{"title":"Zone 4 Apple Trees","description":"\u003cp class=\"mft-zone-btn\" style=\"margin:0 0 16px\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\" title=\"Our zones follow the MFTC Modified Zone Hardiness Scale. Comparing them to USDA averages will give you a discrepancy, so look up where these trees will be planted.\" style=\"display:inline-block;padding:11px 20px;border-radius:4px;background:#3e6b33;color:#fff;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;line-height:1.3\"\u003eMFTC Zones, Not USDA Averages: Look Up Your Address →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e27 apples for zone 4, listed A to Z. The ones rated only to 4b, the warmer half of the zone (-25°F to -20°F), have a 4b tag on them. Everything else is hardy through all of zone 4, down to -30°F.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdetails class=\"mft-more\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eMore About Zone 4 Apples\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eHardy through all of zone 4: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/autumn-strawberry-apple\"\u003eAutumn Strawberry\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/belle-de-boskoop-apple\"\u003eBelle de Boskoop\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/brown-snout-apple\"\u003eBrown Snout\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cherry-cox-apple\"\u003eCherry Cox\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/claygate-pearmain-apple\"\u003eClaygate Pearmain\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolores-river-sorbet-apple\"\u003eDolores River Sorbet\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ellis-bitter-apple\"\u003eEllis Bitter\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/evercrisp-apple\"\u003eEvercrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/golden-harvey-apple\"\u003eGolden Harvey\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hunt-russet-apple\"\u003eHunt Russet\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/karmijn-de-sonnaville-apple\"\u003eKarmijn de Sonnaville\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/laxtons-favorite-apple\"\u003eLaxton's Favorite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/lubsk-queen-apple\"\u003eLubsk Queen\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/margil-apple\"\u003eMargil\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/newtown-pippin-apple\"\u003eNewtown Pippin\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pink-princess-apple\"\u003ePink Princess\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pristine\"\u003ePristine\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/roxbury-russet-apple\"\u003eRoxbury Russet\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/six-finger-jack-apple\"\u003eSix Finger Jack\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/starkey-apple\"\u003eStarkey\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/swiss-limbertwig\"\u003eSwiss Limbertwig\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/thunderbolt-apple\"\u003eThunderbolt\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tolman-sweet-apple\"\u003eTolman Sweet\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wise-monkey-apple\"\u003eWise Monkey\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/yates-apple\"\u003eYates\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRated to 4b, the warmer half: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/glocken-apfel-apple\"\u003eGlockenapfel\u003c\/a\u003e. Save it for a 4b site. If you're in the colder half (4a), skip the ones with the 4b tag.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery apple here needs a second variety blooming at the same time to pollenize it. Crabapples and applecrabs count, and they make some of the best pollenizers there are. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eapple pollination map\u003c\/a\u003e shows which ones bloom together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLate bloomers, which give you better odds in a frost pocket: Brown Snout, Ellis Bitter, Karmijn de Sonnaville, Northern Spy, Roxbury Russet, Thunderbolt and Wise Monkey. For jam and jelly: Belle de Boskoop, Northern Spy, Thunderbolt and Yates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther zones: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zone-2-apple-trees\"\u003eZone 2 Apples\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zone-3-apple-trees\"\u003eZone 3 Apples\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zone-5-apple-trees\"\u003eZone 5 Apples\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zone-4-fruit-trees\"\u003eEverything for Zone 4\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions We Get\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat does zone 4 mean on your scale?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn our MFTC scale, zone 4 means the coldest night you should plan for (the 1-in-30-year low) falls between -30°F and -20°F. Zone 4a runs -30°F to -25°F and zone 4b runs -25°F to -20°F. That is colder than a USDA zone 4, which is built on the average yearly low, so run your address through our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e instead of going off a USDA map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I plant the 4b apples in zone 4a?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe don't recommend it. A 4b rating means it has come through -25°F, not the -30°F a cold zone 4a winter can bring. Not sure which half you're in? Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e will tell you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDo I need two apple trees?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Every apple on this page needs a different variety nearby that blooms at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"northern-spy-apple","title":"Northern Spy Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Northern Spy Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 in our ratings (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 5 of 7, mid-late for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Oct 8 to Nov 7 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Our notes have it taking -50°F. Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,100 hours (1,000 to 1,250). Well documented. Independent sources agree. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#northern-spy-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 5 of 7 (mid-late), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 4 to 6. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/prairie-spy-apple\"\u003ePrairie Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 70 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Oct 8 to Nov 7 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePies and baking (9\/10), fresh eating (8\/10), cooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), sauce and butter (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 2-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorthern Spy – A Firm, Flavorful Classic and Breeding Powerhouse\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorthern Spy was one of the favorite apples of our mentor, Rod McIver. Rod grew it up in Kalispell, where the climate is slightly colder and the growing season shorter than in Missoula. As a late-season variety, Northern Spy was just on the edge of being able to ripen in time for him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Rod:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eExcellent flavor and firmness, a personal favorite. Many great apples have been derived from it, including \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, Sweet 16, Keepsake, etc. Seldom ripens on the tree before the last frost; however, the fruits can be picked and ripen in storage, and they keep very well.\u003c\/em\u003e”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRipening and Storage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile Northern Spy often struggles to ripen fully on the tree before the first frost, it is known for ripening well off the tree and storing beautifully. This makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a late apple that can develop flavor in storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRootstock and Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor Spring 2027, we have Northern Spy on Bud 118, a semi-dwarf rootstock (in our soils\/climate in MT) that is hardy to roughly -50F (possibly more if there is consistent snow cover).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhoto credits: “Northern Spy on tree” and “Cross section of Northern Spy” by the National Fruit Collection, Brogdale, via Wikimedia Commons (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Northern_Spy_on_tree,_National_Fruit_Collection_(acc._1951-102).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003e1\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cross_section_of_Northern_Spy,_National_Fruit_Collection_(acc._1951-102).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003e2\u003c\/a\u003e), licensed under the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/doc\/open-government-licence\/version\/2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eOpen Government Licence v2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eIllustration: “Northern Spy” by Amanda Almira Newton, USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10113\/POM00000596\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003ePOM00000596\u003c\/a\u003e). Public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhotos: “A tisket, a tasket I bought Northern Spies in a basket. #michiganapples #northernspies #apples #applesauce #applepie” by Kate Ter Haar, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/katerha\/52466004271\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e; “PI 588872, Malus domestica, Northern Spy - Flower in Branch” by USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System (GRIN-Global), via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/npgsweb.ars-grin.gov\/gringlobal\/accessiondetail?id=1004166\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUSDA GRIN\u003c\/a\u003e, public domain; “johnny apple” by katie hargrave, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/khargrav\/2942448293\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Northern Spy Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Northern Spy Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Northern Spy Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 4 to 6. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Northern Spy Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Northern Spy Apple hardy to zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. Our notes have it taking -50°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Northern Spy Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,100 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 1,000 and 1,250. That figure is well documented: independent sources agree. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#northern-spy-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Northern Spy Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Oct 8 to Nov 7 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Northern Spy Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Northern Spy Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Northern Spy Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Northern Spy Apple are pies and baking (9\/10), fresh eating (8\/10), cooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Northern Spy Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Northern Spy Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 2-4 ft.","offer_id":42518934028354,"sku":null,"price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45134156693570,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/northern-spy-apples-basket.jpg?v=1791617882"},{"product_id":"pristine","title":"Pristine Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pristine Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 in our ratings (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Aug 9 to Aug 21 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (850 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#pristine\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 2 to 4, such as Red Splendor Crabapple. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/red-splendor-crabapple\"\u003eRed Splendor Crabapple (Bundle of 2)\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e and 100 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Aug 9 to Aug 21 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (7\/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft or 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePristine is a very early-ripening yellow apple that delivers a crisp, tart-sweet flavor with subtle notes of spice, banana, and green apple. Bred as part of the Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois (PRI) disease-resistant breeding program, Pristine was named for its notably clean, disease-resistant fruit and foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFlavor \u0026amp; Use\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor profile:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tart to sweet with a touch of astringency and spice\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest for: \u003c\/strong\u003eFresh eating, salads, light cooking\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStorage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Although most summer apples don’t store well, we’ve successfully kept Pristine in refrigeration for about a month post-harvest with no signs of breakdown—surprisingly good for an early apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDisease Resistance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePristine is an excellent choice for organic or low-spray growers due to its:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHigh resistance to scab\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eModerate resistance to powdery mildew, fire blight, and cedar-apple rust\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn essence, it’s a more refined, disease-resistant version of Golden Delicious, tailored for the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClimate Considerations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhile Pristine performs well in many climates, it is only hardy to around -30°F (Bob Purvis lists it as zone 4), making it marginal or unsuitable for the coldest areas of Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota, or Wisconsin. If you’re in one of these ultra-cold regions, consider hardier alternatives such as:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/norkent-apple\"\u003eNorkent\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/prairie-sensation-apple\"\u003ePrairie Sensation\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/rescue-apple-crab\"\u003eRescue\u003c\/a\u003e or other early applecrabs\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSpring 2027 Availability\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOur Spring 2027 Pristine trees are bare root, 3-5 ft. and 5-7 ft. tall, and grafted onto Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock, which is even more cold hardy than Pristine. However, we wouldn't recommend planting Pristine if you are in an area that can witness sub -30F temps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Pristine Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Pristine Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Pristine Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 2 to 4, such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/red-splendor-crabapple\"\u003eRed Splendor Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Partners we carry include Red Splendor Crabapple (Bundle of 2), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Pristine Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Pristine Apple hardy to zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Pristine Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 850 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#pristine\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Pristine Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Aug 9 to Aug 21 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Pristine Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Pristine Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Pristine Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Pristine Apple are fresh eating (7\/10).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Pristine Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Pristine Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42503585628226,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45134382956610,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/pristine-apple-on-tree.webp?v=1789020829"},{"product_id":"belle-de-boskoop-apple","title":"Belle de Boskoop Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Belle de Boskoop Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from other growers' reports (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Oct 14 to Oct 26 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (800 to 1,000). Well documented. Independent sources agree. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#belle-de-boskoop-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 2 to 4. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 101 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Oct 14 to Oct 26 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePies and baking (8\/10), sauce and butter (8\/10), cooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), salads and slicing (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but since this is our first year with it they're based on published descriptions and other growers, not our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBelle de Boskoop is a large, tart, heirloom apple that originated in Boskoop, Netherlands, in 1856. Recognized for its rustic greenish-yellow skin with red blush and russeting, it has firm, crisp, aromatic flesh with high acidity. This makes it an outstanding all-purpose apple. It's excellent for pies, cakes, and strudels, prized in cider blends, and sharp but enjoyable fresh if you like a tangy flavor. A superb keeper, its flavor mellows and improves in storage over several months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tree is vigorous, heavy-bearing, and some have reported showing a good resistance to scab and canker. It is triploid, so it needs two other varieties with good pollen blooming nearby, and it ripens late in the season. Hardy to zone 4, so it will likely do well in most places in Western Montana. Likely wouldn't survive in areas that experience below -40F.