Pixie Crunch™ Apple Tree

Pixie Crunch™ is an apple cultivar selected for compact tree size and exceptionally crisp, flavorful fruit. The recorded Reachables form has a smaller stature than a standard apple, while its mature size still depends on rootstock and training. ## Fruit and tree The exact cultivar is Co-op 33, described in [the Co-op 33 plant patent](https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP13871P2/en). The patent records selection at Purdue University, a small, spreading tree, white flowers, apple scab-resistant cultivar, and crisp, complex sweet-tart apples that hold on the tree as they ripen. In Lafayette, Indiana, it was picked in mid-September and could hang into October; harvest dates vary by climate. The patent reports USDA Zone 5 hardiness. ## Site and pollination Choose full sun and well-drained soil. Like other apples, Pixie Crunch needs pollen from a different compatible apple variety with overlapping bloom. [Utah State University Extension’s home-orchard guide](https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/apple-production-and-variety-recommendations-for-the-utah-home-garden) explains how to match bloom times and how rootstock determines much of an apple tree’s mature size. ## Maintenance Water consistently while establishing and during dry weather. Prune and train according to rootstock and the compact form, and thin crowded fruit clusters after bloom when needed. Monitor for local apple pests and diseases; the cultivar’s scab resistance does not eliminate the need to check for other problems.