The growing season consists of spring, summer, and fall, and varies with climate and weather. Areas with longer growing seasons in the warmer hardiness zones can greatly affect the harvest times for each particular apple variety grown in your area.

Urban Apple® Tangy Green™ Columnar Apple Tree

Malus x 'AK-98'

Nature Hills Nursery

$111²²

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Plant Size

#2 Container 1-2 Feet

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Give this tree a spot receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to ensure the fruit ripens fully and develops its signature tart flavor. While it can survive in partial shade, you will likely see significantly fewer apples and weaker overall growth.
Soil: Plant in soil that drains well, as standing water can quickly lead to root rot issues. If you are dealing with heavy clay, amend the planting site with compost or plant in a raised mound to ensure water moves freely away from the roots.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy, especially during the first year while the root system establishes itself. Once established, these trees have some drought tolerance, though inconsistent watering during the fruiting season can cause fruit to drop prematurely or result in smaller apples. Applying a layer of organic mulch around the base helps retain necessary moisture and keeps roots cool.

Pruning Tips

Prune in late winter while the tree is still dormant to minimize the risk of disease transmission and see the structure clearly. Because this variety naturally grows in a tight, narrow column, you typically only need to trim back side branches that extend beyond your desired width to maintain its sleek shape. Think of it like a quick trim to keep the edges tidy, ensuring you leave the fruiting spurs intact for the coming season.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a formula specific for fruit trees in early spring just as new green growth begins to emerge. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the growing season, as this pushes soft new growth that will not harden off in time for winter and is prone to cold damage.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4	Week of March 30th
Zone 5	Week of March 16th
Zone 6-12	Week of March 2nd

Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Ok. We'll admit it. It looks a little weird. Apples growing along the limbs of a tree that is only 2-3 feet wide? But once you see it… and then taste it… you'll see how ingenious the new Urban Apple® Tangy Green™ Columnar Apple Tree (Malus x 'AK-98') really is!

Tangy Green™ is the modern solution to having normal-sized Apples in smaller urban gardens, on balconies, and in sunny container gardens anywhere! Staying short and only 2-3 feet wide, Tangy Green™ gives huge Apple yields in a small-footprint sized space. This makes it perfect for containers and tight-squeezes. The green-skinned fruit is produced on fruit spurs that hug the main leader closely. First developed in Czech Republic, Urban Apples® have been a revolution in at-home fruit growing!

You'll have romantic, fragrant white Apple blossoms in the spring followed by full-sized tart green baking Apples in the fall, so plant these petite trees where you can enjoy the flowers and fruit easily! Tangy Green™ will grow and set fruit the first year you plant it and only have higher yields year after year! For the best crops, a pollinator tree is needed so plant Tangy Green™ with one of its sisters Tasty Red™ or Blushing Delight™. You'll double the yield and double the fun!

Planting and Application:

Urban Apples® and their pollinators look amazing planted in twin pots around your seating areas, flanking the entrance of a garden path or anchoring a garden bed. The formal effect combined with the fragrant blossoms and green fruit will be conversation starters!

Take your edible landscaping to the next level! Especially a pair of sentries standing on either side of your front door entry! Or mark the entrance to a garden path with potted or in-ground Columnar Apple Trees on either side! Create a striking front garden berm with Tangy Green™ acting as a unique punctuation mark among the formal garden beds. Curb appeal will follow close behind.

What a chic and modern looking Victory Garden you'll create with a row of these space-saving gems lining the main walk, surrounded by veggies and herbs that will appreciate not being shaded out by a larger tree! Balcony or Rooftop gardeners rejoice as any sunny spot can now grow Columnar Apples!

Container gardeners, porch and patios in planters, or in the ground in that sunny but skinny patch of ground that runs along the side of your home leading to the back yard. It's hard to believe but totally true! You can grow space-saving columnar fruit in any sized garden, even on your balcony or rooftop garden!

