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Wolf River Apple Tree (Malus 'Wolf River') is a beautiful apple, with a stunning magenta blush against its yellowish-green background and creamy white flesh. It has a sweet-tart flavor and holds its shape well with cooking!
The lovely white blossoms are fragrant and call butterflies and beneficial pollinators galore!
Wolf River is beloved for its use as a cooking apple, so you can use it in a variety of culinary delights. The distinguishing feature of this superior apple is its size.
Its 5-inch diameter, and weight of up to a pound, will create quite a sight on your tree--and be even more impressive on your plate. In fact, people often say that you can make a pie with just one apple!
An antique specimen that was found in Wolf River, Wisconsin in the 1870s! This is a tried and true variety of Apple Tree!
Wolf River is a productive tree that will provide its luscious harvest in late September to early October. With a spreading growth habit, it is considered quite sturdy as well as hardy and long-lived!
If you enjoy apples, Wolf River is a great choice. Not only is it an excellent apple for eating and cooking, but it's also a bit of a conversation piece.
Friends and neighbors are sure to be impressed with the size of these apples, so they're not only useful but fun as well.
Sweet-tart flavor requires little added sugar for your baked goods and pies! Also good for apple butter and applesauce and primarily for cooking because of the way it holds its shape when cooked!
The white blooms make Wolf River a fantastic specimen plant and a lovely addition to the home landscape and it’s a unique orchard must-have!
Growing in growing zones 3-9, this cold and heat tolerant tree is very adaptable to a wide range of environments and soil types. Also, it’s a very strong tree and disease tolerant, showing good resistance to apple scab, fire blight, and powdery mildew.
Fruit trees require full sun for the best fruit and bloom set. Also thriving best in any type of well-drained soils with organic matter and consistent watering.
While drought tolerant once established, it’s best to protect your investment with supplemental watering. Mulch your root system well to insulate it from heat and cold, and to hold in more moisture!
Prune when dormant and to thin fruit for larger fruit size and less stress on your tree.
Order your apple pie-sized Wolf River Apple Tree for a truly unique fruit tree for your orchard or home garden this year before they sell out! Call NatureHills.com today!
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.
Wolf River is not self-fruiting and needs a pollinating partner. Pair with one of these varieties:
Wolf River’s are typically ready to harvest in September.
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 Wolf River Apple Tree for sale here at NatureHills.com!
Apple trees have been grafted onto different rootstocks since before the mid-1800s. Different rootstocks are used to improve the anchoring of trees, eliminate diseases, and reduce the natural mature size of the tree itself. While there are many different types of rootstock, they are all labeled as being either Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf, or Standard.
The apple descriptions, including flowering, pollination, and apple characteristics are the same whether the plant is grown on a standard rootstock or some varying dwarfing rootstock. The overall size can vary by climate and soil but the understock used is ultimately what affects the mature size.
There will be some variation in sizes but as a guide, we are suggesting the overall mature size of these apple varieties are:
Remember that all fruit tree sizes can easily be altered if needed by simple pruning as the trees grow and develop.
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.
Click Here to learn more
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.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Color | Zone | Times |
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3 | Spring 2019 | |
4 | Now | |
5 | Now | |
6 | Now | |
7 | Now | |
8 | Now | |
9 | Now | |
10 | Now | |
11 | Now |
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 | 24.99 |
20 | - | 49.99 | 29.99 |
50 | - | 69.99 | 34.99 |
70 | - | 99.99 | 39.99 |
100 | - | 129.99 | 44.99 |
130 | - | 149.99 | 48.99 |
150 | - | 150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
The story of the Wolf River Apple starts with William A. Springer, a lumberman from Quebec who moved his family from Canada to Wisconsin in about 1856 after a brief stay in New York state. They settled in Little River, Wisconsin, where he helped to rebuild a dam and reconstruct a sawmill.
There are accounts that reference Springer buying a bushel of Apples on the shore of Lake Erie on his way from Canada to Wisconsin. But it appears from the historical account that he was a nurseryman in search of a farm when migrating from New York to Little River, Wisconsin in 1849.
In 1852, he and his family settled in Fremont, Wisconsin on what would become known as Springer Point on the Wolf River. As a major land owner of the region, Springer cleared property and sold land as recorded in many of the Waupaca county land records of the time.
At the same time, he sold lumber and ran the only nursery in this part of Wisconsin. He is credited with developing several cold hardy apple varieties, such as Addie and Mary, as well as the Wolf River, which fruited after he had sold off the Springer Point property in 1874 to Henry Rifen.
Rifen recognized this Alexander-like apple and noticed that it was an exceptionally large apple. He promptly named it after the nearby waterway. He introduced the new variety, Wolf River, for sale through Springers Nursery in 1878.
Springer remained a farmer and nurseryman and moved to another 260 acre location in 1874 and continued to run a 10 acre nursery, specializing in hybridizing cold hardy apples varieties.
Brand | Nature Hills' Choice |
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Botanical Name | Malus 'Wolf River' |
Type | Deciduous |
Mature Height | Semi-Dwarf Height: 12 - 18 feet | Standard Height: 18 - 25 feet |
Mature Spread | Semi-Dwarf Spread: 10 - 15 feet | Standard Spread: 15 - 18 feet |
Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
Soil | Widely Adaptable |
Moisture | Low Once Established |
Growth Rate | Medium |
Flower Color | White |
Foliage | Deciduous |
Foliage Color | Green |
Harvest Time | Mid Season |
Pollinator Friendly | Yes |
Fruiting Time | 3-5 Years |
Pruning Time | Late Winter |
Fragrant | Yes |