Otterson Crabapple Tree | Bare Root, Hardy to Zone 3 | Spring 2027

Otterson crabapples shown whole and cut, revealing red flesh

Otterson Crabapple (Spring 2027)

$89.99

Reliable shipping

Flexible returns

Pollination Needs a partner

Bloom group 4 of 7 (Mid)

See trees that will pollenize it Apple Pollination Map

Ripening

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At a glance: Otterson Crabapple is a crabapple tree rated hardy to zone 3 in our ratings (winters to -40°F), and not self-fertile, so it needs a different variety nearby as a pollenizer (bloom group 4 of 7, mid for an apple or crabapple).

Hardy to	Zone 3 to 8. A bare number means the whole of zone 3, colder half included (winters to -40°F). Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
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: Trail Crabapple, Alexander Apple, Burgundy Apple, Cortland Apple and 103 more. Apple Pollination Map.
Rootstock and size	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	Hard cider (8/10), pollenizing other trees (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), ornamental value (6/10), jams and jellies (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, 5-7 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Otterson is a red-fleshed crabapple or cider crab valued for intensely red, astringent juice and strong ornamental appeal.

History & Parentage

Its background is described in cider-focused sources as being selected for deep red juice and vigor. According to Pomiferous: "Long considered an open-pollinated seedling of RF: Niedzwetzkyana's Apple. The pollen parent is now pegged as Fameuse .

Fruit Quality & Uses

Primarily a cider and blending crab: high color, notable astringency, and best when blended with other juices.

Growth Habit & Spacing

Often described as vigorous. Treat like an apple or crabapple for spacing: commonly 12–16 ft on semi-dwarf, wider on standard roots.

Pollination

Like most Malus, it’s not reliably self-fertile and benefits from another apple or crabapple nearby. It also serves as an excellent pollenizer for many apples if bloom overlaps.

Cold Hardiness

Commonly sold around the Zone 4 class, if it is anything like its parents, we would suspect is to be hardy in zone 3, but not much if any below -40F.

Image: Resolution enhanced from a public domain image. The crabapple is unchanged, but some of the surrounding text and numbers may vary.

Questions we get about Otterson Crabapple

Does Otterson Crabapple need a pollenizer?

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

How cold hardy is Otterson Crabapple?

We rate Otterson Crabapple hardy to zone 3, which means winters down to about -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 big does Otterson Crabapple get?

We graft Otterson Crabapple onto Bud 118 (semi-dwarf in our dry Montana soils, semi-standard on paper), which makes a tree roughly 12 to 18 ft tall if you never prune it.

What is Otterson Crabapple good for?

Our top use scores for Otterson Crabapple are hard cider (8/10), pollenizing other trees (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), ornamental value (6/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.

Will deer eat Otterson Crabapple?

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

What arrives, and when does Otterson Crabapple ship?

A dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 5-7 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.

Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Otterson Crabapple

Otterson Crabapple 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.