Bright Yellowish-Green Fruit
Stays Columnar & Lush Foliage
Fragrant White Spring Flowers
Great In Containers & Small-Space Gardening
Full-Sized Tart Baking Apple

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Easy-to-grow, columnar Apple Trees need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day for optimal flowering and fruiting. Plant Apple Trees like Tangy Green™ and its pollinator tree in a well-drained location or container with good drainage and ample room for its roots. Provide these fruiting trees with regular moisture access and fertility, plus a 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist bark chips. Provide container-grown Apples with a protected winter location in colder growing regions of USDA planting zones 4 to 9, and stake your tree to support its straight growth.

Full Sun
Well-Drained Enriched Soil
Appreciates Mulched Beds
Regular Moisture & Fertility
Very Low-Maintenance - Little to No Pruning!

Embrace the weird! Grow full-sized Apples in any sized garden - even on your balcony - with the new Urban Apples® series of Tangy Green™ Columnar Apple Trees - Now available at NatureHills.com!

Botanical Name

Malus x 'AK-98'
Class
- Magnoliopsida
Species

x
Cultivar

AK-98
Growing Zones

4-9
Height

8-10 ft
Width

2-3 ft
Sunlight
- Full sun
Growth Rate

Moderate
Flower Color
- White
Leaf Color
- Green
Fall Color

Yellow
Native

Yes
Fragrant

Yes
Bloom Period

Late Spring
Does Not Ship To

AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, OR, PR, WA

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On all orders over $199
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Growing Zones 4-9

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Frequently Asked Questions

When to Plant Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Planting Bareroot trees as soon as you can dig a hole in spring and until hot weather, the earlier the better. Plant container Apple trees throughout the growing season with complete success - that is the benefit of container plants - to extend the planting season. Your County Agricultural Extension Office is a great resource for first and last frost dates in your area.

How to Plant Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Dig a large hole only as deep as needed to accommodate the bareroot or container root ball, and twice as wide. Add Nature Hills Root Booster to speed root establishment. Remove the pot or bag and situate it into the hole so the top of the soil (soil line if bareroot), is level with the new location's soil being careful not to plant too deep. Water in again very well and backfill with the same soil you dug up, tamping down gently to ensure there are no air pockets. Top off with a 3-4 inch thick layer of Arborist mulch. Consider staking your tree to keep its trunk growing straight for the first year to ensure it stands tall against strong winds and drifting snow.

When to Prune Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Trim off any broken branches from delivery as soon as you take them out of the box. Prune and trim Apple trees while dormant, in late winter or early spring, before you see new growth.

How to Prune Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Your Columnar Apple shouldn't need much pruning at all! But in case you do need to give yours a trim, here's how.

How to Care for Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Growing an apple tree is easy when proper soil, good drainage, attention to moisture, and regular fertility are maintained. Once you've chosen an apple tree that works for your climate, in the size you need for your landscape, and its pollinator (if needed), then you've accomplished half the battle! Apple trees will tolerate a wide range of soils, so long as water and nutrients are not limited and the pH level is adequate.

How to Fertilize Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

For the first year, water alone is most important. It is always best to get a soil test to see what your soil is lacking before adding more fertilizers. Once established, a fertilizer routine may be beneficial. We do offer some excellent slow-release organic options, applied according to the package directions. Fruit trees need more phosphate and it's possible to apply too much nitrogen which affects the soil's pH. Test soil acidity or alkalinity using a pH Tester. Fertilize in spring when you first see new growth emerging. Urban Apples® Columnar Apple trees are not self-fruiting and need a pollinating partner. Pair with one of these varieties or a white-flowering Crabapple tree like Dolgo:

Harvest Times for Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees

Urban Apples® Columnar Apple Trees are typically ready to harvest in September an are considered mid-season. Early-Season? Mid-Season? Late-Season? The terminology can be confusing for new Apple Tree growers. Weather, climate and your tree can also determine when it's ripe.

For Apples:

The growing season consists of spring, summer, and fall, and varies with climate and weather. Areas with longer growing seasons in the warmer hardiness zones can greatly affect the harvest times for each particular apple variety grown in your area.