Cosmic Crisp is now being sold by Raintree Nursery in Morton, WA. Their website states that it will be sold only to Washington state residents.
I ordered mine this evening and will pick it up in February. As someone who gardens organically, I am searching for fruit that is disease resistant as well as delicious. If this tree lives up to its hype, it should fit nicely into my small orchard.
GH, welcome to the forums and thanks for the update.
I've also ordered one from Raintree, and had forgotten I posted here that it wasn't available. I should have circled back and affirmed that they are now available, but only for residents of WA state.
I think it gets opened up next year.
Cosmic Crisp is now being sold in some stores. Below is the link to a Columbian (Vancouver, WA) newspaper article.
https://www.columbian.com/news.....ry-stores/
I planted a Cosmic Crisp tree in March 2018 and would love to get at least a couple of apples next year. The rootstock is M.106, and it didn't flower this past spring; so it will probably take another year for the tree to produce. It is growing well and so far has been disease-free.
I'm eager to taste this apple while remaining a little skeptical of the publicity surrounding it. Supposedly the tree has some disease resistance; and the apple has a good sweet/tart flavor, is crisp and juicy, stores for a very long time, and ships well. It certainly is an attractive apple, with white lenticels.
It's funny that I should chance upon this thread right now. I just tasted my first Cosmic Crisp 20 minutes ago. From my point of view, the apple was very crisp and very delicious. It may be slightly on the tart side for some peoples' tastes. I thought it was outstanding.
It's hard for me to order a new tree when I have no room and I already have more outstanding organic, permaculture quality apples that I can eat, year round.
John S
PDX OR
These apples are delicious, at least the ones that are medium to large in size and mostly red.
The first batch that I bought came in a prepackaged 2-pound bag and were not organically grown. They were small and mostly green and were disappointing, not at all like the description. At $3 a pound, they were not worth the price.
A week later I found some organically grown, large, red, lovely Cosmic Crisps - wow! I love the texture, dense and crisp. The flavor is very nice - sweet but with a tartness that cuts the sugar, giving it more complexity than (in my opinion) Honeycrisp. I was concerned that the skin would be thick like it is in Enterprise, but it wasn't. If they weren't $4 a pound, I would happily purchase a bushel. For now I will buy a few at a time, until I can pick my own.
My suggestion is to give these apples a try as long as they're mostly red, even at $4 a pound - the price should drop next year when more apples are produced, I suspect. Fred Meyer had nonorganic Cosmic Crisp on sale this week for $2 a pound, so better prices can be found even now.
My wife bought some at Winco, 1.99 a pound. Very large and flavorful, although not as crisp as the hype I was listening to. still a very good apple. I saw Burntridge had them to ship to Washing state only.
I bought some Juici apples and thought they were even better. It's a cross between Braburn and Honeycrisp. I tied to find info and it appears they are also a patented variety and grown only in a very few orchards in Washington. I sure would love to plant this one as I think it's my favorite.
A friend of mine lives in Vancouver and plans on planting some Cosmic Crisp, I may have to get one from him and try it too.
So far the Cosmic Crisp seem to have a big variation in size, color, texture, sugar and so forth. Even the characteristic lenticels for which they are named seem to vary.
The ones I've had have varied from not bad to very good. I like them significantly better than Washington grown Honeycrisp. I wonder how Cosmic Crisp will do when grown elsewhere. I get the impression that Honeycrsip from Minnesota are much better than what we get here.
This is an update on my Cosmic Crisp apple tree, planted in 2018 on M.106 rootstock.
It produced 2 apples in 2020.
Last year (2021) the tree made it through June drop with around 3 dozen apples remaining. Then the record heat wave happened in late June, with the highest-temperature day reaching 114 degrees. Approximately one dozen apples were damaged, which still left a couple of dozen that made it to September. They were delicious! The texture is crisp, similar to Honeycrisp, one of its parents. The flavor is sweet and sour, nicely complex.
So far the tree has been completely disease-free, without the use of even organically-approved sprays. I applied maggot barriers soaked in Surround clay and can't comment on how impervious the apples may be to coddling moths and apple maggots.
The other apple in the photo is a Gala from my tree. It's included for size comparison.
Two huge thumbs up from me!
Two thumbs up from me too! Cosmic Crisp from my own trees left to hang until fully ripe are outstanding--very crisp, juicy, and complex. The ones from the store picked too early--not so much. A couple of years ago, I tasted one still hanging on a tree in a friend’s orchard in December, and it was amazing even at that late date.
Daniel, obviously you are doing something right. Mine hasn't flowered yet.
