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Frostbite™ Apple on B.118 (Spring 2024)


An extremely cold-hardy, sweet dessert apple. Also known as MN 447.

A spreading, low-to-medium vigor tree, Frostbite™ is cold hardy to zone 3 and survived the killing winter of 1917-18 in Minnesota. Jim Luby, of the University of Minnesota writes: "We have grown it in a site in northern MN right on the border of 3a and 3b for several decades.  It has shown minimal or no injury in most winters. The limitation for it in northern MN is having a long enough season to properly mature the fruit.  Bloom is usually last week of May-first of June and we need to go to late September without a severe freeze to properly ripen the fruit." Frostbite™ is also moderately scab resistant.

The apple is on the small side, but it packs a punch. Striped maroon red over golden yellow, this little flavor bomb is juicy and intensely sweet. Tasters compare it to sugar cane and molasses, but tropical notes of pineapple are also detectable. Kids will love this one! The apple also hangs well and this is a recommended wildlife variety.

Frostbite™ was developed in 1921, but not released until 2008. Names that were considered included "Munchkin" and "Small Wonder." It is a parent of Keepsake™ and Sweet Sixteen, and a grandparent of Honeycrisp.

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A spreading, low-to-medium vigor tree, Frostbite™ is cold hardy to zone 3 and survived the killing winter of 1917-18 in Minnesota. Jim Luby, of the University of Minnesota writes: "We have grown it in a site in northern MN right on the border of 3a and 3b for several decades.  It has shown minimal or no injury in most winters. The limitation for it in northern MN is having a long enough season to properly mature the fruit.  Bloom is usually last week of May-first of June and we need to go to late September without a severe freeze to properly ripen the fruit." Frostbite™ is also moderately scab resistant.

The apple is on the small side, but it packs a punch. Striped maroon red over golden yellow, this little flavor bomb is juicy and intensely sweet. Tasters compare it to sugar cane and molasses, but tropical notes of pineapple are also detectable. Kids will love this one! The apple also hangs well and this is a recommended wildlife variety.

Frostbite™ was developed in 1921, but not released until 2008. Names that were considered included "Munchkin" and "Small Wonder." It is a parent of Keepsake™ and Sweet Sixteen, and a grandparent of Honeycrisp.


The Fruit

Fruit Type

Category: Apple
Subcategory: Cold-Hardy

Fruit Uses & Storage

Uses: fresh eating
Storage duration: one to three months (approximate, depending on storage conditions)

Fruit Appearance

Skin color: red
Flesh color: cream

Fruit Origins

Parentage: open pollinated seedling of Melinda
Origin: Minnesota
Introduced in: 2008
Introduced by: University of Minnesota

The Environment

Calendar & Geography

USDA zones: 3 - 7
Chill hours: Not yet determined
Ripening date: Sep 29 (approximate, in New York State) + 14 days after McIntosh

Tree Height & Spacing

Rootstock: B.118 Rootstock
Rootstock size class: Semi-Standard (90% of Standard)
Tree spacing (natural spread of tree): 24'
Good for wildlife planting? Y

Diseases & Pests

Apple Scab: Resistant

Pollination

Pollination Factors

Bloom group: 3
Is it self-fertile? N
Is it fertile? Y
Ploidy: Diploid
Rootstock size class: Semi-Standard (90% of Standard)

Pollination Partners

This table shows the first few results from a full search for pollenizers of Frostbite™ Apple on B.118. Please see our Pollenizer Search to run other queries and read how the application uses various factors. Also read more about fruit tree pollination.

Tree Ships Currently in Stock
Grimes Golden Apple on B.118 2024 8
Jonathan Apple on B.118 2024 7
Spitzenburg Esopus Apple on B.118 2024 7
Wagener Apple on B.118 2024 4
Enterprise Apple on B.118 2024 2
Keepsake Apple on B.118 2024 1
Black Oxford Apple on MM.111 2024 0
CrimsonCrisp™ Apple on B.118 2024 0
Enterprise Apple on MM.111 2024 0
Kingston Black Apple on B.118 2024 0
Golden Russet Apple on MM.111 2024 0

See all pollination matches for Frostbite™ Apple on B.118






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