Winter Banana Apple Tree

Home orchards in areas with mild winters love the sweet, juicy taste of the heirloom Variety, Winter Banana Apple (Malus domestica 'Winter Banana'). Add this wonderful variety to your backyard and enjoy the beauty, aroma and heavenly taste for yourself.

This tree produces the most beautiful waxy yellow fruit with one side blushed with a pink cheek. It’s spreading habit, lovely spring blooms and fascinating display of ripening fruit make this an Edible Ornamental tree.

This valuable fruiting variety does very well in the Pacific Northwest and other mild winter regions that have low chill requirements. This variety is self fruitful when grown in mild regions. Add a second tree, or include another variety to increase your harvest.

The sweet, mild fruit is best for fresh eating but also used in sauces and cider. It keeps for several months with proper storage.

This tree is well known as a precocious variety. It will start bearing fruit for you as a young tree.

In peak growing years with impeccable growing conditions, don’t be surprised if your harvest features a fruity banana fragrance and a banana-like flavor.

Enjoy the flavor and aroma of these lovely apples. You’ll love growing Winter Banana Apple trees, order yours today!

How to Use Winter Banana Apple Tree in the Landscape

Use a single WInter Banana as a special specimen tree in either front or backyards. Many people across the country are re-discovering the beauty and charm of fruiting plants.

Try one in your patio planting bed. You’ll thrill to the lovely spring blooms and the developing harvest!

There is nothing better than homegrown fruit. Plant three varieties together for loads of fruit and to stagger your harvest with early and late season trees. Add Yellow Delicious or Granny Smith to also enjoy a wonderful baking apple in your collection.

#ProPlantTips for Care

Give Apple trees full sun, where they will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. For best results, plant them in a protected spot that has plenty of air circulation.

It should thrive in well-drained soil. If you need to improve your drainage, create a mounded heap of soil 18 inches high and 3 feet wide. Plant directly in that mound.

During the first year and each year thereafter as fruit is developing, water carefully. Provide a moderate amount of even water on a regular basis.

Winter Banana is a prolific bearer. Thin fruit set early in the season to allow for full-size apples.

Prune to correct shape and establish the structure in late winter. Prune while your tree is dormant, before new growth appears. If you want to keep the trees smaller, prune them for size control in summer.

People love the Winter Banana dessert apples. Don’t wait to order these trees!

Winter Banana Apple Tree Frequently Asked Questions

When to Plant Winter Banana 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 Winter Banana 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 Winter Banana 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 Winter Banana Apple Trees

Dormant prune to:

• Remove any double leaders or narrow crotch angles
• Eliminate any crossing branches
• Thin interior branching and leave the fruiting spurs and strong branches in place opening up the canopy
• Branching at least 24-36 inches above the ground

Prune Apple trees in the summer to:

• Control size and shape by reducing the length of longer new growth on vigorous trees
• Remove water sprouts on the main trunk or older branches in the crown
• Remove suckers at the base of the trunk
• Thin fruit during heavy years on established trees

How to Care for Winter Banana 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 do best in full sun and well-drained soil
• Water your apple trees when it gets dry - especially during the fruit production stage, and drought periods to keep it stress-free
• Use arborists' wood chips to mulch over the roots of your apples and have your soil tested to see what your soil may be lacking before adding fertilizers
• Maintenance pruning and shaping

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 Winter Banana 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.

• Don't overdo it
• Phosphates are your friends
• Pay attention to pH in areas with extremely high or low soil pH
• Follow the directions

Winter Banana Apple Tree Pollinating Info

Winter Banana is self-fruiting and doesn't need a pollinating partner, but will bear more fruit when paired with these varieties:

• Cortland Apple Tree
• Freedom Apple Tree
• Frostbite™ Apple Tree
• Fuji Apple Tree
• Golden Delicious Apple Tree
• Honeycrisp Apple Tree
• Granny Smith Apple Tree
• Winecrisp™ Apple Tree
• Wolf River Apple Tree

Harvest Times for Winter Banana Apple Trees

Winter Banana’s are typically ready to harvest in September.

Early-Season? Mid-Season? Late-Season? The terminology can be confusing for new apple tree growers. Weather, climate and your tree determine when it's ripe.

For Apples:

• Early-season is usually June-July
• Mid-season can be August-September
• Late-season can be from late September-November

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. Learn which growing zone you are in.

What Shipping Options Do You Offer?

NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Winter Banana Apple Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!