Apple, Honeygold, Bare Root

Apple, Honeygold (Malus domestica 'Honeygold')

Honeygold is a cold-hardy, golden-yellow apple bred in Minnesota in the 1930s to bring the flavor and sweetness of 'Golden Delicious' to northern climates. A cross between 'Golden Delicious' and 'Haralson', Honeygold offers crisp, juicy fruit with a honey-sweet flavor and just a touch of acidity. It stores well, resists bruising, and is excellent for fresh eating, baking, and preserving. With its reliable productivity, late-season ripening, and adaptability to colder regions, Honeygold is a superb choice for home orchards, food forests, and regenerative fruit systems in Zones 3–7.

Key Characteristics

• Sweet, crisp fruit with honeyed flavor
  Honeygold apples are medium to large with smooth, yellow skin and a firm, crisp texture. The flavor is sweet with low acidity—milder than Golden Delicious but still complex—making it a favorite for eating fresh or slicing into salads and charcuterie boards.
• Cold-hardy and reliable in northern climates
  Developed by the University of Minnesota for extreme cold, Honeygold thrives in areas where other sweet apples struggle. It's hardy to Zone 3 and holds up well against late frosts and harsh winters, making it a go-to variety for northern growers.
• Great for baking and preserving
  Its firm texture holds up well in pies, crisps, and baked goods. It’s also a strong performer in applesauce and preserves, and the flavor improves slightly in storage—lasting several months under cool conditions.
• Late ripening with good storage life
  Honeygold ripens in October, providing a sweet late-season harvest and extending your orchard's productivity. It stores well into winter with minimal loss of texture or flavor, supporting year-round home food use.
• Attractive tree for diverse orchard systems
  With its spreading, well-branched growth and abundant bloom, Honeygold fits well into fruit tree guilds, edible hedgerows, and food forests. It’s an excellent pollination partner for other mid- to late-season apples and supports bees with its heavy spring bloom.

Product Details

• Sun requirements: Full sun
• Soil requirements: Medium, well-drained
• Bloom time: Mid to late season
• Bloom color: White
• Fruit qualities: Medium to large, golden-yellow skin, crisp, honey-sweet flavor
• Fruit uses: Fresh eating, baking, preserving, short to mid-term storage
• Fruit ripening month: October
• Required chill hours: ~900
• Pollination requirements: Not self-fertile. Best pollination partners include:
• Apple, Honeycrisp
• Apple, Liberty
• Apple, Gold Rush
• Apple, Fuji
• Apple, Granny Smith
• Apple, Enterprise
• Apple, Stayman Winesap
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–7

Honeygold is a top choice for northern growers who want a sweet, reliable apple with cold-hardiness, storage potential, and versatile culinary uses. A resilient and rewarding addition to any orchard.