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note: this is the first year we’re growing Belle de Boskoop in Montana, so our notes are based on trusted secondhand sources rather than firsthand experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Sandstein\"\u003eImage courtesy of Wikimedia user Sandstein\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Belle de Boskoop Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Belle de Boskoop Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Belle de Boskoop Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 2 to 4. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Belle de Boskoop Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Belle de Boskoop Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. This is our first year growing it, so that rating comes from other growers' reports and published sources, not our own winters. We'll adjust it once our trees have seen a few Montana winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Belle de Boskoop Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,000. That figure is well documented: independent sources agree. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#belle-de-boskoop-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Belle de Boskoop Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Oct 14 to Oct 26 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Belle de Boskoop Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Belle de Boskoop Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Belle de Boskoop Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Belle de Boskoop Apple are pies and baking (8\/10), sauce and butter (8\/10), cooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10). Since this is our first year with it, those scores come from published descriptions and other growers, not our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Belle de Boskoop Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Belle de Boskoop Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45124784652354,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/belle-de-boskoop-apple-fruit.jpg?v=1789019191"},{"product_id":"brown-snout-apple","title":"Brown Snout Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Brown Snout Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from other growers' reports (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 6 of 7, late for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#brown-snout-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 6 of 7 (late), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 5 to 7. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/binet-rouge-apple\"\u003eBinet Rouge Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ellis-bitter-apple\"\u003eEllis Bitter Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 14 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHard cider (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp data-start=\"141\" data-end=\"240\"\u003eThis is our first year growing Brown Snout, so all of the following information below is second hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"242\" data-end=\"263\"\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Origins\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"264\" data-end=\"504\"\u003eBrown Snout is a traditional English cider apple that originated in Herefordshire in the early 19th century. Its exact parentage is unknown, but it has long been recognized as a classic bittersweet variety used in West Country cider making.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"506\" data-end=\"526\"\u003eFruit Appearance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"527\" data-end=\"748\"\u003eThe apples are small to medium in size and often show the characteristic russeted “brown snout” near the calyx, which gives the variety its name. The skin is typically green to yellow-green with varying amounts of russet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"750\" data-end=\"778\"\u003eFlavor \u0026amp; Cider Qualities\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"779\" data-end=\"978\"\u003eThe flesh is moderately firm and aromatic, producing juice with rich bittersweet tannins, low acidity, and good body. It's ideal for traditional English-style cider and for blending with sharper varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"980\" data-end=\"993\"\u003eHardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"994\" data-end=\"1160\"\u003eCold hardiness is considered moderate for an English cider apple, generally performing best in climates around Zone 4–5 depending on rootstock and growing conditions. So therefore for Montana growers, we would say it is hardy to -30F, and should likely only be planted in the warmest microclimates of the warmest valley of Montana.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImage courtesy of David Pickering\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Brown Snout Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Brown Snout Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Brown Snout Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 5 to 7. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/binet-rouge-apple\"\u003eBinet Rouge Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ellis-bitter-apple\"\u003eEllis Bitter Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Brown Snout Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Brown Snout Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. We're still new to it, so that rating comes from published sources and other growers' reports rather than our own winters. We'll adjust it as our own trees go through more Montana winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Brown Snout Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Needs a pollenizer. No measured chill figure; plan on about 1,000 hours. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#brown-snout-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Brown Snout Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Brown Snout Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Brown Snout Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Brown Snout Apple are hard cider (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, that score leans on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Brown Snout Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Brown Snout Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Brown Snout Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45125051646018,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/brown-snout-apple-fruit.jpg?v=1789019221"},{"product_id":"claygate-pearmain-apple","title":"Claygate Pearmain Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Claygate Pearmain Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from other growers' reports (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#claygate-pearmain-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 3 to 5. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 104 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (9\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNote that we're still new to Claygate Pearmain, so this info is all second hand. In Spring 2025 we obtained high-quality scionwood from Tim Makepeace and bench-grafted a batch of Claygate Pearmain trees; the trees offered here are direct clones from that material and the tops are two years old now whilst the roots are three years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eParentage, Origin \u0026amp; History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClaygate Pearmain originated as a chance seedling discovered in a hedge near the village of Claygate in Surrey, England, around 1821 by horticulturist John Braddick. Its exact parentage is unknown, and the variety is generally considered triploid, and therefore has sterile pollen (will not pollenize other apple trees). It rose to prominence in the Victorian era for its superb dessert quality, complex flavor, and distinctive russeted appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit \u0026amp; Tree Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is medium to large, typically conical-oblong, with a green-yellow base color overlaid by a warm crimson flush and patches or netting of russet. The flesh is tender-crisp, juicy, and aromatic, with a rich, nutty depth of flavor often described as complex and layered. Trees are moderately vigorous, upright to spreading, spur-bearing, and known for producing heavy, regular crops with an apparent resistance to scab and fireblight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClaygate Pearmain has historically performed well in cool, damp, and northern temperate climates. While not among the most extreme cold-hardy apples we offer, it would likely survive and do well at least down to -35F, similar to some of the other English varieties. Solid zone 4 apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Claygate Pearmain Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Claygate Pearmain Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Claygate Pearmain Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 3 to 5. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Claygate Pearmain Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Claygate Pearmain Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. We're still new to it, so that rating comes from published sources and other growers' reports rather than our own winters. We'll adjust it as our own trees go through more Montana winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Claygate Pearmain Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#claygate-pearmain-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Claygate Pearmain Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Claygate Pearmain Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Claygate Pearmain Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Claygate Pearmain Apple are fresh eating (9\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Claygate Pearmain Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Claygate Pearmain Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Claygate Pearmain Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42498991685698,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/claygate-pearmain-apple-on-tree.jpg?v=1789019776"},{"product_id":"ellis-bitter-apple","title":"Ellis Bitter Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ellis Bitter Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from other growers' reports (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 7 of 7, very late for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Sep 4 to Sep 21 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#ellis-bitter-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 7 of 7 (very late), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 6 to 7. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/binet-rouge-apple\"\u003eBinet Rouge Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/brown-snout-apple\"\u003eBrown Snout Apple\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Sep 4 to Sep 21 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant 15 to 18 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHard cider (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"14\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"15\" data-end=\"528\"\u003eEllis Bitter is a specialty cider apple grown primarily for fermentation rather than fresh eating. Most of what we know about its cider characteristics, growth behavior, and disease tendencies comes from university research programs and extension-based cider cultivar evaluations. This is the first year we have grown Ellis Bitter, and we have not yet tasted the fruit or observed its long-term behavior under Montana conditions, so the information below should be considered secondhand rather than experiential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"556\"\u003eFruit Quality \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"557\" data-end=\"897\"\u003eEllis Bitter is valued for its role in cider making, where it contributes tannin, structure, and mouthfeel rather than sweetness or fresh-eating appeal. University cider research programs describe it as a bittering apple used to add depth and balance in fermented cider, particularly when blended with higher-acid or higher-sugar varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"899\" data-end=\"927\"\u003eGrowth Habit \u0026amp; Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"928\" data-end=\"1306\"\u003eExtension and research sources generally describe Ellis Bitter as a vigorous-growing apple. For Montana plantings, it should be treated as a vigorous tree and spaced accordingly. We have it on Bud-118 semi-dwarf rootstock, and should be spaced 15-18 ft. apart. Wider spacing helps maintain light penetration and airflow, which is especially important for cider apples grown for consistent ripening and disease management.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1308\" data-end=\"1325\"\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1326\" data-end=\"1648\"\u003eEllis Bitter is not considered self-fertile and benefits from cross-pollination with other apple varieties that bloom at a similar time. In Montana, reliable fruit set will depend on having compatible pollenizers nearby as well as adequate pollinator activity during bloom, particularly in cool or windy spring conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1650\" data-end=\"1670\"\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1671\" data-end=\"2138\"\u003eCold hardiness information for Ellis Bitter is limited and best inferred from its classification as a European cider apple rather than an ultra-hardy northern dessert apple. For Montana, it should be approached conservatively and sited carefully, with attention to cold-air drainage, fall acclimation, and the use of cold-hardy rootstocks (we've got you covered here with Bud 118). It's likely hardy to -30F at least, although tread with caution if you are planting it in an area that can see colder temps than this. Its performance through extreme winter temperatures remains something that will need to be confirmed through local observation. Listed widely online as zone 4.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"2140\" data-end=\"2159\"\u003eDisease Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2160\" data-end=\"2429\"\u003eUniversity and extension references consistently note that Ellis Bitter shows susceptibility to fire blight. In Montana, this makes canopy management and vigor control especially important, as fire blight risk increases during warm bloom periods and rapid shoot growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"2431\" data-end=\"2469\"\u003eMontana Context \u0026amp; Our Experience\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2470\" data-end=\"2878\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eEllis Bitter is best considered a trial cider apple for Montana growers. While its cider qualities are well documented in research and extension literature, regional performance data in the Northern Rockies and Intermountain West are limited. This is our first year growing Ellis Bitter, and we have not yet tasted the fruit or observed how it handles Montana winters, disease pressure, or cropping patterns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Ellis Bitter itself. Photos of Ellis Bitter are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “CSIRO ScienceImage 11106 Apples on tree” by Liese Coulter, CSIRO, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:CSIRO_ScienceImage_11106_Apples_on_tree.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 3.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Ellis Bitter Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Ellis Bitter Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Ellis Bitter Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 6 to 7. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/binet-rouge-apple\"\u003eBinet Rouge Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/brown-snout-apple\"\u003eBrown Snout Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Ellis Bitter Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Ellis Bitter Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. We're still new to it, so that rating comes from published sources and other growers' reports rather than our own winters. We'll adjust it as our own trees go through more Montana winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Ellis Bitter Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Late bloomer, so pair it with another late-blooming apple. No measured chill figure; plan on about 1,000 hours. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#ellis-bitter-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Ellis Bitter Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Sep 4 to Sep 21 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Ellis Bitter Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Ellis Bitter Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant 15 to 18 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Ellis Bitter Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Ellis Bitter Apple are hard cider (7\/10). We haven't tasted the fruit yet, so that score leans on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Ellis Bitter Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Ellis Bitter Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft for Shipping","offer_id":42499027992642,"sku":null,"price":74.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/red-flushed-apples-on-tree.jpg?v=1791615379"},{"product_id":"evercrisp-apple","title":"Evercrisp Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evercrisp Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 in our ratings (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Oct 11 to Oct 29 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). The breeder's patent puts it at -10 to -25°F; we rate it to -30°F. Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 800 hours (500 to 1,100). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#evercrisp-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Oct 11 to Oct 29 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. M26: dwarf to semi-dwarf, about 8 to 14 ft tall unpruned. Stake it the first few years. