Rescue Applecrab Tree | Bare Root, Zone 1

Rescue applecrabs ripening on the branch

Rescue Applecrab (Spring 2027)

$49.99

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)

Disease resistanceNo strong resistance

Apple scab : Unknown, no published data yet
Cedar-apple rust : Unknown, no published data yet
Fire blight : Susceptible, 2 of 5
Powdery mildew : Unknown, no published data yet

Scored 1 to 5. Higher resists better, and ? means no published data yet.

See it on our crabapple disease chart (opens in a new tab)

On video

Best Kept Secret to Grow in a Cold Climate (plays in a pop-up)
6 min video
Full description

At a glance: Rescue Applecrab is an applecrab tree rated hardy to zone 1 in our ratings, 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 10 to Aug 22 in Missoula (picked and dated at our place in Missoula).

Hardy to	Zone 1 to 7. A bare number means the whole of zone 1, colder half included. Our notes have it taking -60°F. Find your zone with our cold hardiness calculator.
Chill hours	About 700 hours (500 to 900). 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, such as Red Splendor Crabapple. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Good partners we carry: Red Splendor Crabapple (Bundle of 2), Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple, Wickson Crabapple and 100 more. Apple Pollination Map.
Ripens	About Aug 10 to Aug 22 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	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 (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), sauce and butter (6/10), canning and freezing (6/10), ornamental value (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, 2-4 ft or 4-6 ft. Shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.

Overview

Rescue is one of those absurdly hardy applecrabs that has earned its place in orchards across Alaska and Canada for a reason—it’s cold hardy down to -60°F and reliably produces even in the toughest conditions.

Technically a cross between an apple and a crabapple, Rescue brings together hardiness, flavor, and early ripening, making it a perfect fit for northern growers.

Flavor & Harvest Notes

We first tried it in August of 2022. Here were Luke’s taste notes from 8/25/22, when Rescue was ripe in Kalispell, MT (Rescue was fully ripe in Missoula on 8/25/25):

“Sweet, rich, and distinct. Juicy and moderate acid but nice and mellow. Richly flavored but smooth.”

Early season harvest – great for northern climates with short growing seasons

Best eaten fresh — does not store well and turns mealy quickly if left on the tree too long

Pick slightly early for peak texture and flavor

Can go mealy somewhat soon. Not a good keeper at all.

Cold Hardiness

Hardy to -60°F
Thrives in even the coldest parts of Montana, Alaska, Canada, and other extreme northern regions
Grafted onto Dolgo rootstock, which is also hardy to -50°F or more, making this one of the best fruiting plants to grow, even for zone 1 growers

Questions we get about Rescue Applecrab

Does Rescue Applecrab need a pollenizer?

Yes. Rescue Applecrab 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, such as Red Splendor Crabapple. Its pollen quality isn't confirmed yet, so don't count on it as the only pollenizer for another tree. Partners we carry include Red Splendor Crabapple (Bundle of 2), Hewe's Virginia Crabapple, Hyslop Crabapple.

How cold hardy is Rescue Applecrab?

We rate Rescue Applecrab hardy to zone 1. Our notes have it taking -60°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 Rescue Applecrab need?

About 700 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 500 and 900. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Saskatchewan-bred for extreme cold, not mild winters. Chill estimated around 700 hours and untested in low-chill climates. Our chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

When does Rescue Applecrab ripen?

About Aug 10 to Aug 22 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 Rescue Applecrab get?

We graft Rescue Applecrab 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 Rescue Applecrab good for?

Our top use scores for Rescue Applecrab are fresh eating (7/10), juice and sweet cider (7/10), sauce and butter (6/10), canning and freezing (6/10).

Is Rescue Applecrab disease resistant?

No. It's prone to fire blight. Nobody has published solid data on it for apple scab, cedar-apple rust and powdery mildew yet, so we list those as unknown. Our crabapple disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Will deer eat Rescue Applecrab?

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

Pollination partners

Trees that will pollenize Rescue Applecrab

Rescue Applecrab 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.