Karl Foord, Extension Educator, Horticulture
Temperatures in the mid to low 20's were encountered last Tuesday April 10th in many parts of central and southern Minnesota. Apple fruit flowers are damaged at temperatures lower than 28 degrees F. depending on the stage of the flower bud and the length of time at the low temperature. The more open the flower bud the more susceptible the bud is to low temperature damage.
The following picture gallery shows the types of frost damage experience by apple flowers in Chaska, Minnesota. The gallery begins with heathy flowers with green stigmas and cream anthers, shows partially damaged flowers with dead stigmas and soom dead anthers, and finally a flower will all parts killed.
Karl Foord
Photo 1: Healthy Apple Flower
Karl Foord
Photo 2: Healthy or partically damaged apple flower
Karl Foord
Photo 3: Totally damaged flower top left and partially damaged flower bottom right
Karl Foord
Photo 4: Frost killed apple flower with brown stigmas and anthers
Karl Foord
Photo 5: Frost killed apple flower with brown stigmas and anthers
