Stark® Hart's Fancy™ Apple Tree

Stark® Hart’s Fancy™ is a Stark Bro’s exclusive named to commemorate our founder, James Hart Stark — the pioneer who started it all in 1816. This Honeycrisp × Gala cross originating from Winchester, Illinois in 2000 delivers super-juicy, sweet, sub-acid flavor with the characteristic Honeycrisp crispness that makes it one of the finest fresh-eating apples you can grow. Cherry-red fruit with attractive light striping, a heavy annual bearing habit, warm-climate tolerance, and promising resistance to rust, scab, and fire blight make Hart’s Fancy™ a genuinely exceptional Stark Bro’s original.

Better Than Honeycrisp — The Best of Both Parents

Hart’s Fancy™ takes what makes Honeycrisp famous — that extraordinary crispness and juicy, sweet sub-acid flavor — and delivers it in a Honeycrisp × Gala cross that produces heavy annual crops more reliably and tolerates warmer climates better than standard Honeycrisp. The result is large, beautiful cherry-red fruit with light striping and a September harvest that delivers the Honeycrisp experience growers love in a more dependable, widely adaptable package.

Named for Our Founder — A Meaningful Tribute

Stark® Hart’s Fancy™ carries the name of James Hart Stark, the young Kentucky pioneer who brought apple scion wood to Missouri in 1816 and planted the seeds of what became America’s oldest continuously operating nursery. Naming this apple in his honor is a fitting tribute — a variety that represents everything Hart’s Stark stood for: quality fruit, reliable performance, and a love of growing that has endured for over 200 years.

Promising Disease Resistance — Three-Way Protection

Hart’s Fancy™ shows promising resistance to rust, scab, and fire blight — three of the most common and damaging apple diseases. That three-way resistance profile reduces the spray management burden and supports healthier, more consistent crops for home orchardists who want the Honeycrisp flavor experience without intensive disease management.

Why Growers Choose Stark® Hart’s Fancy™

• A Stark Bro’s exclusive — named for founder James Hart Stark, only from Stark Bro’s
• Honeycrisp × Gala cross — super-juicy, sweet, crisp Honeycrisp flavor in a better package
• Heavy annual bearer — consistent, reliable production season after season
• Warm-climate tolerant — broader adaptability than standard Honeycrisp
• Promising triple disease resistance — rust, scab, and fire blight
• Beautiful cherry-red fruit — light striping and large size for September harvest

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