Skip to product information
1 of 5
Check Back Soon

Item Number: FT050

Spitzenburg Apple Tree

Aromatic apples with rich heritage.

$69.99
/each
Temporarily unavailable. Sign up for an email notification to be alerted when the item is available.
One million plants sold online trust badge 5 star service badge Buy 6 qualifying bare root trees and receive free standard shipping in the Lower 48

Check Your Zone Compatibility:

Description

Spitzenburg Apple Tree is a celebrated American heirloom for orchardists who want an apple with intensity, aroma, and a story worth sharing. Medium fruit ripens deep red over yellow, with dense yellowish flesh that is firm, juicy, moderately sweet, and sharpened by a distinctive spicy note. That layered flavor makes Spitzenburg exceptional for fresh dessert use and equally valuable for pies, sauce, and cider. The apples are also known as good keepers, allowing their character to be enjoyed well beyond harvest. Often called Esopus Spitzenburg after the New York community where it was discovered, the variety has been associated with Thomas Jefferson and early American orchard culture. Its spring bloom and handsome red crop bring traditional beauty to the garden, while the complex fruit appeals to modern cooks and collectors looking beyond familiar supermarket apples. Esopus Spitzenburg takes the first part of its name from Esopus, New York, the Hudson Valley community associated with its discovery.

Spitzenburg is suited to USDA zones 4–8, requires a confirmed 800 chill hours, and grows semi-dwarf on M-111 rootstock., harvest generally spans mid-September through early October. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil, then prune and thin carefully so light reaches the fruiting wood and branches can support the developing crop.

Spitzenburg requires a compatible apple nearby for pollination. The confirmed partner is Fuji Red. Adding another apple with overlapping bloom, such as Golden Delicious, can broaden bloom activity and strengthen the orchard’s pollination plan.

Spitzenburg Apple Tree Details

  • Fruit: Medium apples with deep red-over-yellow skin and dense yellowish flesh
  • Flavor and texture: Firm, juicy, moderately sweet, sharp, and spicy
  • Best uses: Fresh eating, baking, sauce, cider, and storage
  • Harvest: Mid-September to early October
  • USDA zones: 4–8
  • Chill hours: 800
  • Tree size: Semi-dwarf on M-111 rootstock
  • Rootstock: M-111
  • Pollination: Requires another compatible apple
  • Recommended pollinizers: Fuji Red; consider Golden Delicious as an additional orchard companion
  • Special care: Thin fruit and prune to keep productive wood well lit
  • Something Special: Esopus Spitzenburg takes the first part of its name from Esopus, New York, the Hudson Valley community associated with its discovery.

Orchard Planning Resources

Bare Root Tree Savings & Free Shipping

Build your orchard and save by mixing and matching eligible bare root trees across qualifying varieties:

  • Buy 3 qualifying bare root trees and save 5%
  • Buy 10 qualifying bare root trees and save 15%
  • Buy 6 qualifying bare root trees and receive free standard shipping

Ordering fewer than six trees? Orders of one to five qualifying bare root trees ship for a $29.99 fixed rate by FedEx or UPS.

Eligible trees may be combined within the BareRoot Trees shipping group. Potted plants, perennial bare roots, and fall perennials are tracked in separate shipping groups and do not count toward these thresholds.

Free standard and fixed-rate shipping offers apply to qualifying deliveries within the contiguous 48 states. USPS and expedited delivery are charged separately. Manufacturer-direct, dropship, and specially packaged products are excluded unless otherwise stated.

See complete shipping details.

Shipping Information

Ships from Northern CA.

