The Fuji apple is one of the most popular and newest winter varieties developed in Japan, in the town of Fujisaki, Aomori Prefecture. This variety was obtained by crossing the well-known "Red Delicious" and "Roland Janet" varieties. The trees are strong-growing with a widely rounded and dense canopy, brown and ribbed bark, and medium-thickness shoots. The fruits are large, round-elongated in shape, with thin, smooth, and matte skin of a red-raspberry color. The flesh is cream-colored, very juicy and crisp, with a sweet taste, an amazing honey aroma, and a pleasant aftertaste. The fruit ripening period is mid-to-late October; full ripeness is achieved after one month of storage, when the taste becomes dessert-like and completely devoid of acidity. The fruits are characterized by high storage capacity and can be stored until July, while maintaining skin and flesh density, without changing their taste qualities and useful properties even after thermal processing. Thanks to these characteristics, Fuji apples are widely used in cooking and valued for their versatility. Trees begin to bear fruit on semi-dwarf rootstocks 4-5 years after planting. The variety responds well to fertilization, which contributes to improved yield and fruit quality. Fuji apples occupy a significant share of the global market for fresh apples, accounting for about 60% of total sales volume. Red clones of this variety are also known, such as Kiku from Italy and Fujik from the Krasnodar Krai, as well as many other similar varieties.
