Winesap Apple Tree

A Sweet Slice Of History With A Tangy Twist

Bring home a timeless treasure with the Winesap Apple Tree (Malus 'Winesap'), a classic heirloom variety beloved since the 1700s for its crisp, tangy-sweet flavor and striking red-blushed fruit! This long-revered Apple offers the perfect blend of old-fashioned charm and modern orchard performance, bursting each spring with fragrant pinkish-red blooms that call to pollinators before setting a heavy crop of golden-yellow fruit tinged with red.

Also known as Stayman Winesap, this moderately crisp Apple features juicy, yellow flesh streaked with red veining and a wine-like tang that’s both refreshing and complex. Expect fruit from September to October that’s firm, flavorful, and perfect for fresh eating, juicing, baking, and drying. Best of all, the harvest keeps beautifully for up to three months in cold storage!

This antique variety has deep American roots, first grown in the 1700s and refined in the 1800s to become one of the most reliable heirloom Apples ever cultivated. Belonging to the Rose family, this historic tree connects generations of orchard lovers and remains a staple in the modern home landscape.

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Key Features

• Heirloom variety with rich history
• Gorgeous yellow fruit with red blush
• Tart-sweet, wine-like flavor and crisp, firm texture
• Fragrant pinkish-red spring blooms
• Heavy, consistent fruit production
• Harvest September to October
• Excellent storage life (up to three months)
• Moderate disease and rust resistance
• 600–800 chill hours
• Requires a pollinator (Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, or Golden Delicious)

Landscaping Uses

The Winesap Apple Tree isn’t just productive, it’s ornamental too! Its spring blooms are a showstopper, blanketing branches in pinkish-red blossoms that attract bees, butterflies, and admiring neighbors alike. The upright, oval shape adds elegance and structure to gardens, borders, and orchards.

Perfect for adding color, shade, and fresh produce to your landscape, this heirloom variety makes an ideal centerpiece or accent planting and brings seasonal beauty from spring through fall.

• Home orchards and edible landscapes
• Specimen or accent tree for front yards
• Privacy rows or living fences
• Shade near patios, gardens, or play spaces
• Pollinator-friendly mixed plantings

Care & Maintenance

Hardy in USDA growing zones 5–8, the Winesap Apple Tree is a deciduous fruit tree that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s moderately easy to grow and will reward you with decades of delicious harvests and vibrant blooms.

• Planting Time: Plant bareroot trees in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Plant container-grown trees anytime during the growing season before extreme heat.
• Sun Requirements: Full sun (6+ hours daily) for best bloom, fruit set, and flavor.
• Soil Requirements: Prefers dry, sandy, well-drained soil. Avoid clay or poorly drained soil to prevent root issues.
• Moisture Needs: Keep evenly moist using the Finger Test. New trees need consistent water access in their first year.
• Mulch: Apply a 3–4 inch layer of bark chips or wood mulch. Helps conserve moisture and protect roots. Learn how and why to mulch your plants.
• Fertilization Needs:
  • Begin fertilizing in the second year each spring.
  • Use a slow-release organic fertilizer designed for fruit trees.
  • Avoid too much nitrogen to prevent soft growth.
• Pruning Info:
  • Prune fruit trees in late winter or early spring while dormant.
  • Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches.
  • Open the canopy for air circulation and sunlight.
  • Summer prune to shape, remove suckers, and deadhead.
• Renewal pruning: Every few years, remove older wood to promote new fruiting growth.
• Pollination Needs: Requires another Apple Tree for pollination. Best partners: Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, or Golden Delicious.
• Chill Hours: Requires 600–800 chill hours for proper flowering and fruit set.
• Special Perks:
• Moderate disease resistance and rust tolerance.
• Excellent keeping quality and vigorous growth.
• Fragrant blooms attract pollinators.

Don’t forget to order your Nature Hills Root Booster for lifelong mycorrhizal symbiotic root support!

A Vintage Variety That Still Wows

Grow your own slice of history with the Winesap Apple Tree, a hardy, productive heirloom that brings beauty, flavor, and nostalgia to your garden. From its blushing blooms to its tangy-sweet fruit, Winesap is a delicious classic you’ll enjoy for generations.

Order your Winesap Apple Tree from Nature Hills today and start savoring the rich, crisp flavor of this heritage favorite right from your backyard orchard!