples for an apple pie.
You can also make applesauce with lodi apples, since they taste great when made into applesauce. You can add nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to add more taste to the sauce. Once made, it can be eaten alone or with toast, oatmeal, or to dip other foods into. Try making these delicious applesauce cookies!
Eating Raw
These apples also taste great when eaten raw and make a great snack for family members of all ages to enjoy.
Canning / Freezing / Drying
These apples can be frozen to enjoy throughout the year. They don’t last as long as other apples in the refrigerator, which makes them great candidates for freezing.
Health Benefits of the Lodi Apple
There are many health benefits of the lodi apple. Health benefits include being a great source of fiber and vitamin C. They also contain vitamin A, phosphorus, iron, and potassium.
The lodi apple is known to help with digestion, maintain blood sugar, and improve the immune system. For more health benefits of the fruit, check out The Health Benefits of the Lodi Apple.
Where To Buy The Lodi Apple Tree?
There are several places where you can buy the lodi apple tree. These include local garden centers and online stores. Nature Hills Nursery is a great online resource for various apple trees. You can also find them online here.
Where To Buy Lodi Apples
Lodi apples can be bought online or at a local grocery store. Contact your grocery store before going to make sure they have plenty of lodi apples in stock for you to buy and enjoy at home.
Lodi Apple Facts / FAQs
Are there other apple trees the Lodi tree can be cross-pollinated with?
There are many apple trees that the Lodi tree can be cross-pollinated with. Other common ones, besides Jonathon, are Liberty, Braeburn (BraeStar), and McIntosh.
What time of year is best for picking apples off the Lodi tree?
The tree is ready to be picked in July in most locations that it is grown in.
How do I keep birds from eating the apples before they are ripe enough to pick?
Place netting over your tree to keep the birds away from the fruit until they are ready to be picked.
Can I pollinate a Yellow Transparent with a Lodi tree?
You can since they both have bloom times that are very close to each other.
What are “June apples?”
June apples is another name for Lodi apples, although it is not used as much as it used to be.
Wrapping up The Lodi Apple Tree
The Lodi apple tree will make a great addition to your fruit garden. You can purchase a small one for a porch or patio garden, or a larger one that you can group with other apple trees for pollination.
Not only will you enjoy watching your apple tree grow. It will produce beautiful flowers and green apples for you and your family to enjoy. Purchase a Lodi tree today to enjoy all the benefits this tree and fruit have in store for you.
Excited for more apple content? Visit our apple trees page to learn more about apple planting, growing, picking, cooking, and more!
Sources
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=720
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodi_(apple)