The Ida Red was developed in the USA and released to the public in the 1930’s. It became popular as it was a very good apple for long term keeping, lasting 3 months at least in storage. This apple is a spur tip bearer, which means it will bear fruit not directly from a branch, but rather from little spurs that grow in the previous season.
Appearance: This is a medium sized fruit which has a red flush. It looks like it has lots of stripes on in in two distinct shades of red. The flesh is greenish when harvested early, changing to white then cream as the fruit matures.
Taste: The fruit is juicy and has a sharp yet sweet flavour. It is great eaten fresh or can be used in cooking.
Pollination: This variety is mostly self-fertile and belongs to Pollination Group 2. You will not need another apple variety nearby for this tree to set fruit but if you want excellent fruit set, ensure that an apple from either pollination groups 1, 2 or 3 is close.
Harvest time: Mid – end of Autumn