McIntosh Apple Seedling (Open Pollination)

These are seedlings, so every tree is its own new apple. What's below describes the parent, McIntosh, and we don't have long-term data from our own seedlings yet.

Overview

These are open-pollinated seedlings of McIntosh. Apples don't come true from seed, so each of these is a brand new variety with McIntosh as the mother and an unknown father.

Origin and History

McIntosh started as a chance seedling itself, found by John McIntosh on his farm at Dundela in what's now Ontario in 1811. Its parents are unknown, though S.A. Beach put it in the Fameuse group. Here's the part that matters for seedlings: McIntosh was selling seedlings from the original tree by 1820, but they didn't produce fruit as good as the original. The family later propagated it by grafting. On the other hand, McIntosh has been a parent to more named apples than just about anything. A 1996 study found it was a parent in 101 of 439 cultivars. Luke has personally found McIntosh seedlings that kept a lot of what makes the original good.

Fruit and Uses

McIntosh itself is crisp, sweet with a slight tartness, and one of the most aromatic apples you'll ever bite into. It's one of our all-time favorites, especially grown in the Bitterroot. Your seedlings could land anywhere compared to that, but at a minimum they could make great cider apples.

Growth Habit and Spacing

These are 3 to 5 foot seedlings. On their own roots they'll grow into full size trees, so if you grow them out, plan on 18 to 20 feet between them.

Pollination

Apples need a pollenizer, and each of these seedlings is genetically different, so they can pollenize each other once they bloom. McIntosh blooms early to mid season.

Cold Hardiness

We rate McIntosh hardy to about -40F, and we've seen it growing east of the Divide where it gets colder than that, on good sites. Seedlings will vary, so treat -40F as a starting point.