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Variety fit — Texas

Can I grow McIntosh apple in Texas?

The verdict

Not recommended

  • Needs about 900 chill hours; your area averages 531 and tops out near 723.
  • Your zone 9a is warmer than this variety's range (zones 5–8); it may not receive reliable winter chilling.

Based on Texas’s main growing area (78701): zone 9a, ~531 chill hours. Your exact site may differ — check your ZIP.

The numbers

McIntosh requirements vs. Texas climate
McIntosh chill requirement900 chill hours
McIntosh hardinessUSDA zones 5–8
Texas average chill (78701)531 hours (270–723 across 10 winters)
Texas zone (78701)USDA zone 9a
USDA pomological watercolor of McIntosh apple
Malus domestica: McIntoshUSDA pomological watercolor, Deborah Griscom Passmore, 1909 · USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Better apple choices for Texas

These meet Texas’s chill hours and zone comfortably:

Keep checking

Or the same verdict for another region:

Questions

Can I grow McIntosh apple in Texas?
Probably not — Needs about 900 chill hours; your area averages 531 and tops out near 723.

Sources

  1. [1] Open-Meteo / Copernicus ERA5. Historical Weather API (hourly 2m temperature) — accessed July 2026
  2. [2] USDA / PRISM (Oregon State University). 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — accessed July 2026
  3. [3] Utah State University Extension. Apple Production and Variety Recommendations for the Utah Home Garden — accessed July 2026
  4. [4] Dave Wilson Nursery. Apples — DWN Variety Finder product list — accessed July 2026