Woody > Malus > Malus domestica > Malus domestica 'Red Delicious'
Malus domestica
'Red Delicious'
Red Delicious Apple
Origin: This cultivar was discovered in the 1870s by Jesse Hiat. The tree was a rogue apple tree growing between rows of apple trees located in an orchard in Peru, Iowa. Hiat was going to cut the rogue tree down, however he opted to let the tree grow. In 1894, the apples from the tree were entered in a competition held at Stark Brothers Nursery, which at the time was looking for the next best apple. The apple became known as ‘Red Delicious’ when the company’s president, Stark, bit into the apple and exclaimed “My, that’s delicious!”. Stark claimed the rights for the apple and spent $750,000 promoting the tree. By 1922, ‘Red Delicious’ annual crop value was $12 million. In 1923, a ‘Red Delicious’ tree produced a branch containing a new apple cultivar which was a crimson red. Shortly after, other growers of ‘Red Delicious’ started to look out for mutations of their own.
| Family |
| Rosaceae |
| Genus |
| Malus |
| Species |
| domestica |
| Cultivar |
| 'Red Delicious' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 0 - 7 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 32 - 45 |
| Height |
| 3 - 4.5 m |
| Spread |
| 3 - 4.5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Most used as a pollination partner, but the fruit is also harvested and sold in markets and grocery stores. The tree is found in orchards but can also be used in urban landscaping. ‘Red Delicious’ can be a dwarf of normal sized tree. The apples are known for their bitter taste and dark red colour. |
| Landscape |
| ‘Red Delicious’ is used in the landscape as an accent tree. Other uses include use as shade and orchard trees. Some orchards use this tree as a pollination partner for other trees to produce fruit. The tree’s apples are used in a variety of products, such as baked goods and juice. The fruits are also commonly sold in the produce section of grocery stores. They are very nutritious, containing vitamin A and C, fibre, and even antioxidants. |
| Cultivation |
| The tree is not particular about pH level or soil type, but prefers to grow in moist, well drained soil. This cultivar is also pollution tolerant. When planting the tree, it must be placed in the ground in the spring when planted in central and northern areas. Fall planting is possible if placed in areas with mild and moist fall and winter weather. |
| Shape |
| The spread of the tree is an oval shape. The shape is held throughout most of the growth phases. A “Red Delicious’ tree’s growth often takes a thin, rectangular form during the first year of its development. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| The fruit are a deep midnight red, and are harvested in October. The leaves of the tree are ovate and serrate. They grow in an alternate pattern on the branches. The leaves will not change colour until the end of the harvest season in October. |
| Pests |
| There are 4 main diseases that can target this tree. Apple scab is identified by olive, velvety patches on leaves and dark spots on the fruit. Any diseased fruit cannot be consumed, and the infected fruit may have a chance at falling off the tree. A method of avoiding this problem is fungicide. Cleaning up any apple debris under the tree will also help to prevent infection. Powdery mildew is a common fungus that can affect the tree but is no need for concern. Wiping of the leaves with water or using fungicide will help. Rust diseases can also attack the tree, and can be identified by rusty spots on the plant. Finally, fire blight is known to target apple trees, and is identified by spots on branches that look burnt. This disease in known to target open wounds on the tree. Insects that can affect the plant include apple maggots, codling moths, plum curculios, aphids, spider mites, and sawflies. |
| Habitat |
| Horticulture origin. Mutated from an apple crop located in Peru, Iowa. Most of the Red Delicious Apple trees are grown in Washington State. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| When young, the tree has small lenticels along the stem during the first couple years. As the stem and branches gets older, light greyish, brown bark forms, which turns a reddish-brown when wet, and the lenticels become less noticeable. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| When the buds detect warm weather, the protective coating will fall, causing the buds to open. On the apple tree, the leaf buds will start to open first. Green tips will emerge from the leaf buds first. When the leaves emerge, they will slowly uncurl and start photosynthesizing. The flower buds will only start being visible after the leaves are fully formed. They will be found in clusters in the centre of groups of leaves. The flower buds start out pink, and gradually turn white as they open. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are simple, and dark green in spring and summer. They have an alternate leaf arrangement with an ovate leaf shape. |
| Flower Description |
| The flowers are white with a little pink in the centre of the flower. The flower is small and has 4 to 5 petals. It is less than 1 inch in size. They bloom in clusters in the spring. After pollination, the ovaries of the flower will eventually swell and start to develop into apples. During the summer, they will continue to develop until they are ready to harvest in the autumn. |
| Fruit Description |
| The apples are dark red in colour with white lenticels emerging against the background of the apple. The apple was not always solid red, with them having a light pink blush, reddish stripes, and a less pronounced strawberry shape in the past. Nowadays, the apples have thick, midnight red skin, which aids in the bitter taste of the apple. They ripen and are ready to harvest in September and October. When they are baked, they lose their flavor. |
| Colour Description |
| The leaves are dark green throughout most of the year. In the fall, the foliage turns a bright orange. When the flowers bloom, they are white with a pink centre. The apples are dark red in colour. |
| Texture Description |
| When you find a good apple, the flavor is crisp and juicy, though most apples that are grown are often described as dry and cottony inside. The apples have leathery skin that can get stuck in the teeth and can lacerate gums when eaten. The bark on the tree is very smooth and does not have any creases in the bark. |
| Notable Specimens |
| In 1870, the very first cultivar was found by Jesse Hiat in an orchard located in Peru, Iowa. The specimen was found as a rogue apple tree growing in between the rows of trees. Hiat attempted to cut it down, but the tree kept growing back. Eventually, the tree was left standing. In 1894, the apple got submitted into a contest where it received the name it is known by today. If that tree had never grown back from being chopped down, the apple would have never been around today. |
| Propagation |
| Although the tree can be planted from seed, maturity can take 8 to 10 years. The fruit will not start growing until maturity. If the tree is going to be planted for harvesting, grafting is the recommended option. For this, a branch of a mature tree is grafted (scion) onto a 5-year-old apple tree understock. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| From 1894 to present day, the apples have been sold in grocery stores throughout the world. In 1922, the annual crop value of Red Delicious was $12 million. However, today the apple is not as popular as it once was. In 2005, Red Delicious apple was overproduced. To this day, the apple is still sold in stores, but the tree is mainly used as a pollination partner for other apple trees. The apple has become a cheap purchase option. Although it is not very popular, the apple remains America’s number one apple, being in 40% of the market stocks. |
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