Knowledgebase
Apple bloom #130415
Asked May 28, 2013, 8:01 PM EDT
What time frame does a wealthy semi-dwarf tree bloom in spring in central Wisconsin. Thank you.
Wood County Wisconsin
Expert Response
Apples (dwarf and standard) bloom in the spring right after the leaves first come out. Your wealthy tree should be blossoming or have blossomed already. If it did not blossom yet, it may not be old enough. Most apple trees begin to bear fruit when they are at minimum 3-4 years old. The rootstock on which the fruit tree is grafted has a very
significant effect on the age when it will start bearing fruit.
In the case of apple trees the rootstock influence alone can cause the same
variety to start fruiting in a range from approximately 2 - 7 years. The rule of thumb is that the more vigorous the rootstock the longer it
will take the tree to come into bearing. After the rootstock, the next most important factor is probably the individual
variety or cultivar. Some varieties are naturally slow to come into bearing - a number of well-known
traditional American varieties fall into this category, such as Northern Spy,
Wealthy and Wolf River.
