Washington State University’s newest apple variety, WA 64, is a sweet, tart, firmly crisp hybrid of Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink, a variety that includes the well-known Pink Lady®.
Officially released for commercial licensing this summer, WA 64 is expected to reach stores in 2029. WSU will select a partner in the coming weeks to make trees available to Washington growers, and the college will choose a brand name for the new apple in 2024.
“With WA 64, we’re hoping to fill a useful space in the apple market,” said Jeremy Tamsen, director of innovation and commercialization for WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.
Crossed in 1998, WA 64 was chosen for its outstanding eating and storing qualities. Featuring a pink blush over a yellow background, it is slightly less hard but crisper and juicier than its Cripps Pink parent.
“In its bite, it’s more akin to Cripps Pink than Honeycrisp,” said Kate Evans, professor and WSU apple breeder. “In consumer taste-tests, people have preferred its texture to Cripps. It’s crisper than Cripps Pink.”
“The main focus of our breeding program is to provide new and improved apples that appeal to consumers and work for the Washington apple industry,” Evans said.
For more information:
Kate Evans
WSU Department of Horticulture
Tel.: +1 509-293-8760
E-mail: [email protected]
Jeremy Tamsen
CAHNRS
Tel.: +1 509-335-6881
E-mail: [email protected]