Starkspur Red Rome Beauty is a grafted apple cultivar in the Rosaceae family, hardy in zones 5-8, that reaches 12-15 feet tall and wide at maturity. This variety thrives in full sun and moderate watering conditions, producing fragrant, showy flowers in spring followed by edible fruit. The tree tolerates urban conditions and attracts pollinators and wildlife, making it both a productive orchard tree and an ornamental flowering specimen.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-8
180in H x 180in W
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High
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Starkspur Red Rome Beauty blooms with fragrant, showy flowers in April and May that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds to the garden. The fruit is both edible and visually striking, and the tree's moderate size and tolerance of urban growing conditions make it accessible to gardeners with limited space. Because it's grafted onto a rootstock, this variety produces reliable crops without the unpredictability of seed-grown apples.
This apple tree serves as both a productive fruit bearer and an ornamental flowering tree. The fragrant spring blossoms provide early-season interest and support for pollinators, while the mature fruit can be harvested for fresh eating or cooking. The showy flowers and persistent fruit also attract birds and butterflies, making it valuable in wildlife gardens and landscapes designed to support biodiversity.
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Transplant your grafted apple tree in late winter or early spring into full sun. Space the tree 12-15 feet apart to accommodate its mature width of 12-15 feet. Ensure the graft union sits slightly above soil level. Provide consistent moisture during the first growing season to establish a deep root system.
Harvest apples when they reach full size and develop the variety's characteristic red coloring. Pick fruit gently by twisting and lifting to avoid bruising. Harvest typically occurs in late summer to fall, depending on your growing zone and local conditions.
Prune Starkspur Red Rome Beauty in late winter as needed to shape the tree and remove dead or crossing branches. Avoid spring pruning, which produces fresh, open cuts that allow fire blight bacteria to enter the tree. Young trees benefit from early structure pruning to develop a strong framework; mature trees require less intensive pruning.
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“The Malus genus encompasses about 35 species of deciduous trees and shrubs native to Europe, Asia, and North America. Modern apple varieties, including this cultivar, are nearly all grafted onto selected rootstocks because eating apple cultivars do not grow well on their own roots. The rootstock system controls tree size and vigor, allowing commercial growers and home gardeners to match the tree's mature dimensions to their space. Starkspur strains, like this Red Rome Beauty selection, were developed to produce compact, highly productive trees suitable for intensive cultivation.”