| Malus pumila 'Sweet Sixteen' | |
| Species: | Malus pumila |
| Hybrid: | Northern Spy × Malinda[1] |
| Cultivar: | 'Sweet Sixteen' |
| Origin: |  Minneapolis-St. Paul Minnesota, 1977,[2] though [3] claims 1978 |
Sweet Sixteen is a cultivar of domesticated apple.
The Sweet Sixteen apple was developed at the University of Minnesota in 1977.[2]
The Sweet Sixteen is crisp and juicy, has an exotic yellow flesh,[2] mixed with red.[4] It is very sweet, with an unusual flavor of sugar cane, or spicy cherry candy. The fruit can store for 5 to 8 weeks. The Sweet Sixteen is quite vigorous. The fruit may have premature drops. Sweet Sixteen usually ripens, mid- to late September.[2]
The Sweet Sixteen is resistant to fire blight and scab. Sweet Sixteen has fragrant, and long-lasting white flowers[5]
The fruit is medium size, the apple red striped. Sweet Sixteen has medium storage.[5]
The Sweet Sixteen is one of the best apples to endure cold climates.[6]
Sweet Sixteen has USDA Hardiness Zone of Zones 4 to 7,[7] so can withstand cold winters.[8]
The Sweet Sixteen has good disease resistance.[9]
The Sweet Sixteen thrives in sandy loam to clay loam soil.[5]
Sweet Sixteen is moderately drought tolerant.[5]
Sweet Sixteen prefers full sun.[5]
Sweet Sixteen prefers a pH of 6.0—7.0.[5]
The Sweet Sixteen is not self-fertile, and may be pollinated by a variety of other apple cultivars.[7]
The Sweet Sixteen ripens mid- to late September.[2]