According to consumers (not only in Russia but also around the world), one of the most delicious apple varieties is considered to be the fruits of the Fuji apple tree. Demand for these apples is the highest in the world, because you can hardly find other fruits of this species that have a real honey taste in combination with dense and crisp pulp. So, the main character of this article is an apple tree, a grade of “fuji”. This variety was most widely distributed in the USA, Austria and China, where the production of such apples was put on stream. However, over the past 20 years, the Fuji apple tree, the description of which you will find in the article, has been actively grown in the European part, including in Ukraine and Russia.
Features of the Fuji variety
Initially, it was created by Japanese plant growers who tried to develop a variety that could withstand both cold winters and dry summer months. It should be noted that they succeeded: the Fuji apple tree is currently successfully grown all over the world, including in fairly cool regions. An important point in this case is the choice of a clone that is used for growing apple trees, because it is its origin that determines the timing of fruit ripening and the resistance of wood, bark and fruit formations to adverse environmental factors. In central Russia, fruit ripening occurs in the second half of October. The “fuji” apple-tree in this period looks very unusual: branches that are practically devoid of foliage are strewn with large ruddy fruits.
Description of the Fuji apple tree
The tree of this apple variety has a strong ability to grow. Under favorable conditions of maintenance and care, it can reach 4-6 meters in height. The “fuji” apple tree, the description of which includes many points, including the shape of the crown, sometimes does not look quite neat, as the branching takes place in different directions. Because of this, the crown of the tree often looks "shaggy." With the correct formation of the skeleton, the crown acquires a round-oval or spherical shape.
The bark on the stem is light brown with an admixture of gray, wrinkling is not pronounced. Young branches and shoots are colored more brightly, the bark on them is smooth, with an insignificant number of weakly expressed lentils. The leaves of the Fuji apple tree are typical for many varieties of this plant species: oval or lanceolate-oval, with a small pointed conic. The pubescence on the leaves is markedly pronounced only during the growth period of the plate. Petioles are medium, located at an acute angle to the shoot. Flowering plants occurs in the medium term. For better fruit setting, pollinating varieties such as Golden Delishes, Gala and Everest are recommended.
What do Fuji apples look like?
The fruits of the Fuji apple tree are considered one of the most attractive on the market: they are of regular round shape, with smooth matte peel, devoid of dots and blotches. A blush of bright pink or red covers almost the entire surface of the fetus. The pulp of the fruit is white to light cream in color, juicy, crisp, very sweet and aromatic. The core is medium-sized, the seed chambers are thin, oblong. The weight of the fruits reaches 200-250 g. Apples can be stored until the new harvest, for this you need to place them in a cool room or refrigerator.
Features of care, diseases and pests
The fruiting of the “Fuji” apple tree may come into fruiting from the second year after planting. Forms fruits regularly, but with some tendency to periodicity. To avoid overloading the tree with fruits, which can affect the harvest of the next year, it is recommended to remove a small amount of ovaries. The main problem when growing this variety is the low resistance of the plant to bacterial infections, so you should constantly pay attention to the appropriate treatments with special means. Resistance to diseases such as scab and powdery mildew is medium in the variety. In particularly hot years, aphid tree can be populated. Plant care consists of regular sanitary pruning, treatment of pests, watering and feeding.