Fruit Tree Nursery
We grow cold-hardy, drought-tolerant fruit trees on our farm near Ovando: apples, crabapples, pears, plums, tart cherries, and apricots, picked for Montana winters. Every tree below is ready to go home and into the ground.
Pre-Order for Spring and Save 20%
Reserve by December 31
Pick your trees now and we'll hold them for you through the winter at 20% off our spring price. Spring is when the best varieties go fast, so pre-ordering is the surest way to get the trees you want. If a reserved tree doesn't make it through the winter, we'll swap it or give you a full refund.
Text to Pre-Order Email Alexis
Or call 406-880-8996.
How to Get Your Trees
At the Farm
Come pick out your trees in person at 40740 MT-200 in Ovando. Call or text ahead so we can meet you.
At the Market
Find us selling trees at farmers markets around Missoula. Follow us on Instagram to see where we'll be next.
Delivered
Larger orders may qualify for home delivery. Get in touch and we'll work out the details.
Want help planting? Alexis will plant your trees for you for an extra $25 per tree.
Trees Ready for Sale
Buy or reserve by December 31 to save 20%. Spring prices start January 1. Most apples, pears, and plums need a second variety nearby to set fruit. Not sure what pairs well? Ask us.
Arkansas Black Apple
A striking late-season apple with dark red skin so deep it is nearly black, and firm, white, juicy, crisp flesh with a well-balanced flavor. Famous as a long keeper – the fruit is quite firm at harvest and mellows and sweetens in storage – and it is equally at home fresh, cooked, or pressed for cider.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| M111 Semi-Standard | 6–7 ft | $96 | $120 |
Ashmead's Kernel Apple
A celebrated English russet dessert apple discovered in Gloucestershire in the early 18th century, known for its unassuming, heavily russeted looks and remarkably complex flavor. The dense, firm flesh delivers an intense, aromatic sharp-sweetness with nutty, citrus, and almost tropical notes – a connoisseur's apple, excellent fresh and in cider. One of the more adaptable English varieties, it is hardy to around -35F (Zone 4) and does best in western Montana's warmer valleys.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Binet Rouge Apple
A classic French bittersweet cider apple from Normandy, grown for traditional hard cider rather than fresh eating. It bears small, deep red fruit high in sugar and soft tannin that lends body, color, and aromatic depth to cider blends. A vigorous, productive tree with a tendency toward biennial bearing. Hardy to about -30F (Zone 4).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–4 ft | $67 | $84 |
Carroll Apple
An early-season, fresh-eating apple that ripens in late August, with a standout spicy-tangy sweetness that makes it a favorite for snacking. Bred at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba (Melba x Moscow Pear Apple), it is exceptionally cold hardy, surviving to -50F or colder (a solid Zone 3), and produces large fruit three to four inches across.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–4 ft | $62 | $78 |
Claygate Pearmain Apple
A classic English russeted dessert apple discovered near Claygate, Surrey in the early 1800s and prized by the Victorians. The medium fruit is flushed orange-red over green with silvery russeting, and the firm, crisp, juicy flesh has a rich, aromatic flavor with nutty and spicy notes that deepens in storage. A reliable, disease-resistant tree (notably scab-resistant), ripening in mid to late autumn. Hardy to about -30F (Zone 4), it's best suited to western Montana's warmer valleys. A triploid, it won't pollinate other apples, so plant it with two other varieties.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–6 ft | $77 | $96 |
Crimson Beauty Apple
A piece of pomological history – the first known deliberate apple cross, made in 1866 by Francis Peabody Sharp (Fameuse x New Brunswicker). This early summer apple was long treated as a culinary and processing variety but eats surprisingly well fresh straight off the tree; because it softens quickly, it is best picked a touch before full ripeness, and it makes one of the season's earliest pie apples. Hardy to roughly -35F to -40F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgo | 5–7 ft | $91 | $114 |
Dearborn's Unknown Apple
A very cold-hardy heritage apple long grown in Montana whose original name and parentage were lost to time. It has earned a reputation for dependability in tough northern conditions and is widely valued as a reliable pollinator for other cold-climate apples.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $67 | $84 |
| Dolgo | 3–5 ft | $67 | $84 |
Empire Apple
