Semi-dwarf, deciduous fruit tree.
Description: Small to medium apples are solid deep red with some pale greenish-yellow background overlaid with red; subacid to slightly sweet, whitish-yellow flesh; typically ripens in October.
Habit: Grafted onto semi-dwarfing rootstock (MM111); grows 12' to 15' high; space trees 15-20' apart; mid-season blooming period.
Culture: Prefers full sun and ordinary garden soil; two additional pollinators (apple varieties) recommended for improved fruit production and fruit shape.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 through 9.
Attributes: Edible fruits, attracts bees
Discovered in 1893 growing on the farm of Ben Frost in Durham, Arkansas, and introduced by Stark Bro's Nursery in 1902, the King David apple has a wine-like flavor similar to one of its possible parents, the Winesap, and is delicious when cooked or used for cider. For optimal flavor, allow the apples to fully color on the tree. It has good disease resistance to fire blight, cedar apple rust, and scab, and stores very well.
This tree will ship bare root. One year grafted M111 is approximately 4-5' tall.
Bare root planting tips:
~ If you can't plant immediately, store your plant in a cool location and keep the roots moist or pot in a container with a nursery potting mix from your local garden center.
~ Before planting, let the roots soak for several hours as you prepare the site. You'll want to dig a large enough hole so the root mass can spread out and the plant is at the same soil level as when it was growing in the nursery.
~ Once planted, water it in well and wait a month before fertilizing. Mulching will help to maintain moisture and raise soil temperatures for faster growth.