Northern Spy

Northern Spy
Species	Apple
Trees Found	4
Orchards	Cyrus,Haystack,McCoin Lower
Preserved	Clarno Arboretum(2025)

Northern Spy is a apple variety found in 5 tree(s) across Central Oregon heritage orchards.

Description

Northern Spy is a heritage apple variety with a rich history in American orchards.

Characteristics

Attribute	Details
Origin	East Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York, USA; seeds planted around 1800, first fruited around 1825-1830
Harvest Season	Very late fall (late October to early November)
Flavor Profile	Sweet-tart in perfect balance; aromatic, crisp, juicy; excellent crunch
Storage	Excellent - stores well into spring (3+ months)

Uses

• Pies (famous as 'Spies for pies')
• Baking
• Fresh eating
• Cider

History

Originated in a seedling orchard of Heman Chapin. The original tree was killed by rodents before fruiting, but root sprouts were saved by brother-in-law Roswell Humphrey. Name may reference the Underground Railroad or James Fenimore Cooper's novel 'The Spy.'

Trees

• Cyrus #17 (fair)
• Haystack #109 (poor)
• Johnson #11
• McCoin Lower #68 (good)
• McCoin Lower #80 (good)

USDA Pomological Watercolors

• 
  POM00000005 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., South Haven
• 
  POM00000282 by Passmore, Deborah Griscom, Jersey City
• 
  POM00000283 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., Fredericton
• 
  POM00000305 by Schutt, Ellen Isham, Syracuse
• 
  POM00000306 by Newton, Amanda Almira, United States
• 
  POM00000307 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., South Haven
• 
  POM00000308 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Missoula
• 
  POM00000592 by Arnold, Mary Daisy, South Haven
• 
  POM00000593 by Lower, Elsie E. b., Onondaga
• 
  POM00000594 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Michigan
• 
  POM00000595 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Cedaredge
• 
  POM00000596 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Michigan
• 
  POM00000597 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Michigan
• 
  POM00000598 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., Arlington
• 
  POM00000599 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., East Lansing
• 
  POM00000600 by Steadman, Royal Charles b., East Lansing
• 
  POM00000601 by Newton, Amanda Almira, Hamlin

U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705