Qixia Apple Ripening Time and Variety Introduction
Qixia is the famous "Apple Capital", and the apples produced here are of excellent varieties and unique flavor. For a hundred years, Qixia apples have been renowned at home and abroad and are deeply favored by consumers. Qixia also has a very wide range of apple varieties; apples that look similar actually have different characteristics. So when do Qixia apples ripen? What varieties of Qixia apples are there? Let's find out together.
When do Qixia apples ripen?
Different varieties of Qixia apples differ slightly in their ripening times, but they are mainly concentrated in the period from August to November. For example, the most popular Red Fuji apple generally ripens in mid-to-late October, while Gala apples can ripen and be picked as early as late September. Therefore, you can identify the specific ripening time of Qixia apples according to the differences among varieties.
What varieties of Qixia apples are there?
Qixia apples are one of Shandong's famous and high-quality specialty products, with more than 200 varieties, mainly Red Fuji, while Gala, Red Banana, Golden Delicious, and Ralls Janet are the most renowned and are representative varieties of Qixia apples.
1. Red Fuji
Red Fuji apple is a Japanese variety, and China began introducing and planting it in 1966. Its characteristics are that it is very large, red all over, very round in shape, and on average about the size of a baseball. Of the fruit's weight, 9-11% is monosaccharides, and its flesh is dense; it is also sweeter and crisper than many other apple variants, so it is widely loved by consumers around the world.
2. Gala
Gala apple is a New Zealand variety, introduced from Japan in 1980. During the cultivation and selection of Gala, two excellent single plants provided by Qixia were trial-planted and evaluated citywide by the Yantai City fruit tree station, ranking first among the excellent lines, and were named Yantai Gala No. 1 and No. 2. Its main characteristics are a well-formed fruit shape, thin and glossy peel, fine and crisp flesh, a sweet taste with slight acidity, and excellent quality.
3. Red Banana
Red Banana is an apple variety introduced to China from Malaysia for cultivation. Red Banana has a thick, full appearance, bright and attractive color, tender flesh, and rich nutrition. Because it has the fresh banana aroma after ripening, it is named Red Banana. The Red Banana plant is robust with a high fruiting rate, and it is a relatively rare excellent variety on the market. Although its price is much higher than ordinary bananas, it still attracts a large number of consumers.
4. Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious, also known as Golden Crown, is a major apple variety native to the United States and was introduced from Japan to Dalian, China, for cultivation in 1910. This variety is suitable for cultivation in cooler and less rainy areas, with an average annual temperature of 9°C-11°C and precipitation below 700 millimeters being most suitable. The fruit ripens in early September and turns golden yellow after ripening. The flesh is fine, the taste is rather sweet, it is aromatic, and it is suitable for fresh eating.
5. Ralls Janet
Ralls Janet is mainly divided into Large Ralls Janet and Small Ralls Janet. Large Ralls Janet apples are yellow-green in color, glossy, with light, coarse red stripes on the surface, oblate in shape, large, sweet, crisp, and tasty. Small Ralls Janet apples are oblate, green-yellow, with slightly coarse flesh, extremely abundant juice, and a sweet taste.
Overall, Qixia is a high-quality apple-producing area in China, with many apple varieties that not only ripen at different times but also differ in the characteristics of each variety. I wonder which kind of Qixia apple everyone likes to eat? You are welcome to leave comments for discussion.
Regarding wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about Qixia apples, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun.com. You are welcome to read it.
Agricultural products you may be interested in: Qixia apples supplied nationwide