Although there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples worldwide, following are the top 9 varieties of apples grown in Washington state. Our most famous apple, the Red Delicious, represents about 30% of apples grown in the state, but accounts for 48% of apples exported to other countries.

Washington Apple Crop Facts

• Harvest of Washington apples begins in mid-August and generally ends in early November. Each year, Washington harvests over 100 million boxes of apples, each weighing about 40 pounds.
• About 2,500 known varieties of apples are grown in the United States. More than 7,500 are grown worldwide.

Controlled Atmosphere Storage (CA)

• Eating crisp, juicy Washington apples year-round is possible due to controlled atmosphere storage. Known simply as "CA" in the industry, controlled atmosphere storage involves careful control of temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity.
• Apples take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide as starches in the flesh change to sugar. In the sealed rooms, this respiratory process reduced the oxygen, thus slowing the ripening process.
• CA storage is a non-chemical process. Oxygen levels in the sealed rooms are reduced, usually by the infusion of nitrogen gas, from the approximate 21 percent in the air we breathe to 1 percent or 2 percent. Temperatures are kept at a constant 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is maintained at 95 percent and carbon dioxide levels are also controlled.

Waxing:

• Washington apples are known worldwide for their beauty and crunch. One of the reasons these apples are able to maintain their attractiveness and quality during transport and marketing is the thin coat of natural wax applied in the warehouse.
• The natural wax added to protect Washington apples is usually carnauba or shellac. Both are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and have been used on a variety of foods for decades. These wax formulations are natural, non-petroleum based coatings.

Red Delicious

Fujis

Granny Smith