Can Honeycrisp Trees Grow in the Seattle Area?

Growing Apples in Seattle

• Apples need a specific amount of cold weather to come out of dormancy and induce flowering. This amount of time, known as chill hours, refers to how many hours an area's temperatures need to range between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit each year for the tree to flower. Because most apple varieties need 400 to 1,000 chill hours, the Seattle area, with its 2,000 chill hours, is well-suited for most varieties of apple tree. Although chill hours are important when selecting an apple tree, don't take your hardiness zone for granted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's plant hardiness zones are based on the average minimum temperature an area experiences over the winter. Seattle and its surrounding areas are in zone 8b, meaning the average minimum temperatures range between 15 and 20 degrees F. The majority of apple varieties thrive in USDA zones 5 through 9.

About "Honeycrisp" Apples

• As its name implies, the "Honeycrisp" apple is an especially sweet variety, with crisp flesh and an attractive red and yellow skin. The trees need 800 chill hours and do best in USDA zones 5 through 9b, making them well-suited for the Seattle area. Along with being tasty, "Honeycrisp" apples have the added benefit of being resistant to fire blight and partially resistant to scab, two of the most common apple tree diseases.

Choosing a Pollinator

• Although your "Honeycrisp" tree will produce lovely flowers each spring, it will fail to bear fruit if you don't have another apple variety nearby for pollination. For reliable cross-pollination, the two varieties should bloom at the same time and be placed within 50 feet of each other. Crabapples (Malus spp.) make excellent pollinators for all apple trees, but many people don't like their tart, tiny fruit. If you'd like another sweet apple in addition to your "Honeycrisp," choose pollinators that do well in the Seattle area, such as "Fuji," "Empire," "Golden Delicious" or "McIntosh." Avoid "Jonagold" and "Red Gravenstein" -- these two varieties do not pollinate "Honeycrisp" trees.

Apple Growing Tips

• As with other apple trees, "Honeycrisp" must be grown in full sun and in rich, well-drained soil. Trees planted in partial or full shade will get leggy and fail to flower. Without flowers, you'll never get fruit. If planted in soggy soil, apple trees are subject to root rot and fungal diseases. Try to plant your "Honeycrisp" where it will be protected from the wind. The trees can tolerate wind, but spring gusts can interfere with pollination. Because bees are the primary pollinators of apple trees, avoid using insecticides and other chemicals in your garden. For gardeners with limited space, consider a semi-dwarf or dwarf variety of apple tree, and train it into an espalier.