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), salads and slicing (7\/10), winter storage (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft or 3-5 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe don't have long-term data from our own mother trees of EverCrisp yet, so everything below is secondhand for now.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverCrisp is a \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e and Fuji cross from the Midwest Apple Improvement Association. It looks a lot like a Fuji, crunches like a Honeycrisp, ripens late and keeps a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to its plant patent, the cross was made in Pataskala, Ohio in 1999, with Honeycrisp as the mother and Fuji as the father, and the seedling was planted out at Wabash, Indiana in 2001. It was released in 2014 by the Midwest Apple Improvement Association (MAIA), a group of fruit growers that formed in 1998. EverCrisp is the trademark name, and the variety name is MAIA-1.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe patent describes a medium-sized, \"extremely crisp, sweet\" apple. MAIA says the texture is like Honeycrisp \"but slightly harder,\" and the fruit \"resembles Fuji in shape and appearance.\" It's harvested in mid-October, six to eight weeks after Honeycrisp, and it's a long keeper, both in cold storage and on the counter according to the patent. This is a fresh-eating apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have EverCrisp on two rootstocks. On Bud 118 semi-dwarf, plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. M26 makes a smaller tree, so you can go closer, around 10 to 12 feet, and it should be staked. M26 is only hardy to about -40F, so if you see colder than that, bury the graft. The patent describes a tree of moderate vigor with a more open canopy than Fuji, and says it's susceptible to scab and powdery mildew, with slight resistance to fire blight. Since it ripens six to eight weeks after Honeycrisp, it needs a long growing season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverCrisp needs a pollenizer. The patent says it blooms about a week later than Fuji, so pair it with a mid to late bloomer like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wealthy-apple\"\u003eWealthy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/sweet-sixteen-apple\"\u003eSweet Sixteen\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe patent calls its winter hardiness \"average for an apple variety\" and says that, depending on how well it's hardened off, it's hardy to -10 to -25F. That's the breeder's own number. We rate it a little colder, at zone 4 (-30F).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhotos: “EverCrisp (cropped)” by AllTheUsernamesAreInUse, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:EverCrisp_(cropped).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/zero\/1.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC0\u003c\/a\u003e; “EverCrisp cross-section” by AllTheUsernamesAreInUse, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:EverCrisp_cross-section.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/zero\/1.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Evercrisp Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Evercrisp Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Evercrisp Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Evercrisp Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Evercrisp Apple hardy to zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. The breeder's patent puts it a little warmer, at -10 to -25°F depending on how well it hardens off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Evercrisp Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 800 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 500 and 1,100. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#evercrisp-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Evercrisp Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Oct 11 to Oct 29 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Evercrisp Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Evercrisp Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Some sizes are on M26. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Evercrisp Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Evercrisp Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), salads and slicing (7\/10), winter storage (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on the patent and published descriptions rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Evercrisp Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Evercrisp Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":42499068002370,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"M26 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft. (One Year Older)","offer_id":42499068035138,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/evercrisp-apple.jpg?v=1791615481"},{"product_id":"glocken-apfel-apple","title":"Glockenapfel Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Glockenapfel Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4b from published sources (winters to -25°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4b to 8. The b means the warmer half of zone 4 only (winters to -25°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#glocken-apfel-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 2 to 4. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 100 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), fresh eating (6\/10), canning and freezing (6\/10), drying (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"231\"\u003eThis is the first year we have grown Glockenapfel, and we have not yet tasted the fruit or observed its long-term behavior under Montana conditions, so the information below should be considered secondhand rather than experiential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"233\" data-end=\"247\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"248\" data-end=\"711\"\u003eFrom the research we have done in creating this description, as well as from what we have read about the variety, Glockenapfel (also known as Weißer Winterglockenapfel and related regional names) is an old European winter apple of uncertain origin that was widely grown in parts of Central Europe. It was historically valued as a true storage apple, prized for keeping quality and for developing flavor after harvest rather than being eaten straight off the tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"739\"\u003eFruit Quality \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"740\" data-end=\"1208\"\u003eFrom what we have read, Glockenapfel is a versatile apple used for fresh eating after storage, baking, cooking, and juice or cider in traditional settings. Apparently, the fruit improves significantly with storage, with flavor becoming fuller and more balanced over time, which is characteristic of classic winter apples. It has been described as more useful than flashy, with strengths in reliability and post-harvest performance rather than immediate dessert appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1210\" data-end=\"1230\"\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1231\" data-end=\"1746\"\u003eBased on available cultivar descriptions and regional trial notes, Glockenapfel is generally described as winter-hardy and frost-tolerant. Multiple sources suggest survival down to approximately −33°C (around −27°F). This places it as a mildly cold-hardy apple, but not an extreme cold survivor in the −40°F or colder class. Applied to Montana, it appears best suited to milder sites, such as many Zone 5 areas and protected Zone 4b microclimates, rather than the coldest Zone 3 locations. Therefore, it could be grown in the best microclimates (up on a bench\/out of frost pooling zones) within the warmest Montana Valleys west of the divide: Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Flathead Valley, Jocko, Lower Kootenai, Mission, Missoula, and Upper Flathead \/ North Fork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1748\" data-end=\"1775\"\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1776\" data-end=\"2266\"\u003eApparently excellent storage ability, often keeping well into late winter or early spring under proper conditions. It also has historical significance in apple breeding, having been used as a parent in later cultivars such as Gloster. Reports generally describe moderate disease pressure, with some susceptibility to scab and canker, and better performance on fertile, well-managed soils with adequate moisture rather than thin or drought-prone sites (although since this is grafted onto Bud 118, which seems fairly drought tolerant, not sure why sources cite this given rootstock choice would matter more).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Glockenapfel Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Glockenapfel Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Glockenapfel Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 2 to 4. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Glockenapfel Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Glockenapfel Apple at zone 4b, which means winters down to about -25°F. That comes from published sources putting its survival around -27°F, not from our own winters yet. Give it one of the warmest, best-drained sites you have, and we'll update it once our own trees have been through some Montana winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Glockenapfel Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#glocken-apfel-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Glockenapfel Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Glockenapfel Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Glockenapfel Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Glockenapfel Apple are cooking and roasting (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), fresh eating (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Glockenapfel Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Glockenapfel Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Glockenapfel Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42499090939970,"sku":null,"price":74.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/glockenapfel-apple-harvest.jpg?v=1789020067"},{"product_id":"golden-harvey-apple","title":"Golden Harvey Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Golden Harvey Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from published sources (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#golden-harvey-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"232\"\u003eThis is the first year we have grown Golden Harvey, and we have not yet tasted the fruit or observed its long-term behavior under Montana conditions, so the information below should be considered secondhand rather than experiential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"234\" data-end=\"248\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"249\" data-end=\"720\"\u003eGolden Harvey, also historically known as Brandy Apple, is one of the classic old English apples and is generally dated to at least the 1600s. From the research we have done in creating this description, its exact lineage is not documented, but it is repeatedly described in historical pomology as a highly esteemed apple for both dessert use and cider. It was especially valued in western England, where it earned a reputation for exceptional richness and sugar content. However, it fell out of favor due to its small size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"722\" data-end=\"748\"\u003eFruit Quality \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"749\" data-end=\"1272\"\u003eGolden Harvey produces small to medium-sized fruit, often with heavy russeting and a golden background. The flavor is described as intensely rich, sweet, and complex, improving with storage rather than being best straight off the tree. Historically, it was considered one of the finest winter dessert apples. It is also well known as a cider apple, with high sugar levels that earned it the name Brandy Apple, as it was capable of producing notably strong cider in favorable years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1274\" data-end=\"1294\"\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1295\" data-end=\"1761\"\u003eBased on available descriptions and modern cultivar listings, Golden Harvey is generally regarded as hardy in the approximate zone 4 range. This corresponds to winter survival into roughly the −30°F range under favorable conditions, with performance depending heavily on rootstock, site selection, fall acclimation, and wind exposure. Our Spring 2027 trees are one year older and grafted onto Bud 118, which has decent drought tolerance. Applied to Montana, it appears best suited to milder locations or well-protected sites within the warmest valleys of western MT. These are: Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Flathead, Jocko, Lower Kootenai, Mission, Missoula, and Upper Flathead \/ North Fork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1798\"\u003eOther Notable Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1799\" data-end=\"2200\"\u003eFrom the literature, Golden Harvey is repeatedly noted for excellent keeping quality, with fruit often stored well into late winter or spring. It also holds historical importance in traditional English cider culture, particularly in Herefordshire. Disease resistance is not generally cited as exceptional, so thoughtful siting and management would be important in regions with higher disease pressure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Golden Harvey itself. Photos of Golden Harvey are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Egremont Russet - geograph.org.uk - 7640168” by Jonathan Billinger, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Egremont_Russet_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7640168.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Golden Harvey Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Golden Harvey Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Golden Harvey Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Golden Harvey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Golden Harvey Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. That comes from published descriptions and modern cultivar listings, not from our own winters yet. It's best suited to milder, well-protected sites in western Montana's warmer valleys, and we'll update it once our own trees have been through some winters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Golden Harvey Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#golden-harvey-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Golden Harvey Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Golden Harvey Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Golden Harvey Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Golden Harvey Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on historical descriptions rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Golden Harvey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Golden Harvey Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Golden Harvey Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42499171057730,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/golden-russet-apples-representative.jpg?v=1791615354"},{"product_id":"hunt-russet-apple","title":"Hunt Russet Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hunt Russet Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 from other growers' reports (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#hunt-russet-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10), canning and freezing (6\/10), drying (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe don't have long-term data from our own mother trees of Hunt Russet yet, so everything below is secondhand for now.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHunt Russet is an old Concord, Massachusetts russet and one of the great keepers. Fedco passes along a note from Maine pomologist Eugene Carpovitch, whose Hunt Russets kept for \"an astounding one year in the root cellar!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt came from the Hunt family farm in Concord, Massachusetts, and it's old. Downing wrote in the 1870s that it originated \"nearly 200 years since,\" and S.A. Beach in The Apples of New York (1905) quotes a Hunt family member saying at least 150 years. So it goes back to at least the mid-1700s. It's also been called Golden Russet of Massachusetts, Fay's Russet and Russet Pearmain, but Beach makes clear it's a different apple from the New York Golden Russet. DNA work with the Maine Heritage Orchard found that Hunt Russet and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain\u003c\/a\u003e are the parents of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach describes it as \"medium size, golden russet with broken patches of smooth bright red on the cheek. It is quite attractive for a russet apple, excellent in quality and a good keeper.\" The flesh is \"whitish tinged with yellow, rather fine, tender, juicy, subacid, sprightly becoming mild, not sweet as some have stated, very good to best.\" Beach gives its season as January to April or later. It's a fresh-eating apple, and Trees of Antiquity also lists it for pies and cider.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Beach calls the tree moderately vigorous, upright spreading and productive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer. Fedco says it blooms mid-season, so pair it with something like Blue Pearmain, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFedco rates Hunt Russet zone 4, and it's been grown in Maine for a long time. We haven't found a documented survival temperature. We've listed it at zone 4.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are more photos of Hunt Russet from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mofga.org\/maineheritageorchard\/hunt-russet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eMaine Organic Farmers and Gardeners\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Hunt Russet itself. Photos of Hunt Russet are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Russet apples” by grassrootsgroundswell, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/grassrootsgroundswell\/15163043718\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Hunt Russet Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Hunt Russet Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Hunt Russet Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Hunt Russet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Hunt Russet Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. That comes from Fedco's zone 4 rating and its long record in Maine, not from a documented survival temperature or our own winters yet. We'll update it once we have our own data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Hunt Russet Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#hunt-russet-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Hunt Russet Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Hunt Russet Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Hunt Russet Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Hunt Russet Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), winter storage (8\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on Beach, Fedco and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Hunt Russet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Hunt Russet Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Hunt Russet Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42499251208258,"sku":null,"price":84.