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With unique fruit on a gorgeous ornamental, the Arkansas Black Apple Tree (Malus 'Arkansas Black') will be full of dark red gems, glistening among the fantastic green foliage! This antique variety is a hardy and long-lived tree! The flavor described as wine and honey, with hints of almonds and a mild vanilla finish, making them amazing dessert apples!
Your Arkansas Black Apple tree is not only a lovely and resistant tree, but it also produces a substantial harvest of succulent, sweet apples, especially when planted with a suitable pollinator. Although self-fertile, you’ll get an enormous crop boost when there is a partner tree nearby!
The decorative effect of the dark-red apples against the vibrant green of the foliage is not to be missed! Oval in shape, the form of this tree is beautiful in the landscape as a standalone specimen and focal point tree!
A mid-spring blooming tree and late-maturing apple, each rounded, medium-sized apple is such a deep red with a waxy skin. Appearing almost black, especially when stored. The firm skin shines purple-red in the sunlight and tends to persist on the tree into the fall, making it a favorite of wildlife.
As an eating apple, few can compare to the Arkansas Black! Exquisite directly from the tree, or used in a variety of dishes, the crisp, whitish-yellow flesh is superb. With a sweet-tart flavor and a firm, yet juicy, complex texture, your Arkansas Black Apple is a treat for all the senses.
Originating in Arkansas in the mid-1800s, these densely textured apples are fantastic for all your desserts and cooking recipes! Taking time to get going, these trees will provide large yields for the long term, so you’ll be sure to have plenty for all your recipes, and more for gifts to friends and family!
One of these beautiful trees would be an outstanding addition to your yard in any sunny location where you can view it from one of your home’s windows…as you won’t want to miss a moment of the bloom or of your tempting harvest’s development!
The ornamental oval shape at maturity is a perfect landscape specimen and a beautiful focal point. Great privacy when planted in rows and lovely definition for property lines, these are dual-purpose landscaping trees!
Wonderfully proportioned for gardens of all sizes, try your hand at Espalier or simply pruning smaller to fit your needs! A smaller tree, your Arkansas Black will grow to about 20 feet in height. Front yard gardening and edible landscaping, this is as hardy a garden plant as it is a healthy snack-producing, beautiful tree!
Imagine a picnic beneath the blooms as bees and butterflies hum about the flowers! Plant among your garden beds to provide shade as well as add some cooling shade for your vegetable gardens!
When first harvested, these are hard, firm apples and after hang time or storage, these become amazing fresh-eating apples. However, keeping months in storage, these are high in Vitamin C and A, fiber and antioxidants! Pairing well with spices, cranberry and savory dishes. Great for slow cooking and pureeing, soups and sauces!
The fruit is especially prized for its aromatic nature, it also lends itself well to ciders and applesauce. The firm texture makes these great baked, sautéed and roasted. This apple is a flavorful and fantastic multi-use apple! Arkansas Black has an excellent storage life, affording you many months of enjoyment.
This apple variety, with its unique, dark-red color is a favorite among United States growers! Hardy in USDA growing zones 5-9, they’re heat and cold tolerant.
Fruit trees require full sun for the most blooms and best crops. Any site that receives at least 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day is perfect. Be sure to provide a location that also has great air circulation.
It’s quite hardy and vigorous, with particular resistance to Cedar Apple Rust. Prune to keep an open canopy and allow air circulation and sunlight into the interior of the tree. Also, prune to thin the early fruit and increase the size of each apple and keep your tree healthy.
It has very good heat and humidity tolerance and has overall disease resistance.
Doing best in any kind of well-drained soil, even tolerating acidic soil and any kind of soil medium as long as it has consistent moisture. Not drought tolerant, your tree will benefit from supplemental watering, especially in summer and when planted in warmer growing zones.
Although self-fertile, the Arkansas Black really does best with a pollinator in order to bear lots of fruit. If space is an issue, try planting your two pollinator partner trees together in the same planting site together!
