Norkent Apple Tree | Bare Root, Hardy to Zone 3 | Spring 2027

A labeled crate of freshly picked Norkent apples

Norkent Apple (Spring 2027)

$54.99

Reliable shipping

Flexible returns

Pollination Needs a partner

Bloom group 3 of 7 (Early-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)

At a glance: Norkent Apple is an apple tree rated hardy to zone 3 in our ratings (winters to -40°F), not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Aug 26 to Sep 7 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).

Hardy to	Zone 3 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 3, colder half included (winters to -40°F). Our notes have it taking -50°F. Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 1,000 hours (850 to 1,150). 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 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. Plant a different apple or crabapple variety that blooms in groups 2 to 4. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Good partners we carry: Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple, Wickson Crabapple, Blue Pearmain Apple and 100 more. Bloom group is our estimate from the variety's origin and relatives. Apple Pollination Map.
Ripens	About Aug 26 to Sep 7 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. 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. Our rootstock guide.
Good for	Fresh eating (8/10), cooking and roasting (6/10), juice and sweet cider (6/10). 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.
What you get	Bare root, 3-5 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Norkent is a cross between Haralson (a true apple) and Rescue (an apple x crabapple hybrid). Norkent is one of the best tasting of the "Nor" series of apples, and is very hardy.

Although we've only been growing Norkent for a couple years, we’ve been impressed by its performance in Montana’s brutal winters. It has shown remarkable resilience, including surviving -47°F on Ed Schultz’s farm in Gallatin Gateway, MT without any winter injury. Ed considers it the best tasting apple in the “Nor Series,” which aligns with reports describing Norkent as one of the best-flavored ultra-hardy apples available.

Flavor and Uses

Norkent has almost a pear-like flavor and is great for fresh eating apple. It’s a summer variety, meaning it ripens early enough to be suitable for short growing seasons like those in Alaska and Canada, where winters can reach -50°F or colder.

Beyond fresh eating, Norkent is also used in sauces, cider, and other culinary applications.

Cold Hardiness

Hardy throughout zone 2.

Can withstand temperatures to -47°F, although possibly colder.

This makes Norkent an excellent option for growers in the coldest parts of Eastern Montana, the Canadian Prairies, and many parts of Alaska, although interior Alaska should still site Norkent appropriately with good drainage and out of frost pooling areas.

Spring 2027 Availability and Rootstock

For Spring 2027, we are offering Norkent on several rootstocks:

Bud 118: While often categorized as a semi-standard rootstock, in Montana’s calcareous (high pH) soils, it behaves more like a semi-dwarf. Growers in Washington’s Yakima Valley have observed the same. Hardy to -50°F or more.

Dolgo: A full-size rootstock, hardy to -55°F or more. Excellent for growers in extreme cold climates needing maximum resilience.

Questions we get about Norkent Apple

Does Norkent Apple need a pollenizer?

Yes. Norkent 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 2 to 4. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Partners we carry include Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple, Wickson Crabapple.

How cold hardy is Norkent Apple?

We rate Norkent Apple hardy to zone 3, which means winters down to about -40°F. Our notes have it taking -50°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 Norkent Apple need?

About 1,000 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 850 and 1,150. 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 Norkent Apple ripen?

About Aug 26 to Sep 7 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 Norkent Apple get?

We graft Norkent Apple onto Dolgo (full size), which makes a tree roughly 20 to 30 ft tall if you never prune it. Some sizes are on Bud 118.

What is Norkent Apple good for?

Our top use scores for Norkent Apple are fresh eating (8/10), cooking and roasting (6/10), juice and sweet cider (6/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.

Will deer eat Norkent Apple?

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

Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Norkent Apple

Norkent 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 3 of 7 (Early-Mid)

Pollination Needs a partner

Pollen Not tested yet

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