• Low-chill varieties of apple trees are now available for warmer regions.Kathy Collins/Stockbyte/Getty Images
  
  Most apple trees need a certain number of chilling hours during the winter to break down growth inhibitors located in new flower buds. Chilling hours are the number of hours with temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Since the amount of chilling hours required for many apple varieties is over 500 hours, the best place to grow apples has traditionally been in cooler climates. However, low-chill apple varieties are now available for growing in the southern and coastal parts of the United States.
  
  

Dorsett Golden

• The Dorsett golden apple tree only needs 250 chilling hours to produce apples. It is not self-fertile, so a pollinator, or another apple tree that blooms at the same time, such as the Anna apple tree, should be planted nearby. The fruit is yellow or golden with a slight blush of red, and ripens by early- to midsummer. The tree is suited to USDA horticultural zones 8 through 10. Dorsett golden has a strong apple taste, and the fruit itself is considered aromatic.
  
  

Ein Shemer

• The Ein Shemer apple tree has a chilling requirement of only 350 hours. The apples have a golden color and ripen in early- to midsummer. The Ein Shemer apple tree is self-fertile, meaning it does not need another apple tree for pollination. It produces well in USDA horticultural zones 6 through 9. The Ein Shemer apple is considered a sweet-tasting apple.
  
  

Anna

• The Anna apple tree requires only 200 to 300 chilling hours. The fruit is green, with some pink and red visible. Anna apples are sweet and crisp, and are good for both cooking and preserving. A pollinator is needed for apple production. Both Dorsett golden and Ein Shemer are good selections for cross-pollination because they bloom at the same time as Anna. The apples from the Anna apple tree ripen in early summer. It grows and produces best in USDA horticultural zones 6 through 9.
  
  

Tropic Sweet

• Tropic sweet is an apple variety that requires only 250 chilling hours. The fruit is considered very sweet and is yellow with some red. It requires a pollinator such as Dorsett Golden or Anna to produce apples. Tropic Sweet is suitable for growing in USDA horticultural zones 8 through 9.
  
  

Granny Smith

• Granny Smith is a variety of apple that requires 400 chilling hours, which is still considered low chill. It can be grown successfully in USDA horticultural zones 4 through 8. It is self-fertile, so a pollinator is not needed. The fruit of the Granny Smith apple tree is bright green when ripe. Granny Smith apples, which ripen in late summer, are known for their tart, crisp taste and are suitable for canning and baking.