Looking for heritage apple cultivar Rainbow. Anyone know of where I can get one?

Or I could try to graft a whip. Did an internet search and couldn't find a resource.

Hi Denice, where did you hear about that cultivar? I did a search too and didn't even find it mentioned??

I don't know that one - I don't see it in the NY Apple Germoplasm repository, which is usually a good source for rare apples. Maybe it has another name?

Virginia Vintage Apples has it in their database as a Stark Bros introduction from the turn of the century. VVA doesn't say whether they've got it though.

If you can't get it from them, NAFEX members or Nick Botner (is he still shipping?) are the next places I'd look.

Denice Moffat wrote:Or I could try to graft a whip.

Is this a real (I mean registered) variety or is it a seedling tree that somebody just named? Do you have a source tree to make cuttings off of? If the answer is yes, grafting will be extremely easy for you. You can order specific dwarfing rootstock online, but I've gotten excellent results just sprouting the seeds of store-bought fruit, which I grow into seedlings.

Graft your target scions onto your rootstock about 30 days before typical budbreak for your area. If you eat an apple right now, and plant the seeds today, you can have a seedling big enough to graft onto early next spring. Just grow it in a 5 gallon pot in the back yard, keep an eye on it, and you'll see the scions sprouting about 6 weeks after you graft them.

Miles, we had posted an ad in www.palouseads.com asking for some urbanite and my husband answered a phone call from an old codger in Colfax, WA. He was quite the talker. He said on a farm he previously lived on there was once a man that came to prune his orchard. The arborist spotted that particular apple and asked the farmer if he could prune ALL his trees for free if only he could take cuttings of the Rainbow apple. It kind of makes sense that Stark Bros. listed it as the turn of the century Ann because that's just about how old it must be. I don't know where the man's farm was, don't know him, can't find his phone number on my speed dial and my husband did not take a message. Darn. I'll follow up on these leads. Thanks all and I'll let you know what I come up with.

One apple enthusiast is Carlos Manning, a West Virginia mechanic whose hobby is looking for
antique apple trees. He has discovered examples of about 300 varieties, including at least two,
the Western Beauty and Rainbow, that were thought to be extinct
(Amarillo Globe-News, March 21, 2000).

Might be a little hard to find. Good luck in your search.

OK, I think I've located Rainbow Apples. http://BigHorseFarm.com lists it on their website and they custom graft. $20/tree and $10 shipping. Less if you order more of course. I've put in an email to them. Thanks everyone for your valued input!
I also found a great list of heritage apples when I googled Nick Botner. Thousands of old varieties: http://seedlingapples.wordpress.com/nick-botners-apples-2/

Maybe big horse creek farm ?

http://bighorsecreekfarm.com/rainbow/

Denice Moffat wrote:
I also found a great list of heritage apples when I googled Nick Botner. Thousands of old varieties: http://seedlingapples.wordpress.com/nick-botners-apples-2/

The reason why I didn't suggest him first is that there are other reports of mislabeled scions from his sources. Also, he has been trying to sell his place, I haven't kept up, but if you can get what you want from Big Horse Creek, that's awesome.

What, may I ask, set you on this treasure hunt?

A good source for older varieties is Trees of Antiquity

He is not the cheapest, but most of his stock is certified organic.
Has some hard to find varieties of older fruit trees.

EDITED to fix link. jp

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A good source for older varieties is Trees of Antiquity
The link leads to an error page.

The post was edited to fix the link.
(My pasted copy had an extra http in it...enough to confuse any browser.)