Sun Fuji Apple Tree

Sun Fuji Apple Tree Overview

The Sun Fuji apple tree is the sun touched, sweet variety related to the famous Fuji. However it is not the same as the Rising Sun Fuji variety and bears apples that are sweeter than the other Fuji varieties. In fact, these delicious, sweet, tart  apples keep for a very long time, 6 months or longer, and their flavor becomes more complex and floral when in storage. Sun Fuji apple trees bear medium sized apples which have a beautiful red/pink skin. In addition to eating them fresh right off the tree, you can also use these versatile apples for making salads, applesauce, pies, and anything else imaginable. In fact, you can substitute them for Red Delicious, Mutsu, or regular Fujis, if the recipe calls for it.

In order to develop the Fuji variety, researchers at the Tohoku Research Station in Aomori prefecture crossed Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Genet (or Kokou) in the 1930s. Contrary to popular thought, the Fuji name come from the town of Fujisaki rather than Mount Fuji. Then growers developed other varieties, such as the Sun Fuji. Unlike the Fuji variety, growers in Japan don’t cover the Sun Fuji with paper bags, which allows the fruit to get sunlight and turn red from the tender green.

Just like any other apple tree, the Sun Fuji apple tree grows best when it’s planted in full sun in well-drained soil. The tree is moderately vigorous, precocious, upright spreading, and a tendency to have dropping second year growth. In order to produce great heavy crops annually, it will need to be thinned. If not, it will start bearing well biennially.

Growing Characteristics

• Uses: Eating fresh, cooking, baking, and juicing
• Taste: Tart and sweet, juicy (sweeter than regular Fujis). In fact, they have 10 percent more sugars by weight than other apples.
• Size: Medium
• Color: Red/pink skin
• Hardiness Zones: 4 – 9
• Disease resistance: 
• Harvest period: Early season
• Flowering Group: 3
• Cross Pollinates with:
• Cultivation: This apple tree is moderately vigorous, precocious, upright spreading, and a tendency to have dropping second year growth. In order to produce great heavy crops annually, it will need to be thinned. If not, it will start bearing well biennially.
• Storage: This variety keeps well in cold storage for up to 6 months (if stored properly even more). In fact, when in storage, the flavor will change form tart to more sweet and floral.