Zestar!® Apple Tree
- Stay Protected wtih Plant Sentry ™
Zestar!® Apple Tree - 4-5 Feet Bareroot Standard Height is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
To receive an email notification when our next crop is ready, please enter your email below..*
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
Click Here to learn more
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Buying Options for Plants
Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. Plants are offered in both potted containers and as dormant bare root without soil. Here is a helpful resource to understand your options as you create a beautiful landscape with help from Nature Hills.
Ever wonder what a larger plant will mean for your landscape? Container Sizes are really all about the age of the plant!
Seasonally, Nature Hills offers hand selected, high quality bare root trees, shrubs and perennials. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may be taller than the height minimums.
- Popular sizes of select trees are 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, etc.
- Popular sizes of select bare root plants is 1 foot, 18 inches, etc.
Nature Hills Container Size by Volume
Keep in mind, specific varieties and different growing conditions can affect the rate at which plants grow. Variations in size may occur.
| Young Plants to 18 Months | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2"x2"x3" | Ranges from | .18 to .21 dry quarts / .198 to .23 dry liters in volume |
| 4.5" Container | Equal to | .65 dry quart / .72 dry liter in volume |
| Sprinter Pot | Equal to | .63 dry quart / .69 dry liter in volume |
| 4" Container | Ranges from | .31 to .87 / .35 to .96 dry liter in volume |
| 6" Container | Equal to | 1.4 dry quarts / 1.59 dry liters in volume |
| 1 Quart | Equal to | 1 dry quart / 1.1 dry liter in volume |
| 5.5" Container | Equal to | 1.89 of a dry quart / 2.08 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x5" | Ranges from | .8 to 1.1 dry quarts / .88 to 1.2 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x6" | Ranges from | 1.0 to 1.3 dry quarts / 1.1 to 1.41 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x9" | Ranges from | 1.1 to 2.1 dry quarts / 1.2 to 2.3 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x10" | Ranges from | 1.7 to 2.3 dry quart / 1.87 to 2.53 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 18 Months - 2.5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2 Quart | Equal to | 2 dry quarts / 2.2 dry liters in volume |
| #1 Container | Ranges from | 2.26 to 3.73 dry quarts / 2.49 to 4.11 dry liters in volume |
| 5"x5"x12" | Equal to | 3.5 to 4.3 dry quarts / 3.85 to 4.74 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 2 - 4 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #2 Container | Ranges from | 1.19 to 1.76 dry gallons / 5.24 to 7.75 dry liters in volume |
| #3 Container | Ranges from | 2.32 to 2.76 dry gallons / 10.22 to 12.16 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 3 - 5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #5 Container | Ranges from | 2.92 to 4.62 dry gallons / 12.86 to 20.35 dry liters in volume |
| #6 Container | Ranges from | 5.25 to 6.01 dry gallons / 23.12 to 26.42 dry liters in volume |
| #7 Container | Ranges from | 5.98 to 6.08 dry gallons / 26.34 to 26.78 dry liters in volume |
Plant Highlights
Zestar!® Apple Tree highlights at a glance!
Plant Highlights
Plant Highlights
-
Brand
-
Botanical Name
-
Growing Zones
-
Mature Height
-
Mature Spread
-
Sun ExposureFull Sun
-
Moisture
-
Soil
-
Growth RateMedium
-
Flower Color
-
Fall Color
-
Pollinator Friendly
-
Pollinator Required
-
Fragrant
-
Pruning Time
-
Bloom PeriodEarly Spring, Late Spring
-
Harvest Time
Growing Zones 3-7
Early-to-Ripen & Sweet-Tart Flavor: The Zestar!® Apple!
With the Zestar!® Apple (Malus x 'Minnewashta'), you do not have to choose between a cooking Apple or a fresh-eating Apple. This cold-hardy tree offers a large crop of sweet-tart taste and early season harvest!
The Zestar!® Apple ripens between August and early September and comes alive with deep-red bushed Apples with honey-yellow highlights. Often with some yellow speckles over the skin, and the side of the Apple receiving the most sun has the best red blush!
With hints of brown sugar flavor, crisp texture, and a zesty bite, the Zestar!® Apple is a great go-to Apple tree for the home orchard. This stunning apple is as crisp as it is beautiful (unlike many other early-season Apples). Great for baking and fresh eating, as well as adding to your savory cooked dishes.
Nice round apples with ample amounts of juice! You will love trying out all the different ways you can prepare your Zestar!® Apples.
Luckily for those wanting to try out as many apple recipes as possible, the Zestar!® Apple has a long shelf life, often staying crisp for over a month unrefrigerated and two months refrigerated, and still retaining its fantastic flavor and crunch.
