When do Shandong apples generally mature?

Shandong apples mostly mature from September to October; different varieties have different ripening times. For example, Red Fuji apples mature in mid-to-late October, Gala apples mature from late August to early September, Red General apples mature in mid-September, Golden Delicious apples mature in mid-to-late September, and Ralls Janet apples mature from late October to early November.

1. Red Fuji: a late-maturing variety; the fruit shape is flat or cylindrical, the base color of the skin is yellow-green, the surface is striped red or blushed red, the flesh is yellow-white, fine and dense, firm, with plenty of juice, fragrant, high in sugar, moderately sweet and sour, and resistant to storage and transport.

2. Gala: native to New Zealand, a mid-season variety; the fruit is short-conical, the base color of the surface is golden yellow, the sunny side has a light red blush, with broken broad red stripes, the flesh is light yellow, fine and crisp, with plenty of juice, sweet with a slight tartness, and excellent quality.

3. Red General: introduced from Japan, a mid-season variety; its appearance is very similar to the traditional Chinese Red Fuji, but its cold resistance, disease resistance, and drought resistance are all better than those of Red Fuji; the flesh is yellow-white, slightly looser in texture than Red Fuji, sweet and crisp, with a rich aroma, thin skin, and plenty of juice.

Yiyuan apples are one of Shandong's famous specialties, known worldwide for their bright color, crispness, and sweet fragrance. They have received more than 40 honorary titles at the provincial and ministerial levels, have the reputation of “the first fruit of Jiangbei”, and are known as the “Olympic fruit”, “National Games fruit”, and “Expo fruit”.