Apple
Can I Grow Empire?
Empire is a McIntosh × Red Delicious cross that improves on both parents — crisper than Mac, more flavorful than Red Delicious. It's a cold-hardy favorite in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.
Growing Requirements
Chill Hours
800
Hardiness Zones
4-5-6-7
Harvest
Mid-September
Results
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Pruning dates, harvests, spray schedules, what worked. The gardeners who get the most from their trees are the ones who kept records.
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About Empire
Empire is a McIntosh × Red Delicious cross that improves on both parents — crisper than Mac, more flavorful than Red Delicious. It's a cold-hardy favorite in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.
Empire requires 800 chill hours — the number of hours between 32°F and 45°F during winter dormancy. Without enough chill, the tree may fail to flower properly or produce poor fruit.
⚠️ Common Challenges
Smaller fruit size than supermarket apples; prone to pre-harvest drop if not picked promptly.
❌ Common Misconception
Can I grow Empire in Zone 8 or warmer?
No. While Empire is listed for zones 4-7, it requires 800 chill hours to produce fruit. Warm zones like 8+ typically receive only 200-400 chill hours. The tree may survive but will not fruit reliably. Consider low-chill alternatives like Anna apple (200h) or Tropic Snow peach (200h) instead.
If you plant it, write it down.
Variety, rootstock, planting date — and every pruning and harvest after that. Future you will thank you.
Free for up to 30 plants. No card needed.
Other Apple Varieties
Chill hour data from Open-Meteo Historical Weather API. Variety information compiled from university extension services.