Cannot ship to the following states: HI, AK, PR, GU, VI

Shipping Weight: 5.0 lb

Dimensions: 47.5"L x 7.3"W x 2.75"H

Features

  • Bare Root
  • Flavor Pick
  • Good Keeper
  • Suited to Cold Climates

Characteristics

USDA Growing Zone: 4 - 8
Approximate Harvest Time : Early Fall
Chill Hours Needed : 800 hours
Fruit Bearing : Spur
Planting Time : Winter
Time to Fruit Production : 2-3 Years
Tree Size : Semi-dwarf

Planting & Care

Useful Information

Guarantee

Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee

* Claim deadline is June 15th

We guarantee that your dormant tree or plant will arrive in good, viable condition. If your tree arrives in substandard condition, notify us within 3 days of delivery. Please email pictures of the box, inside packaging, the tree and its roots to helpdesk@groworganic.com.  We will investigate your claim and process a request to exchange or refund the damaged product.

If your dormant tree or plant has not grown new leaves by June 15th, you may be eligible for our Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee. This guarantee provides for a store credit for the purchase price of the tree, excluding shipping. Please see the Instructions below.

Important Dates:

  • April 1st Dormant trees/plants must be planted in the ground
  • May 15th Perform scratch test, if no new leaves have grown
  • June 15th Deadline to apply for a dormant tree/plant credit

All required documentation must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. Claims or documentation received after June 15th will be denied, without exception. Instructions listed below

Terms and Conditions

We cannot guarantee that your tree or plant will remain alive and healthy after it is received, or bear fruit as there are too many variables in your environment that are beyond our control (i.e. soil preparation, weed and pest control, proper irrigation, chill hours, compatible hardiness for your growing zone, proper choice of pollinator, extreme weather, rodent damage, disease, etc.). 

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a replacement tree/plant of the same species either that same growing season or in future years. Customers are responsible for all shipping fees associated with replacement trees and plants. 

If we determine that the tree you purchased directly from us is not viable, we will issue you a store credit (not a refund) for the purchase price of the affected dormant tree or plant. Shipping is not included in the dormant tree/plant guarantee. Store credits can be used to purchase any product we sell and are valid for use only until July 1st of the following year.

Historically, 98% of our dormant trees and plants grow and thrive when they have been cared for and planted using our growing guides. Dormant trees and plants must be planted in the ground by April 1st in order to be eligible for credit. If the ground in your area is still frozen solid, you may temporarily plant your tree or plant in a pot. 

Potted, non-dormant trees or plants are excluded from this guarantee as they are not dormant at the time of shipment. Evergreen trees such as citrus, avocado and olive trees are not available for credit under the Dormant Tree and Plant Guarantee. 

Instructions

We guarantee that your dormant fruit tree or plant will leaf out, if you care for it according to our growing guides. In the unlikely event that your dormant tree or plant does not have leaves by May 15th, follow these simple steps to apply for a store credit:

Before you call or email, please perform a “scratch test” to determine if the tree or plant is still alive. This video shows how to check for live tissue under the bark. Scratch tests need to be done a few inches above and below the graft. 

Green Cambium Layer / Living Trees

If the cambium layer under the bark is green, give your tree a little more time. It is still alive, but hasn’t come out of dormancy yet. Check to make sure that it is getting the right amount of deep root water, enough sunlight and that the weather is warm enough for that type of tree/plant to come out of dormancy. Every tree has its own personality and will come out of dormancy at different times. Be sure to submit the required documentation listed below by June 15th, if it doesn’t grow leaves.

Brown Cambium Layer / Dead Trees

If the scratch test shows a brown cambium layer or if your dormant tree/plant doesn’t have leaves by June 1st, please email us at helpdesk@groworganic.com. All required documentation listed below must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. To be considered for the guarantee claim, all required documentation must be received by June 15th.  Incomplete submissions will be denied.

Required Documentation

  1. Order number
  2. Name of dormant tree/plant and the quantity affected
  3. Photos of each tree or plant showing: 
    1. The roots (tree or plant must be pulled out of the ground)
    2. The scratch test areas
    3. The entire tree/plant

We reserve the right to not issue credit for items that have already been replaced. We also reserve the right to require photographic evidence that the tree/plant was not killed by root rot, rodent or mechanical damage.

View full details