A Cornell-bred cross of McIntosh and Red Delicious from the 1940s that leans strongly toward its McIntosh side – an all-purpose apple good for fresh eating, drying, and sauce. Grown in Montana since the 1970s, it does very well in the western valleys but is not recommended east of the Divide or where winter lows fall below -40F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| M111 | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Fred's Mac Apple
A McIntosh-type apple with the classic Mac character – aromatic, tender, and juicy with a bright sweet-tart flavor – well suited to fresh eating and sauce. A hardy, dependable tree for cold-climate orchards. Like McIntosh, it's hardy to about -40F (Zone 3b-4), so it does well in western Montana's valleys but isn't suited to areas that run consistently below -40F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spy 227 | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Goodland Apple
A dependable cold-climate apple from the Morden Research Station in Manitoba (a 1940s-50s seedling of Patten Greening), valued for reliability and survival more than dessert refinement. It bears medium fruit with firm flesh and a straightforward, mildly sweet flavor – fine for fresh eating and especially good for sauce, baking, and drying – ripening mid-season, roughly early to mid September. Exceptionally cold tolerant, surviving into the -40s and approaching -50F with only minor, recoverable damage; a true Zone 3, and even Zone 2 with some injury.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $67 | $84 |
Gravenstein Apple
A centuries-old, all-purpose apple with a bright, sweet-tart flavor and honeyed aromatics that make it a favorite for fresh eating, sauce, and cider; this is a red-blushed strain. A Zone 4 apple, hardy to around -33F, it performs best west of the Continental Divide in Missoula and other warmer valleys, and may struggle where winter lows regularly fall below -35F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $67 | $84 |
Honeycrisp Apple
The aromatic, honey-sweet, explosively crisp and juicy apple bred by the University of Minnesota, and a perennial customer favorite. Its cold hardiness is only moderate: it does well in western Montana but can suffer serious trunk and limb damage below about -45F, so it is not recommended east of the Divide except in warmer microclimates. It also tends to harden off late, leaving it vulnerable to early fall frosts.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgo | 3–4 ft | $62 | $78 |
| EMLA7 | 5–6 ft | $86 | $108 |
Hunt Russet Apple
A heritage New England russet dessert apple traced to Hunt Farm in Concord, Massachusetts in the 1750s. The medium fruit wears a rough golden-brown russet coat over green and offers rich, sweet, nutty flavor with the dense, firm flesh typical of fine russets; it stores well and is often compared to Golden Russet. A good choice for fresh eating and cider.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Liberty Apple
One of the easiest and most reliable apples to grow: resistant to all the major apple diseases thanks to the Vf scab-resistance gene, with none of McIntosh's scab problems or pre-harvest drop. Introduced in 1978 by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (Macoun x Purdue 54-12), it is essentially an improved McIntosh with excellent, balanced flavor. Hardy to about -40F, and a great choice for beginners and cold-climate growers.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $67 | $84 |
| Dolgo | 4–5 ft | $77 | $96 |
| Dolgo | 5–6 ft | $86 | $108 |
Macoun Apple
A late-season heir to McIntosh and an outstanding fresh-eating apple, ripening in late September, that also bakes well since it holds its shape in the oven. Widely considered one of the best McIntosh derivatives, with better crunch, juicier flesh, and a flavor that lingers. Its hardiness is moderate – it thrives in western Montana's valleys but is not suited to areas that run consistently below -40F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| M111 | 6–7 ft | $86 | $108 |
MN 1628 Apple
A numbered apple selection from the University of Minnesota's cold-climate breeding program, chosen for hardiness and northern adaptability. As a University of Minnesota selection it carries the program's characteristic winter toughness. Estimated hardy to -40F to -45F (Zone 3-4); not recommended where winters drop below -45F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Norda Apple
A Canadian cold-climate apple introduced in 1976 out of the Morden and Beaverlodge breeding programs (Rosilda x Trail). It bears small-to-medium fruit with a red blush or striping and crisp flesh, with good flavor for such a hardy variety and a reputation as a good keeper among cold-climate summer apples; a versatile fresh-and-kitchen apple. Vigorous, upright-spreading, and quick to bear. Rated Zone 2 – suitable for nearly all of Montana, even some of the coldest areas east of the Divide.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgo | 3–4 ft | $67 | $84 |
