Apple Pink Lady®
Maluspumila ‘Pink Lady’
Characteristics
- Zone: 5 – 8
- Chill Hours: 500 – 600
- Height: Semi-Dwarf: 12-15’/Dwarf: 8-10’
- Spread: Semi-Dwarf: 12-15’/Dwarf: 8-10’
- Fruit Ripens: Late October
- Sun: Full Sun
- Soil: Loamy, Well-Drained, pH 6.0 – 7.0
- Pollination: Needs a Different Variety of Apple for Pollination
Culture
Pink Lady® apples were born down under in the 1970s under the cultivar name Cripps Pink. A researcher named John Cripps, who worked for Western Australia’s Department of Agriculture, crossed the American classic Golden Delicious apple with a late-ripening and attractive red Australian apple called Lady Williams. The result: a beautifully vibrant pink-skinned apple with a unique flavor that would become a fan favorite around the world. Pink Lady® made its way up to the USA in the late 1990s.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Apple Pink Lady® prefers environments that are hot, as this allows them to color beautifully. The tree has beautiful white blossoms that develop mid-season. The apples ripen to a pretty, reddish pink with small, white dots. This sweet-tart apple has high sugars and high acids with a crisp bite and effervescent finish. It tends to fall more towards the tart side than sweet but is oh so refreshing! It has a beautiful, bright white flesh that is slow to oxidize (in other words, slow to brown) making it a wonderful apple to entertain with. This apple is also one of the main varieties used for pre-packaged apple slices. The apple is named after a cocktail! Apple breeder John Cripps loved the novel The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Montsarrat. In the book, the hero enjoys a cocktail called a “Pink Lady.”
Problems
Click here for help with disease issues and pests.
Garden Uses
The apple Pink Lady® is extremely versatile and can be used for baking, snacking, salads, pairing, or for sauce. It makes Pink Applesauce! It pairs well with cheese varieties like Gorgonzola, Monterey Jack, Swiss or Emmental, Kasseri, and Port Salut!