Apple
Can I Grow Winesap?
Winesap is the old-fashioned spicy apple with deep red skin and a distinctive wine-like tang. It's one of the best cider apples and stores for months in a root cellar.
Growing Requirements
Chill Hours
800
Hardiness Zones
5-6-7-8
Harvest
October
Results
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About Winesap
Winesap is the old-fashioned spicy apple with deep red skin and a distinctive wine-like tang. It's one of the best cider apples and stores for months in a root cellar.
Winesap requires 800 chill hours — the number of hours between 32°F and 45°F during winter dormancy. Without enough chill, the tree may fail to flower properly or produce poor fruit.
Common Challenges
Triploid — produces sterile pollen and needs two other varieties; prone to bitter pit.
Common Misconception
Can I grow Winesap in Zone 9 or warmer?
No. While Winesap is listed for zones 5-8, it requires 800 chill hours to produce fruit. Warm zones like 9+ typically receive only 200-400 chill hours. The tree may survive but will not fruit reliably. Consider low-chill alternatives like Anna apple (200h) or Tropic Snow peach (200h) instead.
Other Apple Varieties
Chill hour data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus/ECMWF). Variety information compiled from university extension services.