A somewhat spreading tree, Honeycrisp is moderately resistant to fireblight and scab, but susceptible to cedar-apple rust, bitter rot, bitter pit, and powdery mildew. Honeycrisp can be a tricky tree to grow, especially on account of its low vigor, and some commercial growers recommend fully defruiting the tree for the first three years to avoid growth stalling out later. In higher density orchards, renewal pruning with cuts that leave a 1" stub can also be a successful strategy for promoting new growth. Crops should be thinned for best fruit quality and to forestall dropping. The best Honeycrisp apples will be produced in colder climates, and the tree is cold hardy -25 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

This large, mid-season apple is striped red over a greenish yellow background. It has achieved international fame and rock-star popularity on account of its exploding crispness; the flesh bursts open with a spray of juice that is refreshingly sweet and balanced. The exceptional texture of Honeycrisp is due to a peculiarity of its cells, which are about twice the size of those of other apples. An ideal Honeycrisp will keep its pizzaz in storage for over three months, but these apples are highly susceptible to bitter pit (affecting 25-75% of a harvest), a largely cosmetic problem which does not reveal itself until an apple has been in storage for weeks. This is mainly an issue for commercial growers–applications of calcium are recommended–and it is one factor, in addition to the apple's extraordinary popularity, that contributes to the high prices that Honeycrisp commands in supermarkets. Although Honeycrisp is usually not recommended for baking, Honeycrisp Pumpkin Muffins have been a personal favorite fall recipe of mine.

This apple was bred by the University of Minnesota specifically for cold hardiness. It was selected in 1974 and released in 1991. For many years it was thought that Honeycrisp was a cross of Macoun and Honeygold, but recent genetic analysis has shown that it is actually an open-pollinated seedling of Keepsake. It was named Minnesota's State Fruit in 2006.