What Is Largest Type of Apple Grown?
About 7,500 varieties of apples grow throughout the world and the largest apple ever grown is from Japan. The Hokuto breed (malus domestica) is a cross between the Fiji and Mutsu species.
Record Holder
A Hokuto apple that weighed in at 4 lbs. 1 oz. was discovered by Chisato Iwasaki in Hirosaki City, Japan on Oct. 24, 2005, making it the largest apple ever recorded. The apple made it into the "Guinness World Records 2005" book for heaviest apple.
Attributes
The Hokuto is a large yellow fruit that often has pink striping. Its large size and round shape stems from the Mutsu. The fruit is harvested in late mid-season. The tree grows to a height of 30 feet and a width of 15 feet, and its fragrant flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.
- About 7,500 varieties of apples grow throughout the world and the largest apple ever grown is from Japan.
- The Hokuto breed (malus domestica) is a cross between the Fiji and Mutsu species.
Taste and Texture
The Hokuto's pale yellow flesh has the crisp, firm texture of the Fuji. It is sweet and juicy, with an excellent flavor. This apple variety works for both baking and snacking.
Long For Apple Trees To Grow Up To First Harvest?
A seedling of any apple variety will grow into a tree from 12 to 20 feet high and take six to 10 years to bear apples. Although an apple will sometimes grow a few apples the first or second year after you plant it, you should not let those apples mature. The tree needs to use all of its energy to get established. M.7a rootstock, grows a tree 70 percent as large as a tree grown from seed and yields apples in three to four years. If the buds open during a winter warm spell, a later drop in temperature can freeze them. You can count the winter hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit where you live, or you can look up a chill chart for your area. Apples that need less than 300 chill hours are usually best for USDA zones 9 and 10, and they're typically yellow- or green-skinned apples, rather than red-skinned.
- The Hokuto's pale yellow flesh has the crisp, firm texture of the Fuji.
- Although an apple will sometimes grow a few apples the first or second year after you plant it, you should not let those apples mature.
References
- BackyardGardner.com: Hokuto Apple
- Guinness World Records: World's Heaviest Apple
- North Carolina State University Extension: Growing Apple Trees in the Home Garden
- University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma and Marin Counties: Growing Temperate Fruit and Nut Crops for the Home Landscape and Garden
- University of California, The Backyard Orchard: Apple (Malus Domestica)
- University of California Cooperative Extension Central Coast & South Region: Low-Chill Apples
- Urban Homestead: Common Questions
- The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Home Garden Apples
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Apple
- Old Farmer’s Almanac: Apples
Resources
Writer Bio
Annie Kluza has been in the public-relations field since 1998, writing for clients in a number of markets and platforms. An avid traveler, she has published many travel articles, both online and in regional magazines such as "Magazine of Summerlin" and "205 South." Kluza holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications studies, magna cum laude, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