| Dolgo | 4–5 ft | $77 | $96 |
| Dolgo | 5–6 ft | $86 | $108 |
Norkent Apple
A cold-hardy apple bred at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba (Haralson x Rescue) for the Prairie Fruit Breeding Cooperative, released after a long and muddled testing history. Widely considered one of the best eating apples among the very hardy varieties, it bears medium-large, yellow-green fruit streaked with red, with crisp, juicy, aromatic flesh and a distinctive apple-pear flavor often compared to Golden Delicious. Excellent fresh and good for cooking and juice. Ripens early to mid September and keeps about three months, though the flavor fades toward the end. Pick it fully ripe; picked early, the flavor never develops. Needs a pollinator. Hardy to about -45F (Zone 2b), suitable for nearly all of Montana.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 1–2 ft | $24 | $30 |
Red Baron Apple
A University of Minnesota apple (Golden Delicious crossed with an experimental selection), first bred in 1926 and released in 1970. Juicy and crisp, it holds its shape when baked – excellent for pies – though it browns readily once cut, and it stores about four to five weeks. Highly resistant to apple scab and moderately resistant to fire blight, rust, and mildew, and cold hardy to about -40F.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgo | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Spartan Apple
A Canadian dessert apple bred at the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia and released in 1936. McIntosh is one parent; the other was long thought to be Newtown Pippin until DNA testing ruled it out, and it remains a mystery. The medium fruit has deep maroon-red skin and bright white flesh that is crisp, juicy, and aromatic with a sweet, winy flavor – firmer than McIntosh and a far better keeper, holding for a few months in storage. Best for fresh eating and juice. A precocious, heavy-bearing tree with good scab resistance; thin the fruit to keep size up. Partially self-fertile, but crops better with a pollinator. Rated Zone 4 (roughly -30F to -35F), it does best in western Montana's warmer valleys.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–6 ft | $72 | $90 |
Swiss Gourmet (Arlet) Apple
A Swiss dessert apple (also known as Arlet), a cross of Golden Delicious and Idared, with firm, crisp, juicy flesh and an aromatic, well-balanced sweet-tart flavor; it stores well. A mid-season bloomer, hardy to about -40F (Zone 3a), it does best across most of western Montana's valleys and is best avoided in the coldest pockets and east of the Divide apart from Billings and warmer surrounding areas.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 4–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Wealthy Apple
An American heirloom with a great backstory: after nearly a decade of failed attempts to grow apples in Minnesota, Peter Gideon spent his last few dollars on seeds and scionwood from Maine, and one of the resulting trees became Wealthy, named for his wife. Genetic analysis has since shown it to be a cross of Duchess of Oldenburg and Jonathan. Best for processing, though it also bakes into a fine pie. Hardy to about -40F (Zone 3), suitable for most of Montana.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spy 227 | 3–4 ft | $67 | $84 |
William's Pride Apple
An early-season apple from the PRI (Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois) disease-resistance breeding program, released in 1988. It bears medium to medium-large fruit with attractive deep red to purplish skin and cream-colored flesh that is crisp for such an early apple – best for fresh eating, good for baking, and it keeps unusually well for a summer variety. Scab-immune and resistant to cedar-apple rust, powdery mildew, and often fire blight, with a long bloom window that aids pollination. A vigorous, sturdy, spreading tree. Hardy to about -30F (Zone 4), it does best in western Montana's warmer valleys.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Centennial Applecrab
A University of Minnesota applecrab introduced in 1957 (Wealthy x Dolgo) and closely related to Kerr. It produces large, red-over-orange fruit that is excellent for fresh eating and sauce, though it does not store well; the crabapples ripen from late August into early September, carry a yellowish-pink skin, and hang on the tree without turning mealy. Exceptionally tough, hardy to at least -50F (Zone 2 and colder).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
| Dolgo | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Hewe's Virginia Crab
