Apple variety
Fireside
Also known as Connell Red
The short answer
Fireside needs a pollination partner[1]. The sourced figures are below — where nothing is published we say so, and any estimate is clearly labeled as ours.
Growing facts
| Chill requirement | 800–1,000 chill hours (our estimate — no published figure) |
|---|---|
| Hardiness | Not published for this variety |
| Pollination | Needs a pollination partner[1] |
| Harvest window | October[2] |
| Years to bearing | 4–5 years (typical for apples)[3] |
| Appearance | Very large, red-striped; sweet, fine-grained flesh[2] |
Pollination partners
Plant another Apple variety with an overlapping bloom time nearby.
Notes
- A cold-hardy 1943 U of M release; large, sweet dessert apple that keeps well. Ripens mid-October (Connell Red is a redder sport).[2]
A year with your Fireside
When the work happens for an apple in USDA zone 6, anchored to typical frost dates.
| Task | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prune | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Thin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Spray timing | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| Harvest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Care | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Growing a Fireside? Get its care calendar for your exact ZIP code, with email reminders.
Save this tree in My OrchardQuestions
- Is Fireside self-pollinating?
- No — Fireside needs a compatible pollination partner nearby.
Sources
- [1] University of Minnesota Extension. Growing apples in the home garden — accessed July 2026
- [2] University of Minnesota (Minnesota Hardy / Horticultural Research Center). All University of Minnesota Apple Varieties — Minnesota Hardy — accessed July 2026
- [3] Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. How soon will a newly planted fruit tree begin to bear fruit? (Yard and Garden FAQ) — accessed July 2026