Malus pumila (Paradise Apple, Red Delicious Apple)

Malus pumila (Paradise Apple, Red Delicious Apple) is one of the better known apple varieties. It is a vigorous, productive tree that produces medium to large fruit. Good for eating, but not cooking, this crisp and juicy apple has a waxy red skin with pure white sweet flesh. Its distinctive, delicious flavor makes it a best seller at world-wide markets.

Red Delicious Apple was developed in 1870 from seedling rootstock after a scion had broken off on Jesse Hiatt's farm in Peru, Iowa. It was originally named Hawkeye but renamed when one of the commercially known Stark brothers bit into one and exclaimed "My, that's delicious!" Red Delicious Apple is a high chill apple. It requires 800 chilling hours required for fruit to set. Fruit ripens in fall. Apple trees have a greater yield if two or more varieties are available for cross pollination. Red Delicious Apple is a good pollinator for almost all other apples.