Frostbite Apple Tree | Bare Root, Zone 2b

Frostbite Apple (Spring 2027)

$59.99

Reliable shipping

Flexible returns

Pollination Needs a partner

Bloom group 4 of 7 (Mid)

See trees that will pollenize it Apple Pollination Map

Ripening

Will it finish before your first hard freeze?

Check it on the Ripening Map (opens in a new tab)

Disease resistanceNo strong resistance

Apple scab : Moderate, 3 of 5
Cedar-apple rust : Unknown, no published data yet
Fire blight : Unknown, no published data yet
Powdery mildew : Unknown, no published data yet

Scored 1 to 5. Higher resists better, and ? means no published data yet.

See it on our apple disease chart (opens in a new tab)

At a glance: Frostbite Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 2b in our ratings (winters to -45°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 1 to Oct 15 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).

Hardy to	Zone 2b to 7. The b means the warmer half of zone 2 only (winters to -45°F). Our notes have it taking -40°F. Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 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. Check your chill hours or see our sources.
Pollination	Needs 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: Otterson Crabapple, Trail Crabapple, Alexander Apple, Burgundy Apple and 103 more. Apple Pollination Map.
Ripens	About Oct 1 to Oct 15 in Missoula (a Missoula estimate from published sources). Real years swing about a week either way. See the date for your town.
Rootstock and size	Dolgo: full size, about 20 to 30 ft tall unpruned. Very hardy and well anchored. Our rootstock guide.
Good for	Hard cider (8/10), fresh eating (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), drying (7/10). Scores are our own 1 to 10 ratings; 8 and up makes our Best Of lists.
Deer	A deer favorite. Fence it or cage it.
Where it came from	Read about the University of Minnesota breeding program and what else came out of it.
What you get	Bare root, 3-5 ft or 4-6 ft or 6-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Frostbite Apple is a cold-hardy dessert apple developed by the University of Minnesota as part of its northern apple breeding program. It was released in the early 21st century and bred specifically to withstand harsh winters while still delivering high fruit quality, drawing on hardy Malus genetics adapted to extreme cold.

Fruit Quality & Uses

Frostbite produces small to medium-sized apples with dark red skin and exceptionally sweet, intense flavor. When Luke tried this on Bob Purvis' farm in 2022, he was taken aback by the unique, tropical punch flavor. The flesh is firm and crisp. Apparently can be used in specialty cider, where its high sugar content adds richness and complexity.

Cold Hardiness

Frostbite is among the most cold-hardy apples available and is generally rated hardy to at least −40°F, and we list it as hardy to zone 2b (-45°F). It was specifically selected to survive severe northern winters while maintaining reliable productivity and fruit quality. That said, almost none of the University of Minnesota apples survive and do well for Ed Schultz in Gallatin Gateway, where Ed sees -47F regularly, and these Minnesota apples don't shut down in time for the Fall cold there. Therefore, Frostbite has seen damage at those temps but fortunately the damage has mainly been on its limbs, and not penetrated into the trunk.

Questions we get about Frostbite Apple

Does Frostbite Apple need a pollenizer?

Yes. Frostbite 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 Otterson Crabapple, Trail Crabapple, Alexander Apple.

How cold hardy is Frostbite Apple?

We rate Frostbite Apple hardy to zone 2b, which means winters down to about -45°F. Our notes have it taking -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.

How many chill hours does Frostbite Apple need?

About 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 chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

When does Frostbite Apple ripen?

About Oct 1 to Oct 15 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.

How big does Frostbite Apple get?

We graft Frostbite Apple onto Dolgo (full size), which makes a tree roughly 20 to 30 ft tall if you never prune it.

What is Frostbite Apple good for?

Our top use scores for Frostbite Apple are hard cider (8/10), fresh eating (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), drying (7/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.

Is Frostbite Apple disease resistant?

Somewhat. It holds up moderately well against apple scab. Nobody has published solid data on it for cedar-apple rust, fire blight and powdery mildew yet, so we list those as unknown. Our apple disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Will deer eat Frostbite Apple?

Yes, deer love it. Protect Frostbite Apple with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.

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Bred By

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Best For

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Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Frostbite Apple

Frostbite Apple needs a different apple or crabapple nearby to set fruit. Every tree below blooms at the same time and has pollen that works for it. Plant partners within about 100 feet.

Bloom group 4 of 7 (Mid)

Pollination Needs a partner

Pollen Good pollenizer

107 trees we carry will pollenize it. Showing the best matches, in-stock first.