One of the best-known historic American cider crabs, documented in colonial Virginia and famously grown at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson as a cider apple (its exact parentage is uncertain). It is prized by cidermakers for small, high-juice fruit that contributes acid, tannin, and aromatic lift to blends and can also stand alone as a varietal dry cider; fresh, the fruit has a thick skin and turns from sweet to tart. Unusually hardy for a cider apple – roughly Zone 3 to 4, tolerating around -38F – and an excellent pollinator.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud 118 | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Trailman Applecrab
A cold-hardy applecrab bred at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba (Trail x Osman, introduced in 1973) and one of the best performers for extreme northern climates. It bears heavy crops of small (1-1.5 inch) orange-peach fruit that is sweet with a bold tart kick, mellowing to a sweeter, nuttier profile if left to ripen, with a nice crunch and good potential in hard-cider blends. Extremely hardy, roughly -50F to -60F (Zone 2 and even protected Zone 1).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolgo | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
Bartlett Pear
The most widely grown pear in the world – sweet, juicy, and at its best when ripened on the tree, which store-bought fruit rarely gets. First grown in 1797, it is notably fast-growing (so first harvests come sooner than most pears) and partially self-fertile. Hardiness is marginal in Montana, roughly Zone 5, so it is best in warmer sites.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHxF 97 | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Beurré Giffard Pear
An old French dessert pear (raised near Angers in the early 1800s) and one of the first pears of the season, ripening in mid to late summer. The fruit is small to medium with smooth greenish-yellow skin flushed pale red on the sunny side, and tender, juicy, sweet, melting flesh that is best enjoyed fresh straight from the tree, as it does not store. Trees are slender with a naturally spreading, somewhat weeping habit; does better with a pollinator. Zone 4 (-30F max). Better in Missoula, Flathead Valley, Bitterroot Valley.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHxF 97 | 3–5 ft | $72 | $90 |
| OHxF 97 | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Douglas Pear
A Kansas pear named for Douglas County, where it originated in the early 1900s, and believed to be a cross of Kieffer and Duchesse d'Angouleme. The medium-to-large fruit is golden yellow with fine-grained, juicy flesh and a bright, sweet-tart flavor, with far less grit than Kieffer. It keeps well and is good fresh and for canning. Very precocious, often bearing by the second year after planting, and so productive that the crop should be thinned or the fruit runs small. Highly resistant to fire blight. Ripens late, around October, so it does best in warmer valleys with a longer season. Needs a pollinator. Rated Zone 3-4 and well regarded by Minnesota growers.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 1–2 ft | $24 | $30 |
Krazulya Pear
A cold-hardy Russian summer pear (Krasulya) from the South Ural Research Institute (Pozdnyaya x Malenkaya Radost). Moderately vigorous with a rounded, well-balanced crown, it begins bearing around its fifth year and yields heavily. Noted for excellent winter hardiness and strong resistance to fungal diseases including pear scab, it is a dependable choice for cold-climate, low-input orchards – part of the hardy Russian pear group that can take -50F or colder.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ussurian | 5–7 ft | $91 | $114 |
Red Sensation Bartlett Pear
A red-skinned sport of the classic Bartlett with the same rich sweetness and melting texture, plus striking deep red color. The medium-to-large fruit has smooth red skin (best in full sun) and fine-textured, juicy, aromatic flesh with very low grit when ripened off the tree – excellent fresh and for canning, drying, and preserves. Moderately vigorous and upright-spreading; benefits from a compatible European pear pollinator. Like standard Bartlett, hardiness is marginal in Montana (about Zone 5).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHxF 87 | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Seckel Pear
The classic American 'sugar pear' – very small, snack-sized fruit with intensely sweet, buttery, melting flesh and a distinctive spicy aroma, long regarded as one of the best-flavored dessert pears in North America. A chance seedling found near Philadelphia in the late 1700s (and grown at Monticello), it ripens in late September with dull yellowish-brown, russeted skin and a red blush, and is excellent fresh or for preserves, spiced pears, and pickling. Hardier than its usual Zone 5 billing, with better fire-blight resistance than many European pears.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHxF 87 | 6–8 ft | $96 | $120 |
