Chestnut Applecrab (Spring 2027)

About Chestnut Applecrab

Chestnut is the sweet applecrab: an 18.7 Brix average at USDA Geneva, nutty and mellow fresh, and hardy to zone 2.

• Where it came from: A University of Minnesota release, 1946 (Orange Pippin gives 1949).
• Parents: Sources disagree (one says a Wealthy x Keswick Codlin seedling, others a Malinda seedling), so we don't state it.
• Also called: Chestnut Crab.
• Cider class: Sharp, from 0.51% acid in Lea's Geneva table (measured on finished cider, not juice).
• Juice: 18.7 Brix average at USDA Geneva, New York (MSU cider guide); 14.75 Brix and pH 3.55 at Walden Heights, Vermont, 2014.
• Winter: Rated zone 2.
• Bloom and ripening: blooms in apple group 2 of 7 (early); ripens about Aug 31 to Sep 10 in Missoula.

Part of: zone 2 cider apples, crabapple pollenizers.

More reading: best crabapples for cider.

Questions about Chestnut Applecrab

Is Chestnut crabapple good for cider? Yes, as the sweet part of a crab blend. Its juice averaged 18.7 Brix at USDA Geneva, sweeter than most apples, with moderate acid, so pair it with a sharper crab like Kerr or Hewe's.

Is Chestnut crabapple edible? Yes. It's one of the sweetest applecrabs we've tried: bubblegum one year, nutty the next.

How big does Chestnut Applecrab get? On Bud 118 it's semi-dwarf, about 12 to 18 ft unpruned; on M26 about 8 to 12 ft (14 to 15 ft in deep, rich soil).

Sources: University of Minnesota hardy fruit releases, Orange Pippin, Chestnut Crab, Apple Cultivars for Production of Hard Cider in Michigan, Walden Heights Nursery, 2014 fruit evaluation, Andrew Lea, Cider Apple Compositional Data.

Overview

Chestnut, developed by the University of Minnesota, is technically an applecrab, 50% apple and 50% crabapple.

The University of Minnesota released Chestnut in 1946. Its parentage is disputed (one source says a Wealthy x Keswick Codlin seedling, others a Malinda seedling), so we leave it at that.

But don’t let the “crabapple” part fool you. Hand this to someone who thinks crabapples are too tart or ornamental, and you’ll likely make a believer out of them.

Flavor Notes

• One of the sweetest applecrabs we’ve tried

• In Fall 2023 (Kalispell orchard), we noted hints of bubblegum

• In Fall 2024 (WARC field day), the flavor shifted to nutty, mellow, sweet, and less acidic. Super yummy!

• Ripens 1–2 weeks before Kerr, making it a perfect complementary variety

  • Want something intense and tangy? Go with Kerr

  • Want something smooth, sweet, and nutty? Get Chestnut

Ripening & Use

• Ripens early: 1st–2nd week of September in western Montana

• Great for fresh eating, but also works in sauces or ciders

• Stores decently for a crabapple

Cold Hardiness

• Hardy to at least -50°F

• Ideal for Zone 2 and possibly colder

• Early enough to ripen even in parts of Alaska

Rootstock & Tree Info

For Spring 2027, our Chestnut applecrabs are grafted onto Bud 118, hardy to -50 F or more, and M26, which is less hardy (to -40F) and a little less dwarfing. If buying Chestnut on M26 and you can experience sub -40F, then bury the graft.