Gradisca

The apple variety Gradisca is a unique fruit distinguished by its vibrant color and excellent taste. The fruits have a deep red or orange-red hue with a yellow-green or yellow background, giving them an attractive appearance. The apples have a tart-sweet flavor with a delicate aroma reminiscent of Cox’s Orange Pippin, and their flesh is creamy-white, ranging from fairly firm to very firm, making this variety ideal for apple puree. The harvest season falls between July and September, depending on the region, and coincides with the harvest time of Fuji apples in some countries. Gradisca is characterized by good cold resistance, tolerating temperatures down to -25°C, and high yield. The apple tree prefers to grow in sunny areas with black soil, requires no additional watering, and is resistant to pests. However, the variety has low disease resistance, requiring careful maintenance and preventive measures to maintain plant health. The Gradisca variety was developed in Germany through a cross between Geheimrat Dr. Oldenburg and Cox’s Orange Pippin and entered commercial production in 1962. It is characterized by excellent storage and shelf life of the fruit, although they can only be stored for a limited time — no longer than a few weeks. Due to its taste and versatility, this variety is popular both for fresh consumption and culinary processing.