I was disappointed in the store bought ones and stopped buying them last year. I hadn't bought any this year either until my sister, who lives in Portland, asked me if I'd heard of this great new apple she'd just eaten. Today I tried my first one of the year and it is excellent.
Hopefully the growers and distributors are working out the kinks and it will stabilize into something that is consistently excellent.
...Oh, GEEZ, here comes Reinettes again....
My sincere apologies, but I just have a distaste for the corporate patenting of genes. To me, it's American-style capitalism run amuck. I have no qualms whatsoever about capitalism when the purveyor charges a reasonable price to the purchaser. However, the patenting of genes and certain genetic combinations is -- to me -- the realm of greedy corporate overreach, taking "ownership" and making profits over genes that are naturally occurring and that they didn't "create". In my book, that is just wrong.
My apologies, as usual, but I just don't want to contribute any money to such greedy corporate types who believe that they can take possession of, and "own", natural diversity. ...It is already too far down "the slippery slope".
With my humble apologies,
Tim (Reinettes).
jafar said
Daniel, obviously you are doing something right. Mine hasn't flowered yet.
Jafar, it's on M27. Maybe it's the rootstock. I was looking at it yesterday - looks like sone nice flower buds. If they are, I want to leave a few on the mini-tree this time.
As for patents, I just want to know what are my restrictions. I have no doubt I can harvest, use, and share my apples. Propagation is more confusing, but I don't intend to propagate any patented plants. My philosophy is, there are hundreds of historic or apple varieties that are no longer patented that I can grow and eat. Cosmic Crisp probably is a great one! But I love having the chance to grow and savor so many others, too.
One thing about Cosmic C is it really is a beautiful looking apple. I also expect them to be excellent long keepers.
Daniel, I posted that link before reading most of it. When I went back and read, I see that apparently physical appearance of the fruit is their first screen. While I like beautiful apples, that's a little disappointing to me, that there may be better overall apples in that orchard, that aren't as cute, and will never see the light of day, so to speak.
I also don't need apples that can get to monstrous proportions.
Cosmic Crisp seems to be a bit of a freak, in that it nailed so many parameters at once, including keeping really long, and not oxidizing when cut, which I think are also now requirements for big commercial cultivars.
My Cosmic Crisp is on a more vigorous rootstock. I usually choose M26, which is much more vigorous than M27, and my Cosmic Crisp is more vigorous than M26. I think its on MM106 from Raintree.
Jafar said:
I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you on this one. This is an apple that wouldn't exist but for a breeding program, and I think we're better for having it. And the patent holder, Washington State University, isn't trying to keep it under wraps.
Jafar, my friend,
It is your prerogative to disagree with my opinion. That's called dialogue and exchange of ideas. While I haven't tasted 'Cosmic Crisp', and don't plan on buying one, someone may offer me a slice and I might very well find it to be "exquisite". My point is that just by making a cross, and producing a hybrid, doesn't give a human or a corporate entity ownership rights over the inherent genes represented, which were natural genes and which the breeders didn't "create". The history of plant development through selection over the millennia has involved a cumulative effort of countless generations of people. Why is it that within the past 70 years or so, people get to "Patent" and take ownership over genetic diversity? Why not create a good quality hybrid, from previously unpatented apples, and release it unpatented? To my mind it is an affront to The Commons of natural diversity that we all inherited from those who preceded us.
It's just my opinion, Jafar, and I respect your stance on the matter.
Tim
JeanW, Thanks for the information concerning how long Cosmic Crisp will last on the tree. Maybe this year there will be enough apples to leave a few for experimentation. It would be nice to go out on Thanksgiving day and pluck one fresh off of the tree. Is yours on M.106 rootstock also?
It has the potential to become one of my favorite apple trees. It certainly seems to be checking a lot of boxes: disease resistance, great taste/texture, and long storage. Another plus for me is that it ripens in September, since a lot of my apples ripen in October into early November. The fact that it's a beautiful apple is an unnecessary but nice bonus.
I don't mind at all that, as a Washington state resident, my tax dollars paid for this apple. I'm happy that Washington State University has made it available to all residents of the state and not just to commercial growers. Eventually it will be available to everyone, but I don't remember the timeline for that.
Reinettes said
...Why not create a good quality hybrid, from previously unpatented apples, and release it unpatented? To my mind it is an affront to The Commons of natural diversity that we all inherited from those who preceded us...
I believe the apple breeding program is a commercial endeavor. People are getting paid to systematically breed apples to create new varieties, its their day job for which they are compensated. That seems like a reasonable thing to do, and spend money on.
