Fruit Tree
Anna Apple
Malus domestica 'Anna' · Rosaceae
Also called: Anna Low-Chill Apple
Anna Apple (Malus domestica 'Anna') is a moderate-water fruit tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, 6-8+ hours. Expect white to pale pink blooms Very early bloom.
Anna Apple at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun, 6-8+ hours. In Tucson, afternoon shade and a whitewashed/shade-cloth-protected trunk help prevent sunburn on the bark and fruit.
- Mature size
- 12-15 ft tall and wide on standard roots; often kept 8-12 ft, and smaller on dwarfing rootstock.
- Growth rate
- Moderate; precocious, often bears within 2-3 years.
- Bloom
- White to pale pink, Very early bloom (Feb-Mar in the low desert); fruit harvest is early, typically June-July. Crisp green-red apple with sweet-tart flavor.
- Cold hardiness
- Deciduous and fully cold-hardy in Tucson (USDA 9a-9b); the limitation is heat/low chill, not cold. Early bloom can occasionally be nipped by a late frost.
- Soil
- Prefers deep, well-drained loam; tolerates Tucson's alkaline soil if amended with compost and kept well-drained. Avoid waterlogged spots.
- Native range
- Cultivar bred in Israel (1950s) from 'Golden Delicious' lineage for warm climates. Not native to Arizona.
- Best used as
- Fresh eating, Cooking/baking, Low-chill backyard orchard, Edible landscape/small shade tree
- Wildlife
- Spring blossoms support bees; ripe fruit attracts birds.
- Toxicity
- Fruit edible. Seeds, leaves and bark contain cyanogenic compounds (amygdalin) and are toxic to pets/livestock if eaten in quantity; the flesh is safe.
How to grow Anna Apple in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep, regular irrigation, especially through bloom and fruit development: roughly every 5-7 days in summer heat, less in spring/fall, monthly in winter dormancy. Mulch to keep roots cool and moisture even; apples are less drought-tolerant than figs/pomegranates here.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Feed with nitrogen (or balanced fruit-tree fertilizer) in late winter/early spring as growth begins, optionally a second light feeding after fruit set. Avoid heavy late-season nitrogen. Watch for iron chlorosis in alkaline soil; treat with chelated iron.
Pruning & care
Prune in winter dormancy to establish an open center or modified central leader and keep the tree short for easy harvest and heat management. Thin fruit in spring to improve size and prevent limb breakage.
Notes
One of the best low-chill apples for the low desert, needing only ~200 chill hours. Partly self-fruitful but yields markedly better with a simultaneously blooming pollenizer such as 'Dorsett Golden' or 'Ein Shemer' planted nearby. Plant bare-root in winter or container in fall.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners - deciduous fruit for the low desert; Dave Wilson Nursery - low-chill apple variety recommendations (Tom's Picks, Southwest); Orange Pippin - Anna apple variety profile