The Starkspur Arkansas Black Apple is a cold-hardy orchard variety that thrives in zones 4 through 8, producing medium to large fruit with a deep crimson, almost-black skin that stores exceptionally well. This spur-type cultivar reaches 12 to 15 feet tall and wide at maturity, making it manageable for home orchards while delivering the firm, crisp apples that have made Arkansas Black a beloved heirloom. Expect to wait 2 to 5 years before your tree begins bearing, but the payoff is substantial: apples that excel in both fresh eating and traditional preparations like baking and butter-making.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
180in H x 180in W
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Low
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Deep crimson-black skin gives these apples a striking visual presence in the orchard, and their firm, crisp flesh delivers the substance serious apple growers crave. The Starkspur version is a spur-type, meaning it produces fruit clusters directly on the branches rather than on long shoots, which simplifies pruning and keeps the tree compact. Cold-hardiness and disease resistance make this variety genuinely low-maintenance, while the apples store with remarkable longevity, keeping well through winter months.
These apples shine in the kitchen for baking pies and cobblers, where their firm flesh holds its shape during cooking rather than collapsing into mush. They're equally excellent for making apple butter, where their naturally tart, complex character develops into something deeply satisfying when slow-cooked with spices. Fresh eating is certainly possible, though these are more of a cooking apple than a table variety.
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Plant bare-root trees in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in fall after leaf drop. Container trees can go in the ground anytime during the growing season, though spring and fall establishment is strongest. Space trees 12 to 15 feet apart to accommodate their mature width and ensure good air circulation for disease prevention.
Arkansas Black apples are ready to harvest in October, when the skin has deepened to its characteristic dark crimson or nearly black color. Pick by gently twisting and lifting the fruit; mature apples will release easily from the branch. Test ripeness by tasting one from different parts of the tree, as ripening can be uneven. Harvest all fruit before hard freezes arrive, as the apples store best when picked at peak maturity.
Prune during dormancy in late winter or early spring to maintain the tree's shape and promote fruiting on next year's spurs. As a spur-type, this variety naturally clusters its fruit on short branches, so focus on removing dead wood, crossing branches, and any growth that crowds the canopy's center. Thin fruit clusters in early summer if you want larger individual apples; otherwise, the tree will self-regulate production.
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