I'm not trying to convince you, just explaining my point of view.
Cosmic Crisp® is patented as "WA38", US Plant Patent number 24210P3. Patent Info. Patent was filed and granted in 2012, so we are halfway to patent expiration in 2032 if I understand correctly.
The other consideration is trademark. As long as the university continues to maintain its trademark, we won't be able to propagate and sell Cosmic Crisp® apple trees without permission, or sell their fruits as Cosmic Crisp® apples without permission. After 2032 we should be able to propagate and sell them under other names, such as "Cosmo" or whatever. As long as that name isn't taken.
I'm not a lawyer, so please take all of that with a grain of salt.
Also, anyone who wants to cross Honeycrisp apple flowers with Enterprise apple flowers, grow the seeds and select for traits you like, is free to do so. That is the cross that produced Cosmic Crisp®, although if I remember correctly, the variety was chosen from among hundreds of seedlings in the university's plots. That does not infringe the plant copyright, because every offspring is genetically unique, so none will be exact copies of the patented variety. Also, you can pollinate Cosmic Crisp® with any other apple and grow out the seedlings, but those are pretty much no chance at all of being just like the parent, other than carrying on various traits in combination with the other parent, sort of like how Jonagold has traits of Jonathan and Golden Delicious. Or like Cosmic Crisp® has traits from both of its parents. I think crossing with Golden Delicious to create a CosmoGold would be fun, or with Sweet-16 for some cherry flavor .
I feel fortunate that, as a WA resident, I can grow this variety in my yard and see if I like it as a home grown fruit, plus as a home stored one.
DanielW said
Cosmic Crisp® is patented as "WA38", US Plant Patent number 24210P3. Patent Info. Patent was filed and granted in 2012 ...
The patenting system allows a way to get fair amount of information for free.
Let's say for example that the member 1Jack1 who created this topic lived in Washington and (or otherwise) under the assumption got permission from the legal team that created the patent, then, if 1Jack1 was engineering a home orchard architecture he "could" then opt for organic apples with out having to use apple bags for codling moths. So if he were to have the Cosmic Crisp agreement secured for the fee he would likely need to pay the team if he wasn't in Washington then here is one possible free use of patent information as follows.
"He" would find flowering date information per the link Daniel posted in the following steps;
Patent info specific to date of flowering
Now assuming "he" has discovered that the cultivar is not capable to self pollinate and other apple trees in his territory are average flowering types, then he has (due to the assistance of patent) found a way to control codling moth without needing bags.
There are a couple of required ways of having this "breakup" of the codling moth population cycle.
Try learning how to prune an apple flowering vase in water from another donor apple cultivar, sugar coat it with a light dilution of honey so bees won't miss it (per goodfruit dot com tips seen online) a donor apple branch from another cultivar.
As complex as it seems to explain here, at least once in place --such a system is enough to maintain control of any favorite fruit the natural way. (of course the neighbors new planting of an ornamental apple could mess it up)
This is exactly what's good about a patent is that there are wins for more than one party and plus the fact that it speeds product development faster than without patents.
Believe me, all of you. I sincerely appreciate your differing opinions on the matter, and I fully respect them. I guess that it's just a matter of my own moral code which I guess tilts more toward egalitarianism. I'm left to think about the earlier folks who produced a classic apple, but they weren't paid for the effort, it wasn't their job but their passion, and they didn't receive royalties or residuals for all of the subsequent generations of people who grew that apple, or ate it, or who cultivated it as a commercial crop.... Just sayin'.
Tim (Reinettes).
The patent is only valid for 20 years from the application date. It isn't preventing generations from using it.
That's different from the Club Apples. It isn't the patent that keeps them exclusive, its the Trademarks and grower agreements.
Once the patent on WA38 expires, Daniel and I are free to share scions with whomever we choose.
Hi Jafar,
"Only" 20 years is nearly the traditional definition of "a (human) generation", which is generally regarded as 25 years. I was just trying to make my point, but God knows that there are countless non-patented apples out there which are more than worthy of home cultivation but don't have limitations put on them and can freely be passed on to others. Mine was more a philosophical/moral point than anything. For those of you growing 'Cosmic Crisp', please, enjoy! ...I yam what I yam. It's just me.
I will not begrudge you the flesh and flavor of 'Cosmic Crisp'. It is your right as a free American.
Let us all now enjoy what we savour.
Tim (Reinettes).
For what it's worth, I included a few Cosmic Crisp in my most recent order from Safeway. I though they were among the best grocery store apples I've ever eaten.
