🍏 Cortland Apple (Malus domestica 'Cortland')
Zones: 3–8 | Height: 12–20 ft | Spread: 12–20 ft | Growth Rate: Moderate
Light: Full sun | Soil: Well-drained, loamy to sandy
Fruit Drop Time: September to October
🏞️ Product Description:
The Cortland Apple is a time-tested favorite known for its crisp, juicy texture and perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor. While it’s a standout fresh-eating apple for the table, it truly shines as a dual-purpose tree—providing a consistent, high-quality food source for whitetails, bears, and upland game alike.
Ripening and dropping from late September into October, Cortland delivers crucial fall nutrition during the peak of hunting season. Its reliability and flavor make it a go-to apple variety for both homesteaders and habitat managers.
🦌 Sweet Crunch with Wildlife Punch:
Wildlife are drawn to the sugary scent and flavor of Cortland apples, making this tree an effective and irresistible attractant. Whether planted in a backyard orchard or within a food plot system, it offers consistent fall draw and excellent fruit quality—plus dense cover as the tree matures.
🌳 Why Grow Cortland Apple?
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Sweet, juicy apples with a tart kick—great for both humans and wildlife
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Consistent fall drop in the prime hunting window (Sept–Oct)
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Attracts deer, bear, turkeys, and small game
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Excellent disease resistance, especially to apple scab
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Dual-purpose: orchard-quality fruit with proven wildlife appeal
🛠️ Planting Tips:
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Requires cross-pollination—plant with another mid-season apple like Liberty or Enterprise
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Space trees 15–20 ft apart in full sun
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Prune annually to maintain shape and encourage airflow
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Use a Tree Survival Kit to protect from deer browse
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Water during dry spells in the first two growing seasons
🌿 Summary:
The Cortland Apple combines orchard-level flavor with serious wildlife value. Its consistent fall drop, disease resistance, and irresistible sweetness make it a key player in both edible landscapes and wildlife orchards. A classic for a reason—easy to grow, great to eat, and powerful in the field.
Bold flavor. Big attraction. Built for fall draws.
