Description
Tasty Red™ brings the flavor most people picture when they think of apples—sweet, crisp, and red—into a narrow columnar form that fits where traditional trees can’t. Developed as part of the Urban Apple® series, it fruits on short spurs along a single upright leader, keeping the tree compact while still producing full-sized apples.
The fruit ripens mid-season and offers a familiar, approachable sweetness with a clean, refreshing bite. Tasty Red™ is designed for fresh eating and everyday enjoyment, making it an easy favorite for families and growers who want dependable flavor without novelty. With its naturally narrow shape and straightforward care, Tasty Red™ is especially well suited to patios, walkways, and small-space orchards—bringing real apple harvests to places once thought too tight for fruit trees.
Overview
- True columnar apple with fruit borne on spurs along the main leader
- Exceptionally narrow growth habit suited to small spaces
- Sweet, crisp red apples with familiar dessert-apple flavor
- Mid-season ripening, typically mid-September
- Requires a compatible apple pollination partner
Growing Details
Latin Name: Malus domestica ’Tasty Red™’
Site and Soil: 1/2 day to full day of sun; well-drained soil
Chill Requirement: Estimated ~700 hours
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4–9
Rootstock: M-26 (dwarfing)
Bearing Age: 1–3 years
Size at Maturity: Typically 8–10 ft tall and about 2–3 ft wide; height can be managed with pruning
Bloom Time: Mid-season
Flowering Group: Group 3 (mid-season)
Ripening Time: Mid-season; typically mid-September (varies by region)
Pollination: Pollination required; plant a compatible apple variety within 20–30 feet
Pests & Diseases: Standard apple pest and disease considerations; good airflow and routine care are important
Yield: Reliable producer once established
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Tasty Red™ serves as the sweet baseline of the Urban Apple® columnar lineup—an easy entry point for growers who want familiar red-apple flavor in a compact form.
- Regional Insight: Performs well across a wide range of temperate regions, including the Pacific Northwest, where moderate summers help maintain crisp texture and balanced sweetness.
- Allow fruit to fully mature on the tree for best sweetness and eating quality.
- Well suited to in-ground plantings, raised beds, and large containers.
- Explore more apples in our collection: Apple Trees
