Overview

The Arkansas Black Apple Tree (Malus domestica ‘Arkansas Black’) is a highly sought-after deciduous fruit tree, celebrated for its unique flavor and striking appearance. This bare root apple tree offers a robust start for any home orchard, delivering crisp, sweet-tart apples with a signature deep red to almost black skin. As an heirloom apple tree, it brings a rich history and exceptional taste that modern varieties often lack. Known for its resilience, this variety thrives particularly well in regions with cold winters, making it a reliable choice for gardeners in USDA planting zones 5-8. When you plant an Arkansas Black Apple Tree, you’re investing in years of delicious, homegrown fruit.

Each bare root apple tree is carefully selected to ensure a strong foundation for growth. Shipping as a 6-12 inch tall specimen, it is ready for planting upon arrival. The ‘Arkansas Black’ is a vigorous grower, developing into a beautiful and productive tree that will be a highlight of your garden. Its deep, rich fruit color and firm texture make it excellent for fresh eating, baking, and cider production. This cold-hardy variety represents a fantastic opportunity to add a classic and cherished apple to your collection.

Key Benefits

Choosing an Arkansas Black Apple Tree for your garden offers numerous advantages, from its distinctive fruit to its hardy nature. This variety is truly a standout for fruit enthusiasts and home gardeners alike.

• Exceptional Fruit Quality: Enjoy crisp, juicy apples with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The distinctive deep red to almost black skin adds to its appeal, making it a favorite for fresh eating, baking, and sauces.
• Cold Hardiness: This cold hardy apple tree is well-suited for a wide range of climates, particularly thriving in USDA Zones 5-8, offering excellent winter resilience for consistent yields.
• Heirloom Variety: Cultivate a piece of history with this renowned heirloom apple tree. Its long-standing reputation for flavor and vigor makes it a valued addition to any orchard.
• Vigorous Growth: The ‘Arkansas Black’ variety is known for its strong growth habit, developing into a healthy, productive tree that provides abundant harvests year after year.
• Versatile Use: The firm texture and rich flavor of the apples make them incredibly versatile. They hold up well in pies and tarts, and their intense taste is fantastic for cider.
• Disease Resistance: While not completely immune, this variety shows good resistance to common apple diseases, simplifying maintenance and promoting healthier growth.
• Long Storage Life: Arkansas Black apples are celebrated for their excellent storage capabilities, allowing you to enjoy your harvest well into the winter months. This contributes to its reputation as a crisp apple variety.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential for establishing a healthy and productive Arkansas Black Apple Tree. When planting your bare root apple tree, choose a sunny location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Well-drained soil is crucial; loamy, slightly acidic soil is ideal. Amend heavy clay or sandy soils with organic matter like compost to improve drainage and nutrient retention. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and deep enough so that the graft union (the slightly swollen area on the trunk) remains 2-4 inches above the soil line after planting. Spread the roots evenly and backfill with soil, gently tamping to remove air pockets.

Consistent watering is vital, especially during the first year to help the tree establish a strong root system. Water deeply 1-2 times per week, or more frequently during dry periods, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mulch around the base of the tree with a 2-4 inch layer of organic material like wood chips or straw, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk. This helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Fertilize in early spring and again in early summer with a balanced slow-release fertilizer designed for fruit trees. Follow product instructions based on the tree’s age and size.

Pruning is important for shaping the tree and promoting fruit production. In the first few years, focus on establishing a strong scaffold structure. Annually, during late winter while the tree is dormant, remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches. Thin crowded branches to allow for better air circulation and sunlight penetration, which helps prevent disease and encourages better fruit quality. Thinning fruit in late spring, removing smaller or damaged apples, will result in larger, higher-quality fruit and prevent limb breakage. Monitor for common apple pests and diseases and apply appropriate organic or chemical treatments as needed. For colder climates, protecting the trunk with a tree wrap can prevent winter damage, ensuring your cold hardy apple tree continues to thrive.

Size & Details

This offering is for one Arkansas Black Apple Tree, provided as a bare root plant. The tree typically measures between 6 to 12 inches in height upon arrival, ready for immediate planting. Bare root plants are dormant when shipped, which is the optimal time for transplanting and reduces transplant shock. This particular crisp apple variety is known for its moderate growth rate, eventually reaching a mature height of 12-15 feet with a similar spread, depending on pruning and rootstock. Expect your tree to begin bearing fruit within 3-5 years after planting, with full production achieved in subsequent years. The ‘Arkansas Black’ is a long-lived tree, providing decades of delicious harvests. It’s a perfect choice for those seeking a productive and resilient heirloom apple tree for their home orchard.

The fruit itself is medium to large, with a firm, dense flesh and a deep crimson to nearly black skin when ripe. This bare root apple tree is a fantastic investment for gardeners looking to grow their own fruit with a distinct and memorable flavor profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Arkansas Black Apple Tree get? A: The Arkansas Black Apple Tree typically grows to a mature height of 12-15 feet with a similar spread, though this can be managed with proper pruning. The size also depends on the rootstock used, which is generally a semi-dwarf or standard size for home orchards.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Arkansas Black Apple Tree is an outdoor fruit tree. It requires full sun and sufficient space to grow and produce fruit, making it unsuitable for indoor cultivation. It is a cold hardy apple tree designed for orchard settings.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This apple tree thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce the best fruit. Ample sunlight is crucial for fruit development and overall tree health.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: While growing an apple tree requires some commitment to pruning, watering, and pest management, the ‘Arkansas Black’ variety is known for its resilience. With basic care instructions followed, it can be a rewarding tree for gardeners of various skill levels.
• Q: What condition will the bare root apple tree arrive in? A: Your bare root apple tree will arrive dormant, with its roots carefully packaged to retain moisture. This is a normal and healthy state for bare root plants, allowing for easy and successful transplanting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant this bare root apple tree? A: The ideal time to plant a bare root apple tree is in late winter to early spring, before new growth begins. This allows the roots to establish before the stress of summer heat.
• Q: What USDA zones is the Arkansas Black Apple Tree suitable for? A: The Arkansas Black Apple Tree is highly recommended for USDA planting zones 5-8, showcasing its excellent cold hardiness and adaptability to various climates within this range.
• Q: How long until this heirloom apple tree produces fruit? A: You can typically expect your heirloom apple tree to start producing fruit within 3-5 years after planting. Full production will increase in subsequent years as the tree matures.
• Q: Is this a self-pollinating apple tree? A: While some apple varieties are self-fertile, the ‘Arkansas Black’ generally benefits from cross-pollination with another apple variety to ensure a bountiful harvest. Consider planting another compatible apple tree nearby for optimal fruit set.
• Q: What makes the Arkansas Black a crisp apple variety? A: The ‘Arkansas Black’ is renowned for its firm, dense flesh that remains remarkably crisp even after weeks or months in storage. This quality makes it a favorite for fresh eating and culinary uses where a firm texture is desired.