All About Pink Lady Apples
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Originally published April 2017
Say hello to the gorgeous Pink Lady® apple! Pink Lady® apples are hard to miss when viewing at the grocery store. Their gorgeous pink coloring and perfectly round shape would make any apple lover do a doubletake. So what is this lady apple all about? What is her story? Let’s dive in!
What do Pink Lady® apples taste like?
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 Pink Lady® apple is extremely versatile and can be used for baking, snacking, salads, pairing, or for sauce.
Try this Apple Coffee Cake or this Harvest Buddha Bowl, which both feature Pink Lady® apples!
Where did the Pink Lady® apple originate?
Pink Lady® apples were born down under in the 1970s under the cultivar name Cripps Pink (see below for more on the cultivar name!). 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 where Stemilt has been growing it ever since!
Where are Pink Lady® apples grown?
Pink Lady® apples are grown all over the world, but Stemilt grows them in Washington State, primarily in the central region of the state. Pink Lady® apples prefer environments that are hot, as this allows them to color beautifully. Stemilt decided that the Columbia Basin region (a region where many of their apple varieties grow) would be a perfect fit due its plentiful sunny, warm (sometimes hot) days, natural water sources and nutrient-rich volcanic soil. Pink Lady® has an incredibly long growing season – 200 days long! This variety is one of the first to blossom (around mid-April) along with our early-ripening variety, Rave® and the last to be harvested in mid-October.
Storing Pink Lady® Apples
Pink Lady® apples are a hardy apple and store very well in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage. This allows us to have the variety around nearly year-round! The Pink Lady® apple is available from October through July and the season for organic Pink Lady® apples runs from October through June. To store any apple variety after purchase, it is best to keep them unwashed in the refrigerator just until prior to eating. Once you are ready to eat, give them a quick wash with cold water and enjoy!
Pink Lady® Apples was the first apple with a trademark!
Cripps Pink is the cultivar name, or name of the plant that grows Pink Lady® apples. Plants are patented to protect intellectual property, but because patents eventually run out, growers have opted to market them under a trademark, or brand name. Pink Lady® was the first apple to be awarded a trademarked name. Growers like Stemilt must obtain a license in order to grow, pack and market this apple variety under the Pink Lady® name. Apples that are sold under the Pink Lady® brand name must meet high-quality standards and every apple that goes to market as a Pink Lady® must meet criteria for sugar content, firmness, color and blemishes. Stemilt is proud to be one of the longest and leading growers of zippy Pink Lady® apples!
Other fun facts about Pink Lady® apples:
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.”
It makes Pink Applesauce! Find the recipe here!
It pairs well with cheese varieties like Gorgonzola, Monterey Jack, Swiss or Emmental, Kasseri, and Port Salut!
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16 Comments. Leave new
I am not an apple lover but omg I love Pink lady apples!
That makes our day! Thanks Marcia.
I am obsessed with Pink Lady apples. I can’t get enough of them. I noticed that they are very hard to find right now and it is so disappointing. I don’t want them to be gone. There is literally no other apple that compares to the Pink Lady. Is the season over? Is that why I’m having such a hard time finding them? They need to be an all year round apple!
Hi Cindy! We still have them available, so I’m not sure why your grocery store doesn’t. It’s one of the best summer apples and usually available November thru July. I hope you find them soon!
Hello, What kind of tree are the pink ladies grown on, I’m allergic to most apples but not these so I was curious, is it birch or something else, thanks.
It depends on the orchard location, but would be on some type of dwarfing rootstock. How wonderful that you’ve found an apple you can eat!
I don’t think I have ever eaten a pink lady apple until tonight. I purchased a 3 lb bag at the grocery store tonight. I rinsed the apple and dried with a papertowel. The apple had a slight “perfumy” taste and smell to it. My husband and I are trying to figure out if that is the apple or if somehow something got on the apple. do you think it is the apple or something on the apple?
Hi Carol! A floral/perfume like aroma is not uncommon with Pink Lady. It has quite the complex flavor profile. I hope you enjoyed it. Pink Lady does tend to be more tart than sweet also. It’s one of my favorites!
Thank you! That is very helpful. I was afraid to eat them. That is the last time I will ever buy them. I do not care for them and that “perfume” cinched the deal for sure. Maybe these are not up to par as they are bland except for the “perfume”. They are not your brand. They were grown in USA. Distributed by Yakima Fresh, Yakima, Washington.
I never was that much of an apple fan. I probably ate five a year. Then I somehow discovered the Pink Lady. I now always try to have some in the house. They are remarkable. I went on this site to find out why they have been difficult to find the past two months, and I got my answer. The good thing is that I also found out that they will be available very, very soon.
Hi Ron! I’m so glad you love Pink Lady apples. Yes, we are starting harvest now on this apple and you should see them in stores very soon! So glad this apple could turn you into an apple fan!
Hands down my favorite apple! Best eaten with a chunk of Cougar Gold cheese followed by some Rainy Day Fine Tawny Port.
Sounds like an amazing pairing! Thanks for sharing Lisa!
I bought my first ever bag of apples this week and was very unsure of what I would be getting..delicious is what I got. A perfect eating apple. I like the fact that it is firm and not overly sweet.
My post should have said first bag ever of Pink Lady apples.
Hi Nana! I’m so glad you enjoyed our Pink Lady apples. They are one of my favorites too. Thanks for supporting our farms with your purchase. We appreciate you!