I didn't like most fresh apples when I was growing up. Each year, my family would buy some from the local orchard - rural Illinois. In retrospect, those might have been Jonathans. I did enjoy those, It wasn't until I started growing my own that I really enjoyed apples. But those CC - I really enjoyed those. I think they got it right.
DanielW,
Until I joined the HOS and had a chance to taste an incredible diversity of apple varieties, I was basically clueless as to the wondrous diversity of apple tastes and characteristics. When your hat pops off your head at that kind of discovery, you just want to keep exploring! I will forever be thankful to the HOS.
Reinettes.
GH, another vote for the New Seasons Cosmic Crisp.
The last couple years Cosmic Crisp had been quite variable, and I was a little shy of them. I got some from New Seasons this year and they were fantastic. Got from a couple other places with mixed results, some with texture problems and lower brix. Another few from New Seasons, also great. Hopefully they will be consistent.
My general impression has been that very dark red are more consistently good. And I suspect storage conditions and how long they have been out at room temperature matter.
Cosmic Crisp was a success again this year. As anyone in this area (PNW) can attest, it was a difficult year for many types of fruit. The leaves were hit hard by scab, but the tree pulled through and now appears to be unscathed. Probably because of the severe spring, it only produced a few dozen apples again this year - the same number as last year. A few had some scab, but were still nice; the rest were unblemished and delicious, except for a couple that birds decided to eat.
Overall Cosmic Crisp is a real winner, and I'm so happy that it's in my orchard. The hope is for a fully-loaded tree next year, that would be exciting!
I saw some Cosmic Crisp at Costco so thought I would give them a try. Thus far I am not impressed at all. They look ripe but do not taste ripe, e.g. very tart, and sweetness varies from apple to apple, ranging from no sweetness at all, to just a bit. Maybe I just got a bad batch. They were also quite large, maybe their large size came at the cost of flavor?
Dave, for me they have been extremely variable. From not worth eating, to clearly top 10 variety. I do think there is some correlation between solid dark coloring and better odds of being good. I don't think I've had a good one that wasn't very well colored.
I'm glad to hear Daniel is getting good apples at home. That's promising.
Hi Jafar. My Cosmic Crisp apple tree is the one that has produced a few dozen apples for the last two years. I certainly hope that Daniel's tree has given him some apples, also; he did say that his is on a more dwarfing rootstock than mine, so that should have helped. It would be interesting to hear from Daniel and JeanW again, and anyone else who has had some luck.
I agree that the apples need to be nicely colored. Any that have been purchased with some green skin have not been good. I've also noticed that they need to be of a medium to large size in order to taste good. It's surprising to see the variability in flavor, since the tree so far for me has produced consistently delicious apples even with the use of fruit sox blocking some sunlight. My guess is that those orchards are picking them much too early.
This is my only apple on M.106 rootstock. One of the more dwarfing rootstocks would probably have been a better choice, but that was the only option that could be located in 2018, and I was anxious to get one planted. There are more rootstocks available today, so the choices are definitely better.
Here's hoping that 2023 produces a bountiful harvest, devoid of April snowstorms, summer 100+ degree heatwaves, and other unpleasant weather events!
Hi GH,
Like so many trees in this area, my Cosmic Crisp apples did not set anything in 2022—not a single apple. They did bloom in mid-May with very marginal temperatures for pollination in the upper 50’s to low 60’s during that time. I had several other cultivars in bloom at that time, some of which set apples and some of which did not. Priscilla, MN 1628, Dabinett, and King Edward VII set full crops that needed plenty of thinning, so obviously the bees did their job. Buckley Giant, Cotton Sweet, Melrouge, Milo Gibson, and Cosmic Crisp set nothing. I think the cultivars that did not set must have needed warmer temperatures for germination to occur and the pollen tubes to grow than did the cultivars that did set apples. However, I did not cut blossoms open to check for frost damage, so those cultivars could also have been damaged in the frosty spring weather. In any case, we had a really cold, wet spring, and the poor fruit set everywhere was most certainly due to the weather. Even the kiwis suffered, and they don’t bloom until June. In 2021, I harvested about 250 pounds of Hayward kiwis and in 2022 only 12—kiwis not pounds! Here’s hoping for a better 2023!
JeanW
JeanW,
Good to hear from you. Thankyou for sharing valuable info on relative performance of specific cultivars last year.
2022 was a strange season, wasn't it. My hardy kiwis haven't done much, and don't get much attention. My male is runty and hasn't flowered yet to boot. But strangely, my Ken's Red made maybe 10 fruit, and they stayed green. It has produced a few red fruit before, also without a blooming male.
Idyllwild
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