Italian Plum
One of the most reliable European plums for western Montana – a large, purple-skinned, freestone plum that is richly flavored and very sweet when fully ripe. It is typically left to hang until frost softens and sweetens it (though too many frosty nights turn it bland) and is excellent fresh, dried, or cooked. Vigorous and fairly cold hardy (Zone 4), with a likely limit around -35F, and partially self-fertile.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovell | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Native Plum
A native plum (Prunus americana) grown as much for its showy, intensely fragrant white spring blossoms – which open ahead of the leaves and rival linden for perfume – as for its fruit. The small plums ripen to a shiny bright red in August and September and are good fresh once fully tree-ripened, or dried and made into preserves. It cross-pollinates other American plums and makes an excellent windbreak and pollinator planting. Hardy to Zone 2.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 4–6 ft | $72 | $90 |
Prairie Red Plum
An extremely cold-hardy hybrid plum that grows as a thicket-forming small tree to about 15 feet, with white flowers in early May followed by reddish-yellow to red fruit in late summer and fall that grows sweeter the longer it hangs on the tree. Long planted across the northern prairies as a shelterbelt, it does double duty as wind protection and fruit, works as rootstock for Asian-American hybrid plums, and provides valuable wildlife food and habitat. Hardy to Zone 2 (-40F or colder).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 4–6 ft | $72 | $90 |
Shiro Plum
A well-loved early Japanese plum (a Luther Burbank introduction from around 1899) with round, translucent bright-yellow fruit and juicy, sweet, mild yellow flesh. Heavy-bearing and one of the first plums to ripen in mid-summer, it is good fresh and for cooking. Vigorous and productive, hardy to roughly Zone 5; benefits from a pollinator.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovell | 6–8 ft | $101 | $126 |
Meteor Tart Cherry
A cold-climate tart (sour) cherry from the University of Minnesota (1952), bred as a later-ripening Montmorency. It produces medium, bright-red cherries with clear juice and semi-firm flesh, ripening about a week after Montmorency, and is primarily a kitchen cherry for pies, baking, sauce, preserves, and juice – and it dries beautifully. Naturally a smaller tree (about 10-12 feet) and self-fruitful. Hardy to about -30F (Zone 4), and it can succeed in Zone 3 with a sheltered site.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazzard | 6–8 ft | $86 | $108 |
Montmorency Tart Cherry
One of the most famous and widely grown tart cherries, thought to have originated in the Montmorency Valley north of Paris and named for a noble family that grew it for centuries. The fruit sweetens as it ripens but stays tart enough that it shines in the kitchen – especially as dried cherries. It grows in borderline Zone 3/4 areas, though it is a bit less hardy than some other tart cherries.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazzard | 6–8 ft | $86 | $108 |
Manchurian Apricot
Among the cold-hardiest apricots available, with genetics tracing to Northeast Asia; the parent trees hail from a bitterly cold part of North Dakota and have survived -45F and possibly -50F, making these true Zone 2 apricots. Because they are grown from open-pollinated seed, fruit quality varies from tree to tree – some develop lovely sweetness when fully tree-ripened – so they are best chosen for resilience over uniformity. They also serve as excellent cold-hardy rootstock for grafting more refined apricots. Partially self-fertile. Great for windbreak, fast growing.
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 4–5 ft | $58 | $72 |
Westcot Apricot
A cold-hardy apricot from the Morden Research Station in Manitoba (Scout x McClure), released in 1982. The small-to-medium freestone fruit is yellow-orange with a red blush, and its smooth, juicy flesh is mildly sweet – good fresh and excellent for canning and jam. Ripens late July to early August on a vigorous, upright-spreading, productive tree. Partially self-fertile, but crops better with a second apricot nearby. Like all apricots it blooms early, so a site with good cold-air drainage helps protect the blossoms from late frosts. Hardy to about -40F (Zone 3).
| Rootstock | Size | By Dec 31 | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grown from seed | 1–2 ft | $24 | $30 |
Where Our Trees Come From
We grow many of our trees from seed and graft our own right here on the farm. We also carry trees from our friends at Montana Fruit Tree Company.
We're here to answer your questions and help keep your trees healthy, long after they leave the farm.
Get in Touch