Relatively few cultivars of apples (Malus domestica L.) can be grown successfully in Florida. Northern apple cultivars — such as ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Red Delicious’, ‘Gala’, ‘Fuji’, or ‘McIntosh’ — are not exposed to enough low temperatures during Florida’s mild winters. Consequently, both vegetative and reproductive spring growth are suppressed when these cultivars are grown in Florida.
Whether a region’s climate is compatible with a cultivar’s chilling requirement may be determined on the basis of the cumulative number of hours less than or equal to 45° F during the winter, or may be determined by the mean annual temperature of the coldest month. Although few apple cultivars with a low chilling requirement can be successfully grown in Florida, many homeowners in north Florida and north central Florida grow apple trees.
There is little potential for establishment of commercial apple orchards in Florida because apples are available year-round from the Pacific Northwest, and apples are also available from south of the equator during the winter and spring. Additionally, the successful culture of apples in Florida is more difficult than in most temperate regions due to high rainfall and humidity in Florida during the apple-ripening season, late May through June. The Florida climate also contributes to enhanced insect and disease pressures on apples.
Fact sheet: Anna Apple & Dorsett Golden Apple
Planted in Nassau County Extension Demonstration Garden
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