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/russet-apples-on-tree-representative.jpg?v=1791617260"},{"product_id":"laxtons-favorite-apple","title":"Laxton's Favorite Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Laxton's Favorite Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#laxtons-favorite-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5, such as Honeycrisp, Zestar! or Liberty. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zestar-apple\"\u003eZestar!® Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the first year we’ve grown Laxton’s Favorite. We got scionwood from Tim Makepeace in spring 2025 and grafted it because we wanted a proven, Cox-style dessert apple with real historical pedigree and excellent fresh-eating quality, while also testing how far a classic English apple can be pushed in Montana’s colder, drier climate. Because we have not yet tasted the fruit or observed its long-term behavior under Montana conditions, the information below is secondhand and drawn from reputable references.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaxton’s Favorite is an English dessert apple raised by Laxton Bros. in Bedford in 1925 and introduced in 1951. Its documented parentage is Cox’s Orange Pippin × Laxton’s Exquisite (sometimes listed simply as Cox’s Orange Pippin × Exquisite).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit Quality \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaxton’s Favorite is a sweet, crisp, juicy dessert apple. Multiple references describe the flesh as coarse-grained but pleasantly crisp and sweet, and it’s typically treated as a fresh-eating apple first and foremost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit \u0026amp; Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're currently offering this on Bud 118 semi-standard rootstock so a practical spacing is about 15 feet apart, and up to 18 feet if you want more airflow and less pruning pressure over time. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn an extensive search, we did not find a reliable, cultivar-specific reference that documents a precise “survived down to −X °F” mid-winter minimum for Laxton’s Favorite, the way some North American apples are sometimes documented in trial reports. Most authoritative cultivar records focus on origin, parentage, bloom group, and fruit qualities rather than a tested minimum temperature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, for Montana, we think the conservative approach is the right one: treat Laxton’s Favorite as a Zone 3b\/4-ish “try it with some protection and good site choice” apple rather than assuming it’s an extreme-cold survivor. All of the English apples we have grown have survived -30°F without any issues. So that is likely the case with Laxton's Favorite, and it likely could survive -35°F or possibly even -40°F, if well-sited out of frost pooling areas\/on a bench, although this is speculative. In other words: it may do well in much of western Montana (especially the Bitterroot, Missoula-area pockets, and warmer bench sites), but we would not treat it as a go-to for the colder, windier parts of eastern Montana without a favorable microclimate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaxton’s Favorite is listed as flowering period\/pollination group C in UK references (roughly mid-season bloom), so it should be pollenized by many mid-bloom apples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the apples currently listed on our site, good potential pollenizers to pair nearby (this list is not exhaustive) include mid-bloom, widely compatible types such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zestar-apple\"\u003eZestar\u003c\/a\u003e!, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty\u003c\/a\u003e, McIntosh-types, and many crabapples\/crab hybrids that overlap bloom. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRipening Time\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn UK references, Laxton’s Favorite is typically picked in late August and used September–October. In Montana, that likely translates to a mid-September ripening window in warmer sites, with timing sliding later in cooler valleys. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Notable Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Laxton’s Favorite is closely tied to the Cox line, it’s often grown specifically for that aromatic dessert-apple character, but, as with many Cox-family apples, performance can be quite site-dependent. For Montana, good airflow, thoughtful pruning, and a reasonably warm ripening window will matter a lot for fruit quality and disease pressure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImage courtesy of \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" title=\"East of England Apples and Orchard Project\" href=\"https:\/\/applesandorchards.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEast Of England Apples and Orchard Project\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Laxton's Favorite Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Laxton's Favorite Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Laxton's Favorite Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5, such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zestar-apple\"\u003eZestar\u003c\/a\u003e! or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty\u003c\/a\u003e. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Partners we carry include Zestar!® Apple, Honeycrisp Apple, Liberty Apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Laxton's Favorite Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Laxton's Favorite Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. We haven't found a documented survival temperature for it and haven't wintered it long enough ourselves, but every English apple we've grown has come through -30°F without issues, so that's our estimate. We'll update it once we have our own data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Laxton's Favorite Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#laxtons-favorite-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Laxton's Favorite Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Laxton's Favorite Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Laxton's Favorite Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Laxton's Favorite Apple are fresh eating (7\/10). Since we haven't tasted our own fruit yet, that score leans on published descriptions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Laxton's Favorite Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Laxton's Favorite Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Laxton's Favorite Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft. (One Year Older)","offer_id":42500851302466,"sku":null,"price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older)","offer_id":45133800407106,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/laxtons-favorite-apple-on-tree.jpg?v=1789020421"},{"product_id":"roxbury-russet-apple","title":"Roxbury Russet Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Roxbury Russet Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 in our ratings (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 5 of 7, mid-late for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). From published figures. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#roxbury-russet-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 5 of 7 (mid-late), late spring here. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 4 to 6. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 71 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDolgo: full size, about 20 to 30 ft tall unpruned. Very hardy and well anchored. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter storage (9\/10), hard cider (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: \u003cem\u003eThis is a new variety for us, so the information below is based on historical pomological sources and grower reports rather than our own long-term, first-hand experience.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoxbury Russet is widely regarded as the oldest named apple cultivar in North America, long valued for its durability, storability, and distinctive russeted fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoxbury Russet originated in Massachusetts and is documented in cultivation by the mid-1600s, making it a foundational apple of early colonial orchards. It was grown extensively throughout New England for centuries, not because it was flashy or early, but because it reliably produced fruit that could be stored and eaten deep into winter. Its longevity in American orchards speaks to both its resilience and its practical value in a pre-refrigeration world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is medium-sized with heavy, rough russeting over greenish-gold skin. Flesh is firm, dense, and mildly sweet with a nutty, earthy, almost pear-like flavor that develops and improves noticeably after storage. Roxbury Russet has historically been prized as a winter keeper, excelling for fresh eating after a period of storage, as well as for baking and cider. It is not typically an apple meant for immediate eating at harvest, but rather one that rewards patience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit \u0026amp; Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrees are typically vigorous, long-lived, and spreading, especially on standard rootstocks. Like many very old cultivars, Roxbury Russet can be slower to come into bearing compared to modern apples, but it compensates with durability and longevity. Spacing on \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolgo-crabapple-bundle-of-2\"\u003eDolgo\u003c\/a\u003e rootstock (what we currently offer) is in the 18-20 ft. range. Tighter spacing could be applied for a more intensive pruning regiment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoxbury Russet is not self-fertile and requires a compatible apple pollenizer with overlapping bloom. As a diploid apple, it both requires and provides viable pollen and fits well into mixed plantings with other mid-season blooming apples. Examples of what could cross with Roxbury Russet includes the following: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-22-end-apple\"\u003e9-22 End\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/arkansas-black\"\u003eArkansas Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ashmeads-kernel-apple\"\u003eAshmead’s Kernel\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/brown-snout-apple\"\u003eBrown Snout\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/crimson-beauty-apple\"\u003eCrimson Beauty\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/empire-apple\"\u003eEmpire\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/freedom-apple\"\u003eFreedom\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, KinderKrisp, McIntosh, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mn-1628-apple\"\u003eMN 1628\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/paula-red\"\u003ePaula Red\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pristine\"\u003ePristine\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/spartan-apple\"\u003eSpartan\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/chestnut-crabapple\"\u003eChestnut\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/centennial-apple-crab\"\u003eCentennial\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/martha-applecrab\"\u003eMartha\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rescue-apple-crab\"\u003eRescue\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trailman-crab\"\u003eTrailman\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommonly reported as a zone 4 apple, there are anecdotal online claims of survival to colder temperatures, sometimes as low as the -40°F range, but we have not confirmed this. For now, until we have more experience with it, we are listing it as hardy to -30F, and therefore for Montana growers, should just be grown in the warmest valleys of western MT. These are: Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Flathead, Jocko, Lower Kootenai, Mission, Missoula, and Upper Flathead \/ North Fork. For Eastern MT, could possibly work in Billings and the surrounding warmer microclimates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Roxbury Russet Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Roxbury Russet Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Roxbury Russet Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 4 to 6. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Roxbury Russet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Roxbury Russet Apple hardy to zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Roxbury Russet Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. That comes from published figures for this variety. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#roxbury-russet-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Roxbury Russet Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Roxbury Russet Apple onto \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolgo-crabapple-bundle-of-2\"\u003eDolgo\u003c\/a\u003e (full size), which makes a tree roughly 20 to 30 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Roxbury Russet Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Roxbury Russet Apple are winter storage (9\/10), hard cider (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Roxbury Russet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Roxbury Russet Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Roxbury Russet Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Dolgo Full Size: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42504523776066,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/roxbury-russet-apple-harvest.jpg?v=1789021037"},{"product_id":"yates-apple","title":"Yates Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yates Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F, untested in cold climates), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (800 to 1,000). From published figures. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#yates-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter storage (9\/10), hard cider (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), sauce and butter (7\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), canning and freezing (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe don't have long-term data from our own mother trees of Yates yet, so everything below is secondhand for now.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYates is an old Georgia apple, small and red striped, and known as a good keeper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Downing's The Fruits and Fruit-Trees of America, Yates \"originated in Fayette Co., Ga.\" We haven't found a date or parentage for it. Downing's entry is the only detailed old description we've been able to track down, so everything below comes from him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDowning describes the fruit as small, oblate or oblate-conic, \"whitish yellow, overspread, shaded, splashed, and striped with shades of red, many light dots.\" The flesh is white, \"sometimes stained next the skin, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid.\" He rated it \"good\" and called it a \"good keeper.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Downing called the tree a \"very upright grower\" and a \"great bearer.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer. We're estimating it blooms mid-season, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYates is a southern apple, and we haven't found any published hardiness data for it. We've listed it at zone 4 as an estimate. Treat that as untested until we have our own winter data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhotos: “starr-201126-8560-Malus pumila-Yates fruit-Hawea Pl Olinda-Maui” by Forest and Kim Starr (Starr Environmental), via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/starr-environmental\/50860211011\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e; “starr-201126-8559-Malus pumila-Yates fruiting habit-Hawea Pl Olinda-Maui” by Forest and Kim Starr (Starr Environmental), via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/starr-environmental\/50860210711\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e; “Pomological Watercolor POM00000919” by Heiges, Bertha, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00000919.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Yates Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Yates Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Yates Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Yates Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Yates Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. It's a southern apple and we haven't found any published hardiness data, so treat that as an untested estimate until we have our own winter data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Yates Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,000. That comes from published figures for this variety. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#yates-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Yates Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Yates Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Yates Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Yates Apple are winter storage (9\/10), hard cider (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), sauce and butter (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on Downing's description rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Yates Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Yates Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Yates Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42511541239874,"sku":null,"price":74.