Northern Spy apple trees

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• Picking season: Very late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Pollination group: 5

Northern Spy is a popular late-season American heirloom apple variety which stores well.

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Northern Spy apple trees for sale

Pre-order for delivery in spring 2027

• 1Dwarf, 1-year bare-root tree $39.95 Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
  Dwarf rootstock
  

  Out of stock
  
• 2Semi-dwarf, 1-year bare-root tree $39.95 Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
  Semi-dwarf rootstock
  

  Out of stock
  
• 3Semi-standard, 1-year bare-root tree $39.95 Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
  Semi-vigorous rootstock
  

  Out of stock
  

All about Northern Spy apple trees

Northern Spy is a traditional American winter apple, particularly well-suited to colder climate zones. The apples are quite large and have a handsome red-flush over a yellow-green background.

Northern Spy was rated by the 19th century English pomologist Robert Hogg as "a valuable dessert apple".

Northern Spy ripens quite late in the season and will then keep in cold conditions well into the following spring without loss of quality. It is a versatile apple, with a good strong aromatic flavor, suitable for eating fresh or cooking with.

How to grow

Northern Spy has a reputation as a tough hardy heavy-cropping apple variety. However it is quite susceptible to many of the usual range of apple diseases, particularly mildew and fireblight.

Northern Spy also takes its time to come into bearing, and when it does, it can over-crop and then fall into a biennial bearing habit. This can be avoided by preventing over-cropping in the "on" year. Don't let these issues put you off though, as Northern Spy's natural vigour helps it to grow through many of these difficulties, and on a dwarfing rootstock it should start bearing within 4 years.

One of the reasons that Northern Spy is so successful in colder zones is that it blossoms quite late. It helps if you have other late-flowering varieties nearby such as Ashmead's Kernel or Spitzenberg.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Northern Spy originated in the early 1840s in New York state.

It has been used in the development of many other apple varieties, and also in rootstock programs - the well-known English MM106 rootstock is derived from it.

Northern Spy characteristics

• What level of gardening skill is needed to grow Northern Spy?Average
• Is Northern Spy self-fertile?Not self-fertile
• What flowering group is Northern Spy?5
• Is Northern Spy good for pollinating others?Average
• What season do you pick Northern Spy?Very late
• UsesEating freshCulinaryJuiceTraditional cooker
• How long can you keep Northern Spy in a fridge?3 months or more
• What is the overall disease resistance of Northern Spy?Poor
• How resistant is Northern Spy to fire blight?Very susceptible
• Is Northern Spy resistant to cedar apple rust?Some susceptibility
• What is the USDA hardiness zone for Northern Spy?Zone 4 (-34C)
• Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)Cold (< 20C / 67F)
• Where does Northern Spy originate from?United States
• When was Northern Spy first introduced?1800 - 1849

You might also like these varieties

• 
  Novaspy
  An improved form of Northern Spy, and an excellent all-round apple for northern areas.
• 
  Spigold
  A good-tasting cross between Northern Spy and Golden Delicious.
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  Sunrise
  Sunrise is a bright red-flushed Canadian apple with a soft flesh and sweet flavor.