Apples

Apples were once only grown in the northern regions of the U.S., but with varities like 'Anna,' 'Dorsett Golden,' and 'TropicSweet,' Florida gardeners can now successfully grow apples as well.

To produce fruit, these varieties need about 300 to 400 hours below 45 degrees during the winter, so they’ll do well in central or north Florida.

Apple trees do best when planted in fertile, well-drained soil, between late December and February. Water and fertilize your trees on a regular basis, and they should bear fruit within a few years of establishment.

Your apples will require cross-pollination to set fruit properly. The varieties ‘TropicSweet’, ‘Anna’, and ‘Dorsett Golden’ bloom at about the same time and can be planted together for cross-pollination. The fruit on these varieties tends to ripen in June or July.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Apples in Central Florida
• Florida Plant ID: Apple

UF/IFAS Publications

• The Apple
• La Manzana en Florida (en espanol)

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Deciduous Fruit Trees
• Fruit Trees for North Florida

Other Sites

• Apple--Clemson (SC) Cooperative Extension
• Apple Harvest Yields Delicious, Nutritious Fruits for Fall--Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
• Apples--Just Fruits and Exotics, Crawfordville, FL (PDF)
• Home Garden Apples--University of Georgia Cooperative Extension