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/yates-apple-on-branch.jpg?v=1791616567"},{"product_id":"newtown-pippin-apple","title":"Newtown Pippin Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Newtown Pippin Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 4 in our ratings (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Oct 16 to Oct 26 in Missoula (picked and dated at our place in Missoula).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 9. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 700 hours (700 to 1,000). Well documented. Independent sources agree. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#newtown-pippin-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5, such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-22-end-apple\"\u003e9-22 End\u003c\/a\u003e, Alexander or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/carroll-apple\"\u003eCarroll\u003c\/a\u003e. Some sources call it a triploid, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree until that's settled. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cox-orange-pippin-apple\"\u003eCox Orange Pippin Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/freedom-apple\"\u003eFreedom Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 104 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Oct 16 to Oct 26 in Missoula (picked and dated off our own trees). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter storage (9\/10), fresh eating (8\/10), juice and sweet cider (8\/10), hard cider (8\/10), cooking and roasting (8\/10), pies and baking (7\/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft or 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"190\" data-end=\"201\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"203\" data-end=\"538\"\u003eNewtown Pippin is one of the oldest American apples, originating as a chance seedling in Newtown (now Elmhurst), Queens \/ Long Island, New York in the late 1600s to early 1700s. It has long been regarded as a high-quality dessert apple with exceptional keeping ability and was historically prized for winter use after extended storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"562\"\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Parentage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"564\" data-end=\"953\"\u003eParentage is unknown (seedling origin). The cultivar has circulated under several names, most notably \u003cem data-start=\"666\" data-end=\"684\"\u003eAlbemarle Pippin\u003c\/em\u003e, reflecting its long cultivation history in Virginia’s Albemarle region. Sources commonly distinguish Green Newtown and Yellow Newtown forms, which are often treated as closely related strains or sports rather than clearly separate cultivars in all references.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"955\" data-end=\"978\"\u003eFruit Quality \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"980\" data-end=\"1292\"\u003eNewtown Pippin is typically described as green to green-yellow, often with light russeting, and firm yellowish flesh. All the Newtown's we have grown in Missoula, are yellow with a nice blush when ready and are very pretty (see photos).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1294\" data-end=\"1922\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1294\" data-end=\"1342\"\u003eStorage taste notes (Luke Ruffner Robinson):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"1342\" data-end=\"1345\"\u003eFruit harvested in early fall (specifically on Oct. 22nd in Missoula) and stored under refrigeration until late February was tasted fresh on 2\/22\/25. After more than four months in cold storage, the apple remained crisp and crunchy, with no mealiness. The flavor had mellowed into a soft sweetness, with low perceived acidity, yet retained a subtle lemony character on the finish. Flesh texture was fine-grained, clean, and notably crisp, confirming Newtown Pippin’s reputation as a premier long-keeping dessert apple. Overall eating quality at this stage was excellent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1924\" data-end=\"2220\"\u003eUses include fresh eating after storage, long winter keeping, and cider production, where Newtown Pippin contributes aromatic complexity and structure rather than sharp acidity. Historically, it was valued precisely because it reached peak quality \u003cem data-start=\"2172\" data-end=\"2179\"\u003eafter\u003c\/em\u003e extended storage rather than at harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"2222\" data-end=\"2247\"\u003eGrowth Habit \u0026amp; Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2249\" data-end=\"2326\"\u003eTree vigor and final size depend heavily on rootstock. As a general baseline:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2327\" data-end=\"2418\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2327\" data-end=\"2364\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2329\" data-end=\"2364\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2329\" data-end=\"2352\"\u003eSemi-dwarf systems:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~12–15+ ft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2365\" data-end=\"2418\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2367\" data-end=\"2418\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2367\" data-end=\"2405\"\u003eMore vigorous or standard systems:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~18–20+ ft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"2420\" data-end=\"2434\"\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2436\" data-end=\"2683\"\u003eNewtown Pippin is self-sterile and requires cross-pollination. Plant with another diploid apple cultivar with overlapping bloom. Some examples of pollenizers we offer for Newtown Pippin include: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-22-end-apple\"\u003e9-22 End\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/arkansas-black\"\u003eArkansas Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/carroll-apple\"\u003eCarroll\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/cox-orange-pippin-apple\"\u003eCox Orange Pippin\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/crimson-beauty-apple\"\u003eCrimson Beauty\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/freedom-apple\"\u003eFreedom\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/empire-apple\"\u003eEmpire\u003c\/a\u003e, and many other mid-season blooming apples.\u003cspan data-state=\"closed\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"2685\" data-end=\"2702\"\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2704\" data-end=\"3182\"\u003eMost places online list Newtown Pippin as a zone 4 apple. Ours have done well in a warm spot of Missoula that has not experienced sub-30F temps. So we are not necessarily sure if it would survive -30F or colder temps. For now we are listing it as a zone 4 apple until we know that it has survived colder temps. Therefore, this would only be for the warmest valleys in Western MT, such as Missoula, Bitterroot, Mission, Flathead, and Clark Fork, and should be sited in areas that avoid depressions\/preferably up on a bench and out of where frost settles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Newtown Pippin Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Newtown Pippin Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Newtown Pippin Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5, such as \u003ca href=\"\/products\/9-22-end-apple\"\u003e9-22 End\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/carroll-apple\"\u003eCarroll\u003c\/a\u003e. Some sources call it a triploid, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree until that's settled. Partners we carry include Alexander Apple, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cox-orange-pippin-apple\"\u003eCox Orange Pippin Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Newtown Pippin Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Newtown Pippin Apple hardy to zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Newtown Pippin Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 700 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,000. That figure is well documented: independent sources agree. One of the lower-chill heirlooms we carry (about 700 hours), and it does well in milder climates like coastal California. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#newtown-pippin-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Newtown Pippin Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Oct 16 to Oct 26 in Missoula, Montana (picked and dated off our own trees). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Newtown Pippin Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Newtown Pippin Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Newtown Pippin Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Newtown Pippin Apple are winter storage (9\/10), fresh eating (8\/10), juice and sweet cider (8\/10), hard cider (8\/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Newtown Pippin Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Newtown Pippin Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42500903010370,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45134027292738,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/newtown-pippin-apple-on-tree.jpg?v=1789020679"},{"product_id":"dolores-river-sorbet-apple","title":"Dolores River Sorbet Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dolores River Sorbet Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#dolores-river-sorbet-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 2 to 4 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 100 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFeeding wildlife (8\/10), ornamental value (8\/10), hard cider (7\/10), fresh eating (6\/10), juice and sweet cider (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft or 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Dolores River Sorbet, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDolores River Sorbet is a red-fleshed crabapple from southwest Colorado. According to the folks who found it, everything about it is beautiful: purple-red blossoms and leaves, red-fleshed fruit with a berry flavor, and apples that hang on the tree into winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was found and named by the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP), a group working to save the heritage apples of southwest Colorado. The original tree was a seedling growing in the town of Dolores, near the Dolores River, and its parents are unknown. It's also been planted in the Dolores Community Heritage Orchard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORP describes the fruit as red-fleshed with a berry flavor, calls it \"a favorite snack for kids,\" and says \"cider makers are sure to love it too.\" It ripens in the fall. MORP also points out that it's great for wildlife, because the apples hold onto the tree into the winter. With the red blossoms and leaves it doubles as an ornamental. We don't have our own notes on fruit size or storage yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike most Malus, it isn't self-fertile and needs a pollenizer. We're estimating it blooms early to mid season, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/centennial-apple-crab\"\u003eCentennial\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/parkland-apple\"\u003eParkland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/norkent-apple\"\u003eNorkent\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/transcendent-crabapple\"\u003eTranscendent\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop crab\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORP doesn't publish a hardiness rating for it, and we haven't wintered it yet. We've listed it at zone 4 for now. That's an estimate, not a tested number, and we'll revise it once we have our own data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eRepresentative photo of a red-fleshed apple, not Dolores River Sorbet itself. Photo credit: “RedLove Schnitz” by Lubera, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:RedLove_Schnitz.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 3.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Dolores River Sorbet Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Dolores River Sorbet Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Dolores River Sorbet Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 2 to 4 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Dolores River Sorbet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Dolores River Sorbet Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. MORP doesn't publish a hardiness rating and we haven't wintered it yet, so zone 4 is our estimate, not a tested number. We'll revise it once we have our own data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Dolores River Sorbet Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#dolores-river-sorbet-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Dolores River Sorbet Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Dolores River Sorbet Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Dolores River Sorbet Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Dolores River Sorbet Apple are feeding wildlife (8\/10), ornamental value (8\/10), hard cider (7\/10), fresh eating (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on MORP's description rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Dolores River Sorbet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Dolores River Sorbet Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Dolores River Sorbet Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-5 ft or 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":45156099752002,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 5-7 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156099784770,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/dolores-river-sorbet-apple-representative-red-flesh.jpg?v=1790130543"},{"product_id":"cherry-cox-apple","title":"Cherry Cox Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cherry Cox Apple is an apple tree provisionally rated hardy to zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 800 hours (800 to 1,000). Same as its parent, Cox's Orange Pippin. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#cherry-cox-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 102 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (9\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Cherry Cox, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCherry Cox is a sport of Cox's Orange Pippin, meaning it started as a branch mutation on a Cox tree rather than as a seedling. It has darker red skin than Cox, and the growers who've written about it describe a cherry flavor with a little anise in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the UK's National Fruit Collection, it was found by a Mr. Roed in Kjer's Orchard at Lindved, near Hjallese on the Danish island of Funen, around 1942. A Danish grower's notes give the same place and year. It was brought to England in 1951 by High Weald Nurseries in Sussex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium sized and round, with a darker, more solid red skin than regular Cox. The National Fruit Collection says it keeps Cox's rich, aromatic flavor. Stephen Hayes of SkillCult tastes cherry, \"something almost like cherry cough drops,\" plus some anise, and says it's fairly tart until it's fully ripe. It's picked from late September into early October. A Danish grower recommends letting it sit for about a month after picking, and says it's then a really good eating apple. It's said to keep longer than Cox, which is a poor keeper, but nobody we've found gives a number of months. This is a fresh-eating apple first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Reports on disease are mixed. SkillCult found it moderately susceptible to scab, and the Danish grower says the tree isn't especially healthy, so keep an eye on it. On the plus side, SkillCult says it's one of the most consistent bearers on his tree and if anything sets too much fruit, so plan to thin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCherry Cox needs a pollenizer. Reports put its bloom somewhere in the early-mid to mid window, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've listed it at zone 4 for now. The only rating we've found is Raintree Nursery's USDA zone 4, and that's based on average winter lows, not on the coldest temperature the tree has actually survived. We'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhoto credit: “20485CherryCox” by Juniperbushman, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:20485CherryCox.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 4.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Cherry Cox Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Cherry Cox Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Cherry Cox Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Cherry Cox Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Cherry Cox Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. The only rating we've found is Raintree Nursery's USDA zone 4, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet, so treat it as provisional. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Cherry Cox Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 800 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,000. It's a sport of Cox's Orange Pippin, so it needs the same chill. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#cherry-cox-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Cherry Cox Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Cherry Cox Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Cherry Cox Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Cherry Cox Apple are fresh eating (9\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Cherry Cox Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Cherry Cox Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Cherry Cox Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-5 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":45156131569730,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/cherry-cox-apple-fruit.jpg?v=1789017050"},{"product_id":"karmijn-de-sonnaville-apple","title":"Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple is an apple tree provisionally rated hardy to zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 5 of 7, mid-late for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#karmijn-de-sonnaville-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 5 of 7 (mid-late), late spring here. