{"product_id":"bitterroot-mcintosh-x-spartan-apple-seedling","title":"Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple (Bundle of 2)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 3 in our ratings (winters to -40°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 3 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 3, colder half included (winters to -40°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\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNeeds Cross-Pollination. Bloom group 4 of 7 (mid), late spring here. Not self-fertile. Every seedling is a different tree, so plant a different named apple or crabapple nearby that blooms in groups 3 to 5 on our chart to be sure of a good pollenizer. 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\u003eGood for\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSauce and butter (6\/10), juice and sweet cider (6\/10), hard cider (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, 1-2 ft or 2-3 ft or 3-4 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\u003eBitterroot McIntosh Seedlings: Local, Hardy, and Full of Potential\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThese seedlings originate from local Bitterroot McIntosh trees at Al and Mary Pernichele’s Frost Top Orchard in Corvallis, Montana.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLikely Mac x Spartan Parentage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eWhile we refer to these as Mac x Spartan crosses, they were open-pollinated in an orchard containing only Spartan and McIntosh trees. Although we can’t confirm with 100% certainty that Spartan is the pollen parent, it is very likely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGenetic Background and Potential\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eWe believe some of these seedlings have the potential to become excellent named varieties. With approximately 75% McIntosh genetics (50% from McIntosh directly, plus another 25% from Spartan—one of whose parents is McIntosh), that leaves only 25% of the genetics unaccounted for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eWhile apples do exhibit genetic variability, Luke has personally found McIntosh seedlings that have retained many of the desirable traits of the original. At a minimum, these trees could become great cider apples—and possibly more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eBoth Spartan and McIntosh are Zone 3 apples, known for their fair degree of hardiness. As a result, these seedlings are expected to be hardy to -40°F, and possibly even colder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mft-faq\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get about Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple need a pollenizer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Not self-fertile. Every seedling is a different tree, so plant a different named apple or crabapple nearby that blooms in groups 3 to 5 on our chart to be sure of a good pollenizer. Partners we carry include Otterson Crabapple, Trail Crabapple, Alexander Apple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow cold hardy is Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rate Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple hardy to zone 3, which means winters down to about -40°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\u003eWhat is Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple good for?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur top use scores for Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple are sauce and butter (6\/10), juice and sweet cider (6\/10), hard cider (6\/10).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWill deer eat Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, deer love it. Protect Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat arrives, and when does Bitterroot McIntosh x Spartan 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: 1-2 ft or 2-3 ft or 3-4 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\n","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"1-2 ft.","offer_id":42498832924738,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"2-3 ft.","offer_id":42498832957506,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"3-4 ft.","offer_id":42498832990274,"sku":null,"price":74.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/bitterroot-mcintosh-x-spartan-apple-in-hand.webp?v=1789019220","url":"https:\/\/www.montanafruittrees.com\/products\/bitterroot-mcintosh-x-spartan-apple-seedling","provider":"Montana Fruit Trees","version":"1.0","type":"link"}