Whether planting just one or an entire orchard, you’re sure to enjoy the Arkansas Black Apple! Prized dessert apple and long storage life, this antique variety is a standout, beautiful and healthy tree for your family!
Call NatureHills.com today before this gorgeous gem is gone!
Planting Bareroot trees as soon as you can dig a hole in spring and until hot weather, the earlier the better. Plant container Apple trees throughout the growing season with complete success - that is the benefit of container plants - to extend the planting season. Your County Agricultural Extension Office is a great resource for first and last frost dates in your area.
Dig a large hole only as deep as needed to accommodate the bareroot or container root ball, and twice as wide. Add Nature Hills Root Booster to speed root establishment. Remove the pot or bag and situate it into the hole so the top of the soil (soil line if bareroot), is level with the new location's soil being careful not to plant too deep. Water in again very well and backfill with the same soil you dug up, tamping down gently to ensure there are no air pockets.
Top off with a 3-4 inch thick layer of Arborist mulch. Consider staking your tree to keep its trunk growing straight for the first year to ensure it stands tall against strong winds and drifting snow.
Trim off any broken branches from delivery as soon as you take them out of the box. Prune and trim apple trees while dormant, in late winter or early spring, before you see new growth.
Dormant prune to:
Prune Apple trees in the summer to:
Growing an apple tree is easy when proper soil, good drainage, attention to moisture, and regular fertility are maintained. Once you've chosen an apple tree that works for your climate, in the size you need for your landscape, and its pollinator (if needed), then you've accomplished half the battle!
Apple trees will tolerate a wide range of soils, so long as water and nutrients are not limited and the pH level is adequate.
For the first year, water alone is most important. It is always best to get a soil test to see what your soil is lacking before adding more fertilizers. Once established, a fertilizer routine may be beneficial. We do offer some excellent slow-release organic options, applied according to the package directions.
Fruit trees need more phosphate and it's possible to apply too much nitrogen which affects the soil's pH. Test soil acidity or alkalinity using a pH Tester.
Fertilize in spring when you first see new growth emerging.
Arkansas Black is self-fruiting and doesn't need a pollinating partner, but will bear more fruit when paired with these varieties:
Arkansas Black’s are typically ready to harvest in October.
Early-Season? Mid-Season? Late-Season? The terminology can be confusing for new apple tree growers. Weather, climate and your tree determine when it's ripe.
For Apples:
The growing season consists of spring, summer, and fall, and varies with climate and weather. Areas with longer growing seasons in the warmer hardiness zones can greatly affect the harvest times for each particular apple variety grown in your area. Learn which growing zone you are in.
NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Arkansas Black Apple Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!
Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. Plants are offered in both potted containers and as dormant bare root without soil. Here is a helpful resource to understand your options as you create a beautiful landscape with help from Nature Hills.
Ever wonder what a larger plant will mean for your landscape? Container Sizes are really all about the age of the plant!
Seasonally, Nature Hills offers hand selected, high quality bare root trees, shrubs and perennials. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may be taller than the height minimums.
Keep in mind, specific varieties and different growing conditions can affect the rate at which plants grow. Variations in size may occur.