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 4 to 6. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 71 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (7\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Karmijn de Sonnaville, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKarmijn de Sonnaville is a Dutch apple with about as much flavor as an apple can carry. Raintree says it measures highest in both sugars and acids, and Cummins calls it \"one of the strongest flavored apples, extremely citrusy.\" Raintree also says it can overwhelm some tastes right off the tree, and recommends waiting about a month for the flavor to mellow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was raised in 1949 by Piet de Sonnaville at the horticultural plant breeding institute in Wageningen, the Netherlands, and introduced in 1971, according to the National Fruit Collection. Most sources give the parents as Cox's Orange Pippin and Jonathan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is a dull red to orange-red over a yellow-green background, often russeted, and it can be lumpy. It's picked in early to mid October and it keeps, somewhere between two and five months depending on who you ask, and it gets better in storage. It's a fresh-eating apple, and with that much sugar and acid it's also a good one for cider. Salt Spring Apple Company calls it \"a very good cider candidate.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Raintree calls it a vigorous grower. Most sources say it's susceptible to scab, and Cummins notes it does best where summers are cooler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead this part before you plant. Karmijn is a triploid, which means its pollen isn't reliable. Raintree says flatly that it won't pollenize other varieties. It also needs a pollenizer itself, so it can't be one of only two apples in a planting. Put at least two other diploid apples near it that bloom around the same time, and everything works. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wealthy-apple\"\u003eWealthy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/sweet-sixteen-apple\"\u003eSweet Sixteen\u003c\/a\u003e are good choices. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ashmeads-kernel-apple\"\u003eAshmead's Kernel\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/roxbury-russet-apple\"\u003eRoxbury Russet\u003c\/a\u003e are triploids too, so they don't count.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've listed it at zone 4 for now. Raintree rates it USDA zone 4, but keep in mind that's an average-winter rating, not a record of the coldest temperature it has survived. We'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; color: #777; margin-top: 24px;\"\u003ePhoto credit: “Karmijn apple” by ConT, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Karmijn_apple.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCC BY-SA 4.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhotos: “Karmijn de Sonaville jm55229” by joergens.mi, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Karmijn_de_Sonaville_jm55229.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 3.0\u003c\/a\u003e, cropped; “Malus-Karmijn-de-Sonnaville” by Sven Teschke, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Malus-Karmijn-de-Sonnaville.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/de\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 2.0 de\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 4 to 6. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. That's based on Raintree's USDA zone 4, which is an average-winter rating, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#karmijn-de-sonnaville-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (7\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), juice and sweet cider (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Karmijn de Sonnaville Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft.","offer_id":45156141760578,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156141793346,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/karmijn-de-sonnaville-apples-basket.jpg?v=1791636991"},{"product_id":"autumn-strawberry-apple","title":"Autumn Strawberry Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Autumn Strawberry Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#autumn-strawberry-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Autumn Strawberry, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAutumn Strawberry is an old New York dessert apple, pale yellow covered in pinkish-red, and in its day a lot of people considered it one of the best eating apples of the fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn S.A. Beach's The Apples of New York (1905), Autumn Strawberry is listed as another name for Late Strawberry, which originated in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York. It was described as a new apple in 1848. Beach notes that several different apples have gone by Late Strawberry over the years, but by his time the name was \"almost exclusively applied\" to this one. It's not the same apple as Chenango Strawberry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach calls it \"an attractive apple, pale yellow overspread or striped and splashed with light and dark red, very good in quality especially for dessert use,\" and says \"many esteem it one of the best dessert apples of its season.\" The flesh is yellowish-white, fine, crisp, tender and juicy, with a sprightly, aromatic, subacid flavor. Size runs from a bit below medium to above. It comes into use in September and keeps ripening over several weeks, and Beach gives its season as September to December. That staggered harvest is handy in a backyard, where you want apples over several weeks instead of all at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Beach describes the tree as vigorous, \"hardy, healthy, long-lived and a regular cropper,\" with moderate to heavy crops every other year or nearly every year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer. We're estimating it blooms mid-season, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach called the tree hardy, but that was in New York and he didn't put a number on it. We've listed it at zone 4 for now as an estimate, and we'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eIllustration: “Late Strawberry” (the older name for Autumn Strawberry) by Deborah Griscom Passmore, USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10113\/POM00002605\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003ePOM00002605\u003c\/a\u003e). Public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Autumn Strawberry itself. Photos of Autumn Strawberry are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Червоне яблуко (13692684585)” by teteria sonnna from Obukhiv, Ukraine, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:%D0%A7%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D1%8F%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%BA%D0%BE_(13692684585).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Autumn Strawberry Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Autumn Strawberry Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Autumn Strawberry Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Autumn Strawberry Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Autumn Strawberry Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. Beach called it hardy but didn't give a number, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet, so zone 4 is an estimate. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Autumn Strawberry Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#autumn-strawberry-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Autumn Strawberry Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Autumn Strawberry Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Autumn Strawberry Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Autumn Strawberry Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on Beach's description rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Autumn Strawberry Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Autumn Strawberry Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Autumn Strawberry Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-5 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":45156145528898,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/pink-red-striped-apple-on-tree.jpg?v=1791615016"},{"product_id":"lubsk-queen-apple","title":"Lubsk Queen Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lubsk Queen Apple is an apple tree we've conservatively estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#lubsk-queen-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 2 to 4 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/blue-pearmain-apple\"\u003eBlue Pearmain Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 100 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDolgo: full size, about 20 to 30 ft tall unpruned. Very hardy and well anchored. Plant 18 to 20 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 2-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year with Lubsk Queen, so everything here is secondhand until we have fruited it and watched it through a few winters. We will update it as we learn.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLubsk Queen is one of the prettiest apples anybody grows. It is a Russian variety, sometimes listed as Lubskoe, and the fruit is close to white with a clean crimson blush over it. People have been growing it for looks as much as for eating for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is an old Russian apple that came west with the wave of Russian material brought into North America in the late 1800s, the same general push that gave us Antonovka, Duchess of Oldenburg and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/yellow-transparent\"\u003eYellow Transparent\u003c\/a\u003e. Those imports are the reason apple growing works at all in the northern plains, and Lubsk Queen has stayed around mostly on the strength of how it looks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium sized, round to slightly flattened, with a smooth waxy skin that is nearly translucent white under a bright red flush. The flesh is white, sometimes stained faintly pink near the skin, and it is tender and juicy with a mild, lightly tart flavor. This is an early to mid-season apple and it does not keep, so plan on eating it fresh off the tree or turning it straight into sauce and pies. It is not a storage apple and we would not pretend otherwise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are grafted on \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolgo-crabapple-bundle-of-2\"\u003eDolgo\u003c\/a\u003e full size rootstock, so give it room. Plan on 18 to 20 feet between trees, or tighter if you are committed to pruning it every year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLubsk Queen needs a pollenizer. It blooms early to mid, so pair it with something in that window. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/chestnut-crabapple\"\u003eChestnut\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/centennial-apple-crab\"\u003eCentennial\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/norland-apple\"\u003eNorland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/parkland-apple\"\u003eParkland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/crimson-beauty-apple\"\u003eCrimson Beauty\u003c\/a\u003e and Dolgo all overlap well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have it listed at zone 4 for now. The Russian background suggests it may well do better than that, but we would rather under-promise than have you lose a tree. Once we have our own winter data we will revise it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Lubsk Queen itself. Photos of Lubsk Queen are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Discovery apples” by Bob Balmer, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Discovery_apples.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Lubsk Queen Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Lubsk Queen Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Lubsk Queen Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 2 to 4 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hewes-virginia-crabapple\"\u003eHewe's Virginia Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hyslop-crabapple\"\u003eHyslop Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wickson-crabapple\"\u003eWickson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Lubsk Queen Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Lubsk Queen Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. Its Russian background suggests it may do better than that, but we'd rather under-promise until our own trees have been through a few winters. We'll revise it once we have that data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Lubsk Queen Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#lubsk-queen-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Lubsk Queen Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Lubsk Queen Apple onto \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolgo-crabapple-bundle-of-2\"\u003eDolgo\u003c\/a\u003e (full size), which makes a tree roughly 20 to 30 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant 18 to 20 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Lubsk Queen Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Lubsk Queen Apple are fresh eating (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10). Since we haven't fruited it yet, those scores lean on published descriptions rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Lubsk Queen Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Lubsk Queen Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Lubsk Queen Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 2-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Dolgo Full Size: 2-4 ft.","offer_id":45156147462210,"sku":null,"price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Dolgo Full Size: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156147494978,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/pale-apples-crimson-blush-on-branch.jpg?v=1791616086"},{"product_id":"margil-apple","title":"Margil Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Margil Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F, untested in cold climates), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#margil-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), winter storage (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Margil, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMargil is a very old European dessert apple, and it may well be a parent of Cox's Orange Pippin. It's small and russeted, with a big aromatic flavor, and it's grown for taste rather than for size or yield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 2020 genetic study in BMC Plant Biology (Muranty and others) notes that the French pomologist Leroy called Margil a very old variety from Normandy, described in 1608 by Olivier de Serres. The UK's National Fruit Collection says it was known in England before 1750. It has gone by a long list of other names, including Never Fail, Munche's Pippin and Reinette Musquée. That same 2020 study used DNA to trace Margil in the family trees of 87 later apples, mostly through Cox's Orange Pippin, which it identified as a first-generation offspring of Margil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Hogg's Fruit Manual (1884) describes it as small, conical and \"distinctly five-sided,\" with orange skin \"streaked with deep red, and covered on one side with patches of russet.\" The flesh is \"yellow, firm, juicy, rich, and sugary, with a powerful and delicious aromatic flavour.\" Cummins calls it intensely flavored, rich and aromatic, and says it's always russeted on one side. It's picked in early October, and Cummins says it keeps until about December in New York. This is a dessert apple, for eating fresh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Cummins describes Margil as a small tree and a light cropper, so don't expect bushels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer. It blooms mid-season, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe haven't found a hardiness rating for Margil from anyone we trust, and most of what's written about it comes from England and France. We've listed it at zone 4 for now as an estimate. Treat it as untested in a cold climate until we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eIllustration: “Margil” by Amanda Newton, USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10113\/POM00000475\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003ePOM00000475\u003c\/a\u003e). Public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003ePhotos: “Malus Muskatrenette 4245” by Sven Teschke, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Malus_Muskatrenette_4245.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/de\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 3.0 DE\u003c\/a\u003e; “Muskatrenette jm55041” by joergens.mi, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Muskatrenette_jm55041.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 3.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Margil Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Margil Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Margil Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Margil Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Margil Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. We haven't found a hardiness rating we trust and haven't wintered our own trees yet, so treat it as an untested estimate. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Margil Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#margil-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Margil Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Margil Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Margil Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Margil Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), winter storage (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Margil Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Margil Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Margil Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft.","offer_id":45156149395522,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156149428290,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/margil-apples-basket.jpg?v=1791617882"},{"product_id":"pink-princess-apple","title":"Pink Princess Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pink Princess Apple is an apple tree provisionally listed at zone 4 (winters to -30°F, though published ratings say zone 5), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 750 hours (550 to 1,000). