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Cortland Apple Tree

Malus 'Cortland'

Nature Hills Nursery
$6943
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Cortland Apple trees require at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day to develop high-quality fruit and maintain a sturdy structure. Full sun exposure ensures the skin turns that signature deep red and helps the tree resist fungal issues by drying the leaves quickly after rain.
  • Soil: These trees thrive in well-drained, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. If you have heavy clay, plant the tree in a raised mound to improve drainage, or incorporate organic compost into sandy soils to help the roots hold onto moisture and nutrients.

Watering Requirements

During the first two growing seasons, provide about 10 gallons of water per week to help the root system establish deep into the soil. Once mature, the Cortland is moderately drought-tolerant, but inconsistent watering during fruit development can cause the apples to drop early or remain small. Aim for deep, infrequent soakings rather than light daily sprinkles to encourage a resilient root architecture.

Pruning Tips

Cortland Apple trees bloom on spur wood that is at least two years old, so avoid "shaving" the outside of the tree which removes future fruit. Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant to remove crossing branches and open the center for airflow, which acts like an exhaust fan to prevent disease. Thinning out the canopy ensures sunlight reaches the interior fruit so every apple ripens at the same time.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer in early spring before the buds break to fuel the initial growth spurt. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers after midsummer because this encourages soft, new growth that won't harden off in time for winter, making the tree vulnerable to freeze damage. Think of late-season feeding like giving the tree caffeine right before it needs to go to sleep.

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

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How many ways would you like to use your Apples? The Cortland Apple (Malus 'Cortland') gives you a multitude of choices! It is a cross between a Ben Davis and a McIntosh, and the variety has been cultivated for the past 100 years making it a fantastic Heriloom variety for your home orchard! Originating in the state agricultural experiment station in Geneva, New York for an agricultural breeding program in 1898.

It is a mid-season variety that when mature, your Cortland Apple tree will be covered with medium to large, bright red fruit with highlights of yellow and red striped. The white flesh of this variety does not turn brown after peeling as rapidly as most Apple varieties, so it is a great Apple to use in salads! In addition to salads, the sweet and slightly tart flesh is great for cider, pies, and freezing, so you can enjoy your Apples all year long.

In April, you can expect your Cortland Apple tree to be surrounded by bees, pollinating the pink and white blooms. While partially self-fertile, you will probably want to add another variety to improve pollination and yield. They are reliable bearers and will produce a full crop in 4 to 6 years. You can pair this variety with others that bloom about the same time, such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Cripp's Pink.

How to Use Cortland Apple Tree In The Landscape

The Cortland Apple is a vigorous variety with a lovely form. Spring blossoms, lush foliage and tasty gems, plus fantastic branching form for 4 season-interest. These are beautiful specimen trees as well as accents around the garden for low privacy and shade, in addition to a fantastic orchard tree and healthy Apples.

Charming cottage garden accents, these shade your vegetable gardens and adorn your garden beds in floral beauty! Tidy sized for small yards and small orchards as well as it is for tucking into large orchards to extend the harvest. The spring flowers bring loads of pollinators to your garden and all the attention with their fragrance each year!

Because the flesh of this Apple doesn’t brown fast, use these in fresh fruit salads, slaw, Woldorf salads, and on a charcuterie board for a crisp crunchy element. Pies, cakes, cider, and Apple butter, in addition to canned apples and apples fresh from the tree, will be yours to enjoy in a few short years. Good for baking and desserts as well as sauces and preserves, Cortland is ready to harvest just in time for late summer barbecues and get-togethers and back-to-school lunch boxes!

  • Stunning Red Fruit with Yellow Highlights - Flavorful White Flesh
  • Great Fresh Eating Apple - Doesn't Brown Fast
  • Partly Self-Fertile But Higher Yields With a Pollinator
  • Pollinators Adore the Fragrant White Blooms
  • Mid-Season Producer - August
  • Vigorous & Long-Lived Heirloom - 100 Years in Cultivation
  • A Cross of Ben Davis and McIntosh

#ProPlantTips For Care

Fruit trees like Cortland need full sun for the most blooms and therefore the most fruit. Requiring 8 hours of sunlight for the best crops. Do you live in the northern part of the country? The Cortland Apple does well in cold climates and grows well in zones 4-8. Able to survive cold winters.

Plant your Apple in rich, well-drained soil. If your soil lacks nutrients, add organic matter like leaves, compost and manure to enrich the soil. While the tree is young, you will need to water weekly as the sapling sinks its roots deep into the aquifer. Provide a 3-4 inch layer of mulch to hold in moisture and insulate the roots.

Cortland is moderately resistant to fire blight and apple scab, so you will have to worry less about pests and diseases. Prune to keep an open canopy for sunlight and air circulation, remove crossing branches, and maintain size and vigor.

  • Full Sun!
  • Regular Water & Fertility
  • Enriched Soil
  • Very Cold Hardy & Easy to Care For
  • 800-1000 Chill Hours
  • Prune When Dormant

The longer you wait to put your Cortland Apple tree in the ground, the longer you will have to wait to enhance your life with the delicious Apples that it will produce. Nature Hills ships plants that are already 3-5 years old, so you won't be waiting long for your first harvest. Plant this lovely Cortland Apple Tree this spring by ordering from Nature Hills now!

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