Washington State University has selected Sunflare as the name of its newest apple variety, which is a cross between Honeycrisp and cripps pink (marketed as Pink Lady).
The first crop of Sunflare is expected to reach produce departments by 2029, according to the university.
The university held a public naming contest, which drew more than 15,000 responses. The official name was announced at the Northwest Horticulture Expo in Yakima, Wash.
WSU said it sought a distinctive and memorable name and selected Sunflare because it reflects the variety’s physical qualities.
Sunflare is bicolored with a pink blush over a yellow background when ripe and boasts a crunchy, firm, juicy apple with sweet and tart flavor, according to the university.
“This name hits all those marks,” Jeremy Tamsen, director of the WSU office of commercialization, said in the university news report. “These pinks, oranges, and yellows stand out against all the red apples on the shelf.”
Sunflare is the third apple from the university’s breeding program, which launched Cosmic Crisp in 2019 and Sunrise Magic in 2009.
Sunflare apples are shown growing at Washington State University's Sunrise Research Orchard near Wenatchee, Wash.
(Photo courtesy of Washington State University/Jeremy K. Tamsen)
(Photo courtesy of Washington State University/Jeremy K. Tamsen)
by The Packer Staff, Dec 23, 2024