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#pink-princess-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Pink Princess, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePink Princess is a pink-fleshed apple from Ontario. On the outside it's a green to yellow apple with a few faint red stripes. Cut it open and the flesh is pink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was bred in 1967 by Fred Jansen, an Ontario breeder and collector. One parent is \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pink-pearl-apple\"\u003ePink Pearl\u003c\/a\u003e, Albert Etter's red-fleshed apple (we carry Pink Pearl too). The other parent is disputed. Most sources say King of the Pippins, and a few say a bronze-leaved crab. It was originally called Pink Lady (or Pink Old Lady), and the name was changed after Pink Lady became the trade name for Cripps Pink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium sized, light green turning yellow, with a few faint red stripes. Trees of Antiquity says the flesh is pink like Pink Pearl's \"but sweeter, with a nice fruity flavor.\" It's mainly an eating apple, and some growers use it for cider and pies. It doesn't keep long, three to four weeks at most, so eat it or use it. Ripening dates vary by source, and Honey Creek Orchard in Cedarburg, Wisconsin picks theirs in early to mid September.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer and blooms mid-season. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson crab\u003c\/a\u003e all overlap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've listed it at zone 4 for now, but the published ratings are more cautious. Trees of Antiquity and Pomiferous both put it at zone 5, and we haven't found any record of it surviving a hard winter. It does grow at Honey Creek Orchard in Wisconsin. Until we've wintered our own trees, we'd give it a protected spot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eRepresentative photo, not Pink Princess itself: Pink Pearl, its parent, which has the same pink flesh. Photo credit: “Pink Pearl” by John Loo, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/8510225@N07\/4892392195\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Pink Princess Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Pink Princess Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Pink Princess Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. It has good pollen, so it can also pollenize other apples blooming at the same time. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Pink Princess Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Pink Princess Apple at zone 4 for now, but Trees of Antiquity and Pomiferous both put it at zone 5, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet. Until we have, give it a protected spot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Pink Princess Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 750 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 550 and 1,000. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#pink-princess-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Pink Princess Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Pink Princess Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Pink Princess Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Pink Princess Apple are fresh eating (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Pink Princess Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Pink Princess Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Pink Princess Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft.","offer_id":45156161486914,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156161519682,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/pink-princess-apple-representative-pink-pearl.jpg?v=1790183964"},{"product_id":"six-finger-jack-apple","title":"Six Finger Jack Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Six Finger Jack Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 from its Colorado record (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#six-finger-jack-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFirst year for us, so everything below is secondhand until we have fruited it and seen it through a few Montana winters.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix Finger Jack is a Colorado seedling apple with a reputation for being flat-out sugary. Not just sweet, sugary. It is one of the varieties that put the Four Corners on the map for fruit a hundred years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt came up as a chance seedling near Lakeview, in Montezuma County, Colorado, and it is named for a local character called Six Finger Jack because the tree was found growing by his old cabin. Along with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/colorado-orange-apple\"\u003eColorado Orange\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/thunderbolt-apple\"\u003eThunderbolt\u003c\/a\u003e, it was one of the apples winning medals at state and world fairs back when southwest Colorado was serious apple country. Most of those varieties were lost when orchards got pulled and replanted to Red Delicious. The Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project found it, propagated it, and put it back into circulation. An old strain of Delicious is thought to be one of its parents. Jonathan turns up as the other parent in some accounts, but we have not seen that confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLarge fruit, and the eating quality is the first thing anybody mentions. The sugar runs high enough that the folks who saved it expect it to make a good cider apple as well, blended with something sharper to balance it out. Ripens in the fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, and up to 18 feet if you would rather have airflow than density.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix Finger Jack needs a pollenizer. It blooms mid-season, so anything in that window works. From what we carry, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/liberty-apple\"\u003eLiberty\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e and most of the crabapples are good options.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are listing it at zone 4 based on where it has grown in Colorado. That is an educated placement rather than a tested one for Montana. We would put it in the warmer western valleys, out of any spot where frost pools, until we have our own numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Six Finger Jack itself. Photos of Six Finger Jack are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo by Fumiaki Hayashi, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/red-apple-v7oWAumWyiA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUnsplash\u003c\/a\u003e, under the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/license\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUnsplash License\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Six Finger Jack Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Six Finger Jack Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Six Finger Jack Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Six Finger Jack Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Six Finger Jack Apple at zone 4, which means winters down to about -30°F. That's an educated placement based on where it has grown in Colorado, not a tested one for Montana. Put it in the warmer western valleys, out of any spot where frost pools, until we have our own numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Six Finger Jack Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#six-finger-jack-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Six Finger Jack Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Six Finger Jack Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Six Finger Jack Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Six Finger Jack Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Since we haven't fruited it yet, those scores lean on MORP's notes and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Six Finger Jack Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Six Finger Jack Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Six Finger Jack Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156171120706,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/photo-1572166365087-96ac83103260.jpg?v=1791638047"},{"product_id":"starkey-apple","title":"Starkey Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Starkey Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 9. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#starkey-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (7\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Starkey, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarkey is an old Maine apple, red striped, and good for both eating and cooking. It's a fall to early winter apple rather than a long keeper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to S.A. Beach's The Apples of New York (1905), Starkey originated on the farm of Moses Starkey in North Vassalboro, Kennebec County, Maine. Beach said it was \"said to be popular in market\" in Maine, and worth testing in New York. We haven't found a date or parentage for it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach describes the fruit as \"of good size, fair, well colored, largely striped and splashed with red, pleasant subacid, excellent for dessert or culinary use.\" The skin is pale yellow, washed or blushed with red and striped with carmine, and the flesh is whitish, firm, crisp and juicy, lively subacid mellowing to mild. His season for it was October to January in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Beach says the tree is hardy and vigorous, gets fairly large and spreading, comes into bearing young, and is a good cropper every other year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer. We're estimating it blooms mid-season, so pair it with something like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach called the tree hardy, and it comes from central Maine, but nobody we've found has put a number on it. We've listed it at zone 4 for now as an estimate, and we'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eImage credit: watercolor of the ‘Starkey’ apple by Deborah Griscom Passmore, USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003199.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Starkey itself. Photos of Starkey are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Wet apples on tree” by Michael Palmer, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Wet_apples_on_tree.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 4.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Starkey Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Starkey Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Starkey Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Starkey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Starkey Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. Beach called it hardy but nobody has put a number on it, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet, so zone 4 is an estimate. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Starkey Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#starkey-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Starkey Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Starkey Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Starkey Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Starkey Apple are fresh eating (7\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on Beach's description rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Starkey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Starkey Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Starkey Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156174069826,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/red-striped-apples-on-branch.jpg?v=1791616271"},{"product_id":"swiss-limbertwig","title":"Swiss Limbertwig Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Swiss Limbertwig Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 900 hours (700 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#swiss-limbertwig\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (7\/10), winter storage (7\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), drying (7\/10), hard cider (6\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Swiss Limbertwig, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwiss Limbertwig is an old Southern Appalachian apple with a color you don't see much: deep maroon, covered in big white dots. It's crisp and sweet with a hint of citrus, ripens late and keeps well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLimbertwig isn't one apple. It's a whole family of old Appalachian apples, and Big Horse Creek Farm lists Swiss as one of the named Limbertwigs. Century Farm Orchards and the Southern Heritage Apple Orchard at Horne Creek Farm in North Carolina both say it was grown by Swiss settlers in the Cumberland Mountains, which is where the name comes from. The dates people give for it are all over the place, so we won't guess at one, and we haven't found a published parentage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLee Calhoun called it \"a real beauty\" with \"a most unusual maroon color and large white pips.\" It's a medium-sized apple with a slightly rough, russet-like skin. Century Farm describes the flesh as \"firm, sweet, and very crisp,\" and Horne Creek Farm says that when it's fully ripe it \"can taste like a grapefruit.\" Watauga County Extension in North Carolina lists it as excellent for fresh eating and cider, firm when baked, and a good keeper. Brix Cider in Wisconsin tested the juice at 13.1 Brix with 8.8 g\/L acid and 0.20% tannin, and called the single-variety cider \"Nice, balanced. Good all around.\" That's high acid with the tannin sitting right at the cutoff, so it lands on the line between a sharp and a bittersharp. Every ripening date we've found comes from North Carolina, where it's picked in October, so we don't know yet how it'll time out in a Montana season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118, which acts more like a semi-dwarf in our Montana soils. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, 12 if you prune hard or up to 18 for more airflow. Watauga County Extension calls it easy to grow and says the Limbertwig name comes from the way the limbs weep when they're loaded with fruit. A writer for the Avery Journal in North Carolina, who has worked with an old Swiss Limbertwig tree since 2013 and planted a young one too, found they both grow \"fast and easily\" with \"few insect or disease issues.\" Horne Creek Farm says the trees are consistent bearers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwiss Limbertwig needs a pollenizer. We haven't found published bloom data for it, and we've estimated it as a mid-season bloomer. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/goodland-apple\"\u003eGoodland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson crab\u003c\/a\u003e all bloom mid-season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe haven't found a documented winter survival temperature for Swiss Limbertwig. None of the cold-climate nurseries we trust (Cummins, Purvis, St. Lawrence and Alaska Fruit Trees) list it, and everything we've found on how it grows comes from the southern Appalachians. We've listed it at zone 4 for now, which is an estimate, and we'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Swiss Limbertwig itself. Photos of Swiss Limbertwig are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “'King David' Apple” by Forest and Kim Starr, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/forest-and-kim\/46883676685\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFlickr\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY 2.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Swiss Limbertwig Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Swiss Limbertwig Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Swiss Limbertwig Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 3 to 5 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Swiss Limbertwig Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Swiss Limbertwig Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. We haven't found a documented winter survival temperature for it and haven't wintered our own trees yet, so zone 4 is an estimate. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Swiss Limbertwig Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 900 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#swiss-limbertwig\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Swiss Limbertwig Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Swiss Limbertwig Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Swiss Limbertwig Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Swiss Limbertwig Apple are fresh eating (7\/10), winter storage (7\/10), pies and baking (7\/10), drying (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Swiss Limbertwig Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Swiss Limbertwig Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Swiss Limbertwig Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft.","offer_id":45156176822338,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156176855106,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/deep-maroon-apple-representative.jpg?v=1791617260"},{"product_id":"thunderbolt-apple","title":"Thunderbolt Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thunderbolt Apple is an apple tree provisionally rated hardy to zone 4 from its Colorado record (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 5 of 7, mid-late for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#thunderbolt-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 5 of 7 (mid-late), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 4 to 6 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 70 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter storage (9\/10), sauce and butter (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), cooking and roasting (7\/10), canning and freezing (7\/10), jams and jellies (7\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-5 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Thunderbolt, so everything below comes from other people's work rather than our own observations here. We will update it once we have fruit and a few winters behind us.