Gravenstein Apple Tree | Bare Root, Zone 2b

Gravenstein Apple (Spring 2027)

$54.99

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Flexible returns

Pollination Needs a partnerTriploid

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)

Disease resistanceResists 1 of 4

Apple scab : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Cedar-apple rust : Resistant, 4 of 5
Fire blight : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Powdery mildew : Highly susceptible, 1 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: Gravenstein 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 3 of 7, early-mid for an apple or crabapple), and it ripens about Aug 29 to Sep 11 in Missoula (our Missoula estimate).

Hardy to	Zone 2b to 8. The b means the warmer half of zone 2 only (winters to -45°F). Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 700 hours (700 to 1,000). 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 3 of 7 (early-mid), late spring here. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 2 to 4. Good partners we carry: Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple, Wickson Crabapple, Blue Pearmain Apple and 101 more. Apple Pollination Map.
Ripens	About Aug 29 to Sep 11 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	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	Sauce and butter (9/10), fresh eating (8/10), pies and baking (8/10), cooking and roasting (8/10), juice and sweet cider (8/10), 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.
What you get	Bare root, 3-4 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

We have updated out hardiness for Gravenstein. Not only has this variety been successfully growing on Bruce Benson’s farm in Missoula for over 50 years, enduring multiple -30°F winters, it has survived well for Les McCartney in the low spot of the Gallatin Valley in Bozeman, MT, having seen -45F without much winter injury. Gravenstein is a solid zone 2b apple.

Important Growing Considerations

Gravenstein comes with a few specific requirements:

Triploid Variety: It cannot pollenize other apples and requires two diploid pollenizers with overlapping bloom times for successful fruit set.
Early Blooming: Choose pollenizers accordingly to match its bloom window.
Not a Good Keeper: This apple does not store well post-harvest.

Disease Resistance and Susceptibility

Gravenstein is:

Susceptible to: Fireblight, powdery mildew, bitter pit, and apple scab
Resistant to: Cedar-apple rust

Flavor Profile

Gravenstein has a distinctive sweet-tart flavor, often appreciated for its honey-like notes, making it a favorite for fresh eating and cider.

Hardiness Zone and Recommendations

We list Gravenstein at zone 2b (-45°F), based on how it’s done for Les McCartney in Bozeman.

Photos: “Gravensteiner Gut Wulksfelde” by Bahnmoeller, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; “Arche Noah - Gravensteiner” by Haeferl, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; “Malus Gravensteiner 4481” by Sven Teschke, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de; “Gravensteiner (apple) jm120648” by joergens.mi, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.

Questions we get about Gravenstein Apple

Does Gravenstein Apple need a pollenizer?

Yes. Gravenstein Apple needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. This is a triploid, so its pollen is poor and it can't pollenize other trees. Plant two different apple or crabapple varieties with good pollen that bloom in groups 2 to 4. Partners we carry include Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple, Wickson Crabapple.

How cold hardy is Gravenstein Apple?

We rate Gravenstein Apple hardy to zone 2b, which means winters down to about -45°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 Gravenstein Apple need?

About 700 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 700 and 1,000. That figure is well documented: independent sources agree. Gravenstein needs about 700 chill hours, on the low side for an apple. Montana winters cover it easily. Our chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

When does Gravenstein Apple ripen?

About Aug 29 to Sep 11 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 Gravenstein Apple get?

We graft Gravenstein Apple 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 Gravenstein Apple good for?

Our top use scores for Gravenstein Apple are sauce and butter (9/10), fresh eating (8/10), pies and baking (8/10), cooking and roasting (8/10). Anything scored 8 or higher makes our Best Of lists.

Is Gravenstein Apple disease resistant?

For some diseases, yes. It's resistant to cedar-apple rust. It's very prone to powdery mildew, and prone to apple scab and fire blight. Our apple disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Will deer eat Gravenstein Apple?

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

Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Gravenstein Apple

Gravenstein 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.

Gravenstein Apple is a triploid. Its pollen is poor, so it can't pollenize these back. Plant two of them so every tree in the planting gets pollenized.

Bloom group 3 of 7 (Early-Mid)

Pollination Needs a partner

Pollen Poor (triploid)

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