How to Use Zestar!® Apple In The Landscape
The spring bloom display and handsome foliage make these fantastic ornamental trees for dual-purpose and edible landscaping!
Plant near your garden to help attract beneficial insects and have butterflies and hummingbirds arrive in droves for the early spring nectar resource!
Use another Apple variety to pollinate your Zestar!®. You can even snuggle up your two Apple trees to save space.
This fun tree also makes a great addition to the backyard where your kids can collect Apples and rest beneath the shade on sunny days.
As versatile in the home garden as the Apple orchard, these fruit trees mingle beautifully among orchards of their pollinator Apple varieties.
Good-sized trees, Zestar!® trees will have an incredible impact on your landscape and can be pruned smaller if needed. The brilliant display of blooms each spring and the red gems dangling from the branches each fall, and are gorgeous landscape features!
- Red Apples with Yellow & Green Highlights
- Creamy Yellow-White Flesh
- Zesty, Tart, & Sweet Apples
- Crisp Apple with Crunchy Texture & Lots of Juice!
- Early-Season Ripening
- Deep-Pink Buds Burst Open into White Blossoms
- Pollinators Galore!
- Fresh Eating or Cooked
#ProPlantTips For Care
Provide Zestar!® Apple with plenty of sunshine, full sun all day for the most blooms and resulting fruit! Cold hardy down to zone 3 and up to growing zone 7.
Fertile, organically rich soil that is also well-drained, and consistent watering throughout the growing season is best to protect your investment.
A thick layer of mulch over the roots keeps them insulated from both heat and cold, while also retaining consistent soil moisture.
Prune your Zestar!® Apple in late winter to remove dead limbs, and disease and to keep the canopy open to ward off fungus and pests, while allowing more air circulation and sun into the interior.
Featuring some resistance to Fireblight and Cedar Apple Rust and Mildews, these are best known for their incredible cold hardiness.
- Full Sun
- Most Rich Well-Drained Soil
- Moderate Regular Moisture
- Easy Care & Low Maintenance
- Cold Hardy Apple
- ~800 Chill Hours
- Needs Pollination Partner
The Zestar!® is one zesty, peppy, fun apple tree to grow and enjoy for years! Please your local bees, neighbors, and kids with great-tasting apples that are as striking as they are tasty!
Order yours from Nature Hills today before this fantastic variety is gone!
Zestar!® Apple Tree Frequently Asked Questions
When to Plant Zestar!® 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 Zestar!® 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 Zestar!® 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 Zestar!® 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 Zestar!® 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 they get 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 Zestar!® 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
Zestar!® Apple Tree Pollinating Info
Zestar!® is not self-pollinating and bears more fruit when paired with these varieties:
- Dolgo or Wickson Crabapples
- Anna
- Domaine
- Duchess
- Idared
- McIntosh
- Sunrise
- Williams' Pride
Harvest Times for Zestar!® Apple Trees
Zestar!®’s are typically ready to harvest in late August through early 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 Zestar!® Apple Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!
Long-Storing, Early Ripening Fresh Eating and Cooking Apple
The Zestar® Apple is another heavy hitter of the introductions coming out of the University of Minnesota under the direction of David Bedford and his team. Bedford and his team have focused on varieties that taste good, are adapted to the colder northern climates with early production, and deliver a firm, crisp texture. Their successes have been tremendous.
David Bedford grew up in North Carolina but always dreamed of living in the northern climate. After receiving his master's degree from Colorado State University, Bedford took a job at the University of Minnesota's Horticultural Research Center in 1979. The assignment was timely, as Bedford's first notable decision in 1980 was to save seedling selections slated to be destroyed. This decision would later result in the Honeycrisp apple. Good save!
Zestar® originated from a cross of State Fair x MN 1691, done in 1972. As with all plant breeding, it has undergone intense observation and wasn't introduced until 1999. The outstanding flavor and texture of this early ripening variety were immediately recognized. The flavor is described as Sweet Tart with a brown sugar overtone.
Adapted to all typical apple-growing regions the Zestar® can also be grown in colder climates in Zones 3b, 4a, and b climates, giving it a huge boost of additional appeal.
The standout quality comes in the Zestar's® storage. Unlike most early apples, Zestar® stores for a considerably long time, up to 2 months when picked at peak ripeness. The excellent fresh eating quality and its firmness, along with extended storage season and being a great cooking Apple add to its valuable commercial attributes.
Zestar® is only one of David Bedford and his team's introductions. Other exciting selections continue to be introduced from the impactful University of Minnesota's Horticultural Research Program. Since 1878 varieties such as Haralson, Fireside, Sweet 16, and State Fair have delighted the apple-loving world. Today's introductions such as Honeycrisp, Sweet Tango®, SnowSweet®, and Zestar®, continue this long productive history.