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThunderbolt is a big, dark red winter apple that was effectively lost for decades before the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project tracked it back down in southwest Colorado. It is firm, sharp, and built for storage, and it is one of the more striking apples we have ever put in the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThunderbolt, also known as Hoover, was one of the apples that made Montezuma County, Colorado famous for fruit around the turn of the last century. It was a favorite of Jasper Hall, an early grower known locally as the Fruit Wizard of Montezuma County. The variety slipped out of commerce as old orchards were pulled and replanted to Red Delicious, and for years it existed mostly as a name in old records. Jude and Addie Schuenemeyer of MORP first ran across it in a magazine published in 1909 by a Denver writer named Lillian Hartman, and then spent years hunting for a living tree. They eventually found it in the remnant of an old orchard, grafted everything they could, and only confirmed it later when one of those trees matched another Thunderbolt they had collected north of Cortez.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is large and nearly maroon, with white speckles and flecks of golden brown across the top. The flesh is firm and briskly acidic. This is not an apple to eat off the tree in September. Pick it after a good frost and put it away, because the flavor keeps improving in storage and it will hold most of the winter. That acid makes it useful well beyond fresh eating, so sauce, pies, canning and cider all work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are offering Thunderbolt on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock, so plan on roughly 15 feet between trees, or up to 18 feet if you want more airflow and less pruning pressure down the road.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThunderbolt needs a pollenizer. It blooms mid to late, so pair it with another apple in that window. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/arkansas-black\"\u003eArkansas Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e all overlap, as do most of our crabapples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are listing it at zone 4 for now, which is where the Colorado record puts it. We have no Montana winter data on it yet, so if you are in a cold pocket of the western valleys or anywhere east of the divide, give it a good site out of frost pooling until we know more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Thunderbolt itself. Photos of Thunderbolt are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo by Marek Studzinski, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/honeycrisp-apple-fruits-_1JLJ9jOLJ0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUnsplash\u003c\/a\u003e, under the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/license\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUnsplash License\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Thunderbolt Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Thunderbolt Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Thunderbolt Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 4 to 6 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Thunderbolt Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Thunderbolt Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. That's where its Colorado record puts it. We don't have Montana winter data on it yet, so give it a good site out of frost pooling until we know more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Thunderbolt Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#thunderbolt-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Thunderbolt Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Thunderbolt Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Thunderbolt Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Thunderbolt Apple are winter storage (9\/10), sauce and butter (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), cooking and roasting (7\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on MORP's notes rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Thunderbolt Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Thunderbolt Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Thunderbolt Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-5 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":45156177969218,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/photo-1576179634586-d8c5c8ae5d49.jpg?v=1791638047"},{"product_id":"tolman-sweet-apple","title":"Tolman Sweet Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tolman Sweet Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Oct 2 to Oct 16 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#tolman-sweet-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/burgundy-apple\"\u003eBurgundy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 103 more. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRipens\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout Oct 2 to Oct 16 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/ripening-map\"\u003eSee the date for your town\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCooking and roasting (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), hard cider (7\/10), drying (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10), sauce and butter (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is our first year growing Tolman Sweet, so everything below is secondhand until we get more long-term data from our own mother trees.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTolman Sweet is an old New England sweet apple. It's pale yellow, very sweet and firm, and it's best known as a baking and cooking apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNobody's sure exactly where it started. S.A. Beach's The Apples of New York (1905) credits it to Rhode Island in one place and mentions an 1891 claim that it came from Dorchester, Massachusetts, in another. The earliest description he could find was from 1822, and even that author couldn't trace it. Beach wrote that it was \"more generally grown in the home orchards of this state than any other sweet apple.\" It shows up in other family trees too. DNA work done with the Maine Heritage Orchard found it's a parent of the Maine apples Gray Pearmain and Green Monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is medium or a little smaller, roundish, and pale clear yellow, sometimes with a light blush. Beach describes the flesh as white, firm, \"rather hard,\" and \"decidedly sweet,\" and says it was \"much esteemed for certain culinary purposes as pickling, boiling and baking.\" In a regular cellar it lasted from November to January, and in cold storage into February to April. It bruises easily, so handle it carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOurs are on Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Plan on about 15 feet between trees, up to 18 feet for airflow. Beach calls the tree \"a good grower, long-lived and very hardy,\" with a spreading, drooping shape, and says it bears fairly young and is a reliable cropper. He also notes it was often used as a stock to top-graft less hardy varieties onto.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs a pollenizer and blooms mid-season. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/haralson-apple\"\u003eHaralson\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cortland\"\u003eCortland\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/frostbite-apple\"\u003eFrostbite\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wolf-river-apple\"\u003eWolf River\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/kerr-crab\"\u003eKerr\u003c\/a\u003e all overlap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeach wrote that across northern New York, northern New England, parts of Canada and the northern prairie apple country, Tolman Sweet had \"the reputation of being one of the hardiest of the old New England varieties.\" That's encouraging, but it's not a number. We've listed it at zone 4 for now, and we'll update it once we've wintered our own trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eImage credit: watercolor of the ‘Tolman Sweet’ apple by Amanda Newton, USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pomological_Watercolor_POM00003500.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Tolman Sweet itself. Photos of Tolman Sweet are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Weisser Klarapfel Freilichtmuseum Roscheider Hof Frucht H16” by Helge Klaus Rieder, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Weisser_Klarapfel_Freilichtmuseum_Roscheider_Hof_Frucht_H16.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/zero\/1.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC0\u003c\/a\u003e. Other photo: “Gibson Square apple tree (2)” by Oaktree b, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Gibson_Square_apple_tree_(2).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, licensed \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eCC BY-SA 4.0\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Tolman Sweet Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Tolman Sweet Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Tolman Sweet Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 3 to 5. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/otterson-apple\"\u003eOtterson Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/trail-crabapple\"\u003eTrail Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alexander-apple\"\u003eAlexander Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Tolman Sweet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Tolman Sweet Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. Beach called it one of the hardiest old New England apples but didn't give a number, and we haven't wintered our own trees yet, so zone 4 is an estimate. We'll update it once we have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Tolman Sweet Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#tolman-sweet-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhen does Tolman Sweet Apple ripen?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout Oct 2 to Oct 16 in Missoula, Montana (an estimate built from published sources and our climate). Warmer places run earlier and cooler places later; our ripening map converts the date to your town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Tolman Sweet Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Tolman Sweet Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Tolman Sweet Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Tolman Sweet Apple are cooking and roasting (8\/10), fresh eating (7\/10), hard cider (7\/10), drying (6\/10). Since we're still new to it, those scores lean on Beach's description rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Tolman Sweet Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Tolman Sweet Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156178395202,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/tolman-sweet-lookalike-pale-yellow-apple.jpg?v=1791616101"},{"product_id":"wise-monkey-apple","title":"Wise Monkey Apple (Spring 2027)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wise Monkey Apple is an apple tree we've estimated at zone 4 (winters to -30°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 5 of 7, mid-late for an apple or crabapple).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 4 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 4, colder half included (winters to -30°F). Find your zone with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr class=\"mft-chill\"\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChill hours\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 1,000 hours (800 to 1,200). Our estimate. No published figure exists for this variety yet. Montana winters give it plenty. In milder climates, make sure your winters average at least this much. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003eCheck your chill hours\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#wise-monkey-apple\"\u003esee our sources\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 5 of 7 (mid-late), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 4 to 6 on our chart). Good partners we carry: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/oriole-apple\"\u003eOriole Apple\u003c\/a\u003e and 70 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/apple-pollination-map\"\u003eApple Pollination Map\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRootstock and size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBud 118: semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper, about 12 to 18 ft tall unpruned. Stands on its own, few suckers. Plant about 15 ft apart. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/rootstocks\"\u003eOur rootstock guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFresh eating (8\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10), hard cider (6\/10). Scores are our 1 to 10 ratings, but we're still new to this one, so they lean on published descriptions and other growers rather than our own harvests. 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDeer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBare root, 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew to us this year, so the notes below come from other growers and from MORP rather than from our own trees. We will update this once we have fruited it here.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWise Monkey is a seedling apple out of southwest Colorado that took a bronze medal for best tasting at the Gnarly Pippins pomological exhibition. That is a competition specifically for seedling apples from around the country, so it is a room full of people whose whole hobby is tasting apples. Placing there means something.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin and History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was preserved and introduced through the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project in Cortez, Colorado. DNA work puts its parents as Rome crossed with Delicious. The medal came at the fourth annual Gnarly Pippins exhibition, held in Williamsburg, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit and Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tasting notes from that competition are worth repeating because they are unusually specific. People called it juicy with a rich tartness, and picked out flavors of honey, banana, berry, cookie and grape. It ripens in the fall. With that combination of sugar, acid and aromatics it should do well fresh, hold up in pies, and bring something interesting to a cider blend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit and Spacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn Bud 118 semi-dwarf rootstock. Figure roughly 15 feet between trees, or 18 feet if you want more room and less annual pruning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWise Monkey needs a pollenizer, and it blooms mid to late. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/arkansas-black\"\u003eArkansas Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/macoun-apple\"\u003eMacoun\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp\u003c\/a\u003e all overlap with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZone 4 for now. Neither Rome nor Delicious is a hardiness parent, so we are not expecting miracles out of it in a cold site. Give it a warm valley position until we have our own data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:12px;color:#777;margin-top:24px\"\u003eAbout the photo: this isn’t Wise Monkey itself. Photos of Wise Monkey are either under copyright or simply unavailable, so we picked the open-source image that looks closest to the fruit. Photo: “Apples on tree 2011 G1” by George Chernilevsky, via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Apples_on_tree_2011_G1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWikimedia Commons\u003c\/a\u003e, public domain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Wise Monkey Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Wise Monkey Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Wise Monkey Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety nearby that blooms at about the same time (bloom groups 4 to 6 on our chart). Partners we carry include \u003ca href=\"\/products\/black-oxford-apple\"\u003eBlack Oxford Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/northern-spy-apple\"\u003eNorthern Spy Apple\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Wise Monkey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe list Wise Monkey Apple at zone 4 for now, which means winters down to about -30°F. That's an estimate. Neither Rome nor Delicious is a hardiness parent, and we don't have our own winter data yet, so give it a warm valley position until we do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many chill hours does Wise Monkey Apple need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 800 and 1,200. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours\"\u003echill hours guide\u003c\/a\u003e has a calculator for your winters, and our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/chill-hours-research#wise-monkey-apple\"\u003eresearch page\u003c\/a\u003e lists the sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow big does Wise Monkey Apple get?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe graft Wise Monkey Apple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it. Plant about 15 ft apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat is Wise Monkey Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Wise Monkey Apple are fresh eating (8\/10), cooking and roasting (6\/10), winter storage (6\/10), pies and baking (6\/10). Since we haven't fruited it yet, those scores lean on the Gnarly Pippins tasting notes and other growers rather than our own harvests. Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Wise Monkey Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Wise Monkey Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Wise Monkey Apple ship?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-4 ft.","offer_id":45156180754498,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 4-6 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45156180787266,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/ripe-apples-on-tree.jpg?v=1791616440"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/collections\/brown-snout-apple-fruit.jpg?v=1792787200","url":"https:\/\/www.montanafruittrees.com\/collections\/zone-4-apple-trees.oembed","provider":"Montana Fruit Trees","version":"1.0","type":"link"}