PlantsFruits & Berries
Apple
Malus domestica
Zone 6a garden plant. Hardy through a Chicago winter unless the note says to pot it.
Fruit tree that needs a pollinating partner
ModerateFruits & BerriesAlso TreesEdible
- Light
- Full sun
- Moisture
- Medium
- Mature size
- 12–20 ft on dwarf stock
- Spacing
- 12–15 ft
- Bloom or harvest
- Flowers Apr–May; fruit Aug–Oct
- How it spreads
- Small tree
- What to buy
- Dwarf or semi-dwarf, two varieties.
- When to plant
- Plant bare-root in April or containers in September.
In the design
Most apples need a different variety nearby for fruit. Choose fire-blight-tolerant varieties. Expect to share with squirrels.
If you eat it
Ripe fruit
Don't eat seeds in quantity. Don't spray on a whim; follow a current Midwest spray note if you spray at all.
Only eat what you planted and can name. This is not a foraging or medical guide.
