Haralson Apple
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Haralson apple pollination guide: diploid, bloom group 2, very hardy Minnesota keeper. Compatible partners, Wealthy parent and cold-climate notes.
Haralson is Self-Sterile (Needs 1 Partner)
Haralson needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 1–3 to set a reliable crop.
- Chromosome Ploidy
- self sterile
- Required Companions
- 1 Diploid Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 2 (Mid-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Late (-10d from Golden Delicious)
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Apple flowering periods are classified into numbered bloom groups (1 through 6). A variety reliably cross-pollinates with cultivars in its own group or adjacent groups (±1 group).
Any compatible diploid apple flowering within Group 1 to 3 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (63)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±5d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Macoun | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±5d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | Cider, All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
Winter Banana | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±10d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Late ±15d delta | All-Purpose, Storage | Test Cross | |
Jonamac | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±15d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid ±15d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±20d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±25d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Summerred | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±25d delta | All-Purpose | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±25d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Mollie's Delicious | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±30d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Sansa | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±30d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Jersey Mac | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±35d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±35d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (14)
These varieties overlap in flowering time with Haralson but cannot fertilise it due to sterile pollen (triploids) or shared genetic incompatibility alleles.
Baldwin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Belle de Boskoop produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Blenheim Orange produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Bramley's Seedling produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Fall Pippin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Gravenstein produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
A direct parent (Golden Delicious × Haralson) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
Karmijn de Sonnaville produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Mutsu (Crispin) produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Ribston Pippin produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Roxbury Russet produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Spigold produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Tompkins King produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
A direct parent (Malinda × Wealthy) — roughly half the pollen is non-functional, so it is not a reliable partner.
Grower Commentary: Haralson Cold Hardiness and Tart Keeping Fruit
Haralson is a diploid, self-sterile apple from the University of Minnesota, a cross of Malinda and Wealthy, and the catalogue describes it as very hardy. It flowers in bloom group 2 with viable pollen, so pair it with other early-to-mid diploids. Wealthy is a parent, so the compatibility list on this page sets it aside rather than offering it as a simple partner.
Harvest falls about ten days before Golden Delicious in maritime north-west European conditions, and the record lists culinary, dessert and keeper uses. The fruit is firm and tart, and it stores well, which is why it became a standard apple in cold northern districts where tender varieties fail.
Hardiness is the reason to grow it, so site and rootstock choices should reinforce it: use a hardy, well-anchored rootstock and avoid frost pockets and late-season nitrogen that keeps growth soft into autumn. Prune to keep a spur system productive and an open canopy, and thin to avoid biennial swings.
Key Orchard Considerations for Haralson
Choose a hardy, well-anchored rootstock and avoid late nitrogen that delays dormancy.
Wealthy is a parent; check the partner list rather than assuming any mid-season diploid will do.
Firm, tart fruit stores into winter; suits farm gate, baking and cold-climate markets.
Take Haralson from Planning to Planting
Use Kropigo's free browser tools to model your block density, tree counts, and pollinizer rows, then maintain permanent orchard records row by row.
Pollination Checker
Check Haralson against supported cultivars with compatible flowering and pollination data.
Commercial Block Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, and establishment costs.
Block Record Keeping
Track pruning, chemical thinning, and harvest tallies block by block from the orchard.