Stark® Lodi Apple Tree

Stark® Lodi is the early bird of the apple orchard — one of the first varieties to ripen each season, delivering large, crisp, sweet-tart July apples when most other trees are still weeks away from harvest. Originating from Trinidad, Washington in 1964, it produces larger fruit and stores better than Yellow Transparent, making it the superior choice among early-season apples. Naturally resistant to powdery mildew, cold hardy in Zones 4–8, and reliable year after year, Stark® Lodi is the apple that starts the season right.

July Apples — First in the Orchard

Lodi’s July ripening is what makes it special. When the rest of the orchard is still green, Stark® Lodi is ready — delivering large, crisp, tangy apples weeks ahead of mid-season varieties. That early timing makes it the apple that opens the season, the one that gets home orchardists into the kitchen for the first pies, applesauce, and cider of the year. The crisp, sweet-tart flavor is well-suited to every cooked application and equally enjoyable straight off the tree.

Better Than Yellow Transparent — Larger Fruit, Better Storage

Yellow Transparent is the traditional early-season apple benchmark, but Stark® Lodi improves on it in the two areas that matter most: fruit size and storage life. Lodi produces larger apples that hold up better after picking — a meaningful practical upgrade for anyone who wants to get more use out of their early harvest without racing the clock.

Powdery Mildew Resistant — Cleaner, Lower-Maintenance Growing

Powdery mildew is one of the most common apple disease issues, and Stark® Lodi’s natural resistance to it reduces spray requirements and produces cleaner, healthier fruit with less intervention. For home growers who want a quality early apple without intensive disease management, that resistance is a genuine practical advantage.

Why Growers Choose Stark® Lodi

• July ripening — one of the first quality apples of the season
• Larger and better-storing than Yellow Transparent — the superior early-season choice
• Crisp, sweet-tart flavor — excellent for pies, applesauce, cider, and fresh eating
• Powdery mildew resistant — cleaner fruit with less disease management
• Cold hardy in Zones 4–8 — reliable performance across a wide range of climates
• Bears young — enjoy early harvests within a few years of planting