Young Plants to 18 Months | ||
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Size | Volume | |
2"x2"x3" | Ranges from | .18 to .21 dry quarts / .198 to .23 dry liters in volume |
4.5" Container | Equal to | .65 dry quart / .72 dry liter in volume |
Sprinter Pot | Equal to | .63 dry quart / .69 dry liter in volume |
4" Container | Ranges from | .31 to .87 / .35 to .96 dry liter in volume |
6" Container | Equal to | 1.4 dry quarts / 1.59 dry liters in volume |
1 Quart | Equal to | 1 dry quart / 1.1 dry liter in volume |
5.5" Container | Equal to | 1.89 of a dry quart / 2.08 dry liters in volume |
4"x4"x5" | Ranges from | .8 to 1.1 dry quarts / .88 to 1.2 dry liters in volume |
4"x4"x6" | Ranges from | 1.0 to 1.3 dry quarts / 1.1 to 1.41 dry liters in volume |
4"x4"x9" | Ranges from | 1.1 to 2.1 dry quarts / 1.2 to 2.3 dry liters in volume |
4"x4"x10" | Ranges from | 1.7 to 2.3 dry quart / 1.87 to 2.53 dry liters in volume |
Plants 18 Months - 2.5 Years Old | ||
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Size | Volume | |
2 Quart | Equal to | 2 dry quarts / 2.2 dry liters in volume |
#1 Container | Ranges from | 2.26 to 3.73 dry quarts / 2.49 to 4.11 dry liters in volume |
5"x5"x12" | Equal to | 3.5 to 4.3 dry quarts / 3.85 to 4.74 dry liters in volume |
Plants 2 - 4 Years Old | ||
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Size | Volume | |
#2 Container | Ranges from | 1.19 to 1.76 dry gallons / 5.24 to 7.75 dry liters in volume |
#3 Container | Ranges from | 2.32 to 2.76 dry gallons / 10.22 to 12.16 dry liters in volume |
Plants 3 - 5 Years Old | ||
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Size | Volume | |
#5 Container | Ranges from | 2.92 to 4.62 dry gallons / 12.86 to 20.35 dry liters in volume |
#6 Container | Ranges from | 5.25 to 6.01 dry gallons / 23.12 to 26.42 dry liters in volume |
#7 Container | Ranges from | 5.98 to 6.08 dry gallons / 26.34 to 26.78 dry liters in volume |
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H | |
---|---|---|---|
0 | - | 19.99 | 19.99 |
20 | - | 49.99 | 21.99 |
50 | - | 69.99 | 24.99 |
70 | - | 99.99 | 29.99 |
100 | - | 129.99 | 34.99 |
130 | - | 149.99 | 41.99 |
150 | - | 150+ | Approx 27% |
Click here to see our full rates
The Arkansas Black Apple traces its roots to the apple growing boom in Benton and Washington counties in Arkansas the 1830's to the early 1900's.
The Ben Davis Apple was then the backbone of Arkansas apple growers. Despite the damage done by the Civil War, Arkansas apple orchards continued to grow and by the late 1800's Benton and Washington counties were the largest apple growing regions in the United States.
Unfortunately, shortly after the turn of the century, years of extreme weather conditions began to take their toll. Severe drought and extremes in hot and cold temperatures, as well as battling pests and diseases all took a heavy toll on the growers. By 1930, the apple industry in Arkansas was all but gone.
There were many apple varieties introduced by the Arkansas growers during this time, but none as impacting as the Arkansas Black. Starting out as a regional favorite, by the late 1800's it made up 15% of the apples grown in Benton and Washington County.
Arkansas Black Apples origin is a bit vague, as two possible accounts are cited.
The first is that a popular Apple tree grower and propagator John Braithwaite of Bentonville had discovered the seedling a result of unknown cross. The second account, and not as well documented, was a claim by John Crawford of Washington county. In either case, the report of the discovery is from the mid 1840's. In 1870, Jon Braithwaite was offering the trees for sale and is credited with the introduction.
The exact cross has yet to be identified yet. Most common belief is that it is a seedling of Winesap and an unknown parent. Though often confused with the variety, Arkansas Black Twig, these are not the same. However, the Arkansas Black Twig has also been cited as a possible parent to the Arkansas Black Apple.
Brand | Nature Hills' Choice |
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Botanical Name | Malus domestica 'Arkansas Black' |
Type | Deciduous |
Mature Height | 12 - 15 feet |
Mature Spread | 12 - 15 feet |
Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
Soil | Widely Adaptable |
Moisture | Low Once Established |
Growth Rate | Medium |
Flower Color | White |
Fall Color | Yellow |
Harvest Time | Late Season |
Pollinator Friendly | Yes |
Fruiting Time | 3 - 5 years |
Pruning Time | Late Winter |