About Frostbite
One of the first hardy apples, bred by the U of M in 1921. It has been used to develop many other hardy varieties including Keepsake, Sweet Sixteen, and Honeycrisp. It was introduced to the public in 2008 with a naming contest, where eight different people suggested the name Frostbite out of 7,000 entries. It is intensely sweet, aromatic, and juicy. Eating this 2.5" apple with maroon and gold stripes has been likened to biting into sugarcane. Especially good for dessert and sweet cider. Ripens late September to mid-October. Semi-dwarf M7 rootstock.
We heard on MPR that this apple was not released to the public earlier because Americans at that time wanted milder (boring) tasting apples. As people began to enjoy exotic heirloom varieties of food, the U thought this very intensely sweet apple might be successful with consumers. We think the naming contest also got the public invested in this variety!
About Apple
Beautiful, fragrant spring flowers and fall fruit. Apples require another variety for pollenizing, but apple or crabapple trees are usually nearby in most areas.