Empire Apple trees are a cross between the 'McIntosh' x 'Red Delicious'. It retains much of the flavor of the McIntosh Apple but has deeper red skin color and much better firmness to the flesh. With the perfect balance of a sweet and tart flavor, combined with the crispness it has, it is great for both eating fresh or cooking with depending on your mood. Extremely popular variety in todays produce market making it the top selling apple today. It excels for fresh eating and cooking. (USDA Zones 4-7)