Haralson Apple Tree | Bare Root, Zone 2b

Haralson Apple (Spring 2027)

$54.99

Rootstock/Size Spy 227 Full Size: 3-4 ft. (One Year Older) Bud 118 Semi-Dwarf: 3-5 ft. (One Year Older) Dolgo Full Size: 3-5 ft. (1 Year Older) Spy 227 Full Size: 4-6 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping Dolgo Full Size: 5-7 ft. (1 Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping

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 : Moderate, 3 of 5
Fire blight : Moderate, 3 of 5
Powdery mildew : Moderate, 3 of 5

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: Haralson 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 Sep 27 to Oct 9 in Missoula (picked and dated at our place in Missoula).

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 -47°F. We're listing it conservatively until we have more data. Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 1,000 hours (900 to 1,200). Well documented. Independent sources agree. 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 Sep 27 to Oct 9 in Missoula (picked and dated off our own trees). Real years swing about a week either way. See the date for your town.
Rootstock and size	Spy 227: full size. A Northern Spy selection. Bud 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. Dolgo: full size, about 20 to 30 ft tall unpruned. Very hardy and well anchored. Our rootstock guide.
Good for	Pies and baking (8/10), fresh eating (7/10), cooking and roasting (7/10), winter storage (7/10), canning and freezing (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.
Compare it	Haralson vs Honeycrisp, side by side on hardiness, pollination, ripening and fruit.
Where it came from	Read about the University of Minnesota breeding program and what else came out of it.
What you get	Bare root, 3-4 ft or 3-5 ft or 4-6 ft or 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Released in 1922 by the University of Minnesota, Haralson is one of those apples destined to stick around, especially among cold-climate growers. With likely parentage of Malinda and Wealthy, this variety produces trees that develop a strong central leader with wide-angled scaffold limbs—making for a well-structured, durable tree.

A Favorite Among Growers

While we think Haralson is certainly a good apple, our close friends Kate Wilburn and Shane Sator consider it their absolute favorite. Haralson also has a special place in our hearts, as it's one of the parents—along with Dolgo crab—of Kerr, one of our all-time favorite apples.

Fruit Characteristics and Culinary Use

Haralson produces medium to large-sized apples that are versatile in the kitchen. It’s great for:

Fresh eating
Cooking
Pies and baking

Extreme Cold Hardiness

This is a solid Zone 2b apple, and its hardiness is quite good. On Ed Schultz’s farm in Gallatin Gateway, MT, Haralson trees survived -47°F with only minor limb damage on two separate occasions.

Questions we get about Haralson Apple

Does Haralson Apple need a pollenizer?

Yes. Haralson 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 Haralson Apple?

We rate Haralson Apple hardy to zone 2b, which means winters down to about -45°F. Our notes have it taking -47°F. We're listing it conservatively until we have more data. 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 Haralson Apple need?

About 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 900 and 1,200. That figure is well documented: independent sources agree. Montana winters deliver that with plenty to spare. Our chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

When does Haralson Apple ripen?

About Sep 27 to Oct 9 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.

How big does Haralson Apple get?

We graft Haralson Apple onto Spy 227 (full size). Some sizes are on Bud 118, Dolgo.

What is Haralson Apple good for?

Our top use scores for Haralson Apple are pies and baking (8/10), fresh eating (7/10), cooking and roasting (7/10), winter storage (7/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.

Is Haralson Apple disease resistant?

Somewhat. It holds up moderately well against apple scab, cedar-apple rust, fire blight and powdery mildew. Our apple disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Will deer eat Haralson Apple?

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

More Plants Like This

Haralson vs Honeycrisp: Which Apple for a Cold Climate?Sweet, Crunchy Apples That Take Zone 3 (Honeycrisp Included)

By Zone

Zone 2 Apple Trees Zone 2 Cooking & Baking Apples Zone 2 Fruit for Winter Storage Zone 3 Cooking & Baking Apples Zone 3 Fruit for Winter Storage Zone 4 Cooking & Baking Apples Zone 4 Fruit for Winter Storage

Bred By

University of Minnesota Fruit Varieties

Best For

Best Apples for Pies Good Keeper

Pollination, Bloom & Ripening

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Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Haralson Apple

Haralson 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.