The 'Stela' apple variety is a columnar tree with a compact columnar crown and smooth brownish-brown bark. The tree is of medium height, reaching about 1.3 meters in height by the fifth year on the 54-118 rootstock. Branches grow off the trunk at an acute angle, which facilitates care and harvest collection. The variety is distinguished by its high winter hardiness, enduring frosts down to -40°С, and is also resistant to drought, salinity, and scab, making it suitable for cultivation in various climatic conditions of the central region.
The fruits of the 'Stela' variety are large, averaging 150 to 190 grams in weight, sometimes reaching 310 grams. Apples have a correct flattened shape with a smooth or slightly ribbed surface. The main fruit color is greenish-yellow with a red-striped covering that occupies most of the surface. The fruit calyx is wide, blunt-conical, and free of rustiness. Subcutaneous dots are small, gray, and barely visible. The flesh is yellowish, dense, fine-grained, juicy, and crisp, with a sweet-and-sour taste and average aroma, ensuring very good fruit taste quality.
Fruiting begins in the 2nd-3rd year after planting, concentrated on simple and compound ringettes, spur shoots, and spurs. The variety is characterized by stable productivity without biennial bearing. The early-winter harvest period allows apples to be used both for fresh consumption and winter storage. Due to the combination of high yield, excellent taste, and resistance to adverse conditions, the 'Stela' apple tree is an attractive choice for gardeners seeking quality fruits on compact trees.
