Utah Apples: Red Delicious

 

Use

Flavor: Sweet.
Fruit Size: Average
Texture: Grainy, crisp only before ripening.
Storage: 1-2 months.
Best Uses: Dried, fresh and baking in a pinch.

Growing

USDA zones: 5-8
Harvest Time: Midseason.
Chill Requirement: 700 hours.
Tree Size: Average.
Self Pollinating? No
Best Pollinators: Cortland, Enterprise, Harrison, Hewe's Virginia Crab, Honeycrisp, Jonathan, Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy, Pixie Crunch.

Disease Resistance

Cedar Apple Rust: Resistant.
Fireblight: Some resistance.
Mildew: Some resistance.
Scab: Susceptible.

General

Country: USA
Year(s): 1880

History

Jesse Hiatt found this tree in Iowa and did not like the location, so he tried to remove it multiple times. He failed in his attempts, but somewhere along the way decided that the actual variety (which he called Hawkeye) was worth keeping and sent it to Stark Brothers Nursery in 1892 as part of a contest to pick a new apple to replace 'Ben Davis'. Stark Brothers really liked the apple and added it to their line and changed the name to Delicious. The name was later switched to Red Delicious one the golden variety was named in the early 1900's.

Notes

This is my least favorite apple. I have had a good one every once in a while, but over all Red Delicious does not provide a good eating experience and if I have the choice I would rather plant any number of apple varieties rather than this. That having been said, Red Delicious is a good pollinator of other apples and makes a good dried apple whose quality surprises many people.