Apple, Stayman Winesap, Bare Root

Apple, Stayman Winesap (Malus domestica 'Stayman Winesap')

Stayman Winesap is a richly flavored, late-season heirloom apple known for its firm texture, complex sweet-tart taste, and excellent storage qualities. A sport of the original 18th-century Winesap apple, Stayman was developed in Kansas in the 1860s and has since become a favorite among cider makers, bakers, and fresh-eating enthusiasts alike. Its dense, spicy flesh and striking dark red skin make it a standout in the orchard. Particularly well-suited to organic and low-spray systems due to its disease resistance and vigorous growth, Stayman Winesap thrives in food forests, fruit tree guilds, and regenerative orchards.

Key Characteristics

• Complex flavor ideal for cider, baking, and fresh eating
  Stayman Winesap apples have a dense, crisp texture and a spicy-sweet flavor with tart undertones—perfect for pies, roasting, and blending into hard or sweet cider. Its unique taste deepens in storage, making it a versatile all-purpose apple.
• Excellent keeper for long-term storage
  Ripening in October, this apple holds exceptionally well in cool storage, maintaining flavor and texture for several months. It’s a staple for homesteaders and winter pantries.
• Disease resistance and cold tolerance
  This variety shows resistance to cedar apple rust and other common diseases, especially when grown in well-drained soil with good airflow. Hardy to Zone 5, it’s well adapted to both humid and temperate orchard regions.
• Late blooming and heavy bearing
  Stayman Winesap blooms later in spring, helping to avoid late frost damage. It’s a reliable, heavy bearer once established, producing large crops of medium to large fruit.
• A strong addition to diverse orchard systems
  With its late-season harvest, storage ability, and flavor complexity, Stayman Winesap helps extend orchard productivity into winter. It's an excellent addition to cider orchards, food forests, and permaculture guilds when paired with pollinator plants and nitrogen fixers.

Product Details

• Sun requirements: Full sun
• Soil requirements: Medium, well-drained
• Bloom time: Late season
• Bloom color: White
• Fruit qualities: Medium to large, dark red skin, firm and crisp, spicy sweet-tart flavor
• Fruit uses: Baking, cider, fresh eating, long-term storage
• Fruit ripening month: October
• Required chill hours: ~800–1000
• Pollination requirements: Not self-fertile. Best pollinators include:
• Apple, Arkansas Black
• Apple, Enterprise
• Apple, Gold Rush
• Apple, Granny Smith
• Apple, Liberty
• Apple, Wolf River
• Apple, Honeycrisp
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8

Stayman Winesap is a powerhouse heirloom cultivar for late-season harvests, delivering intense flavor, long storage life, and dependable yields. A must-have for serious orchardists and food-preserving homesteads.