Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Pink Lady Apple
Pink Lady Apple is the late-season apple bred in Western Australia for hot climates, with crisp, sweet-tart fruit that blushes reddish pink over green. It ripens in fall, well after Anna and Dorsett Golden, and the fruit keeps for months. The white flesh resists browning, so it is good fresh or in pies. Creamy white to pale pink blossoms open in spring before the fruit sets.
Best for: home orchards that want a fall apple, fresh eating and baking, and yards that already grow a low-chill apple like Anna or Dorsett Golden.
Anna and Dorsett Golden ripen in early summer. Pink Lady ripens in fall, one of the last apples of the season, so it stretches the harvest. The fruit keeps for months once picked.
The fruit is crisp and sweet-tart, with white flesh that resists browning after you cut it. Use it fresh, in pies, cakes and tarts.
Pink Lady can set fruit on its own, but it bears best with another apple variety nearby. Plant it where it gets full sun, and give the trunk white tree paint.
It needs about 300 to 500 chill hours, and the Valley averages about 300 to 400, so crops can be lighter after a warm winter. The trunk sunburns easily without white paint, and birds go after the ripe fruit.
- Semi-dwarf trees12-15 ft apart, center to center
- Standard trees18-20 ft apart, center to center
Water a new tree often while it roots in. Once it is established, soak the root zone about 3 feet deep, about twice a month in summer and about once a month in winter.
Pink Lady drops all its leaves in winter. Prune in late winter, around January, while the tree is bare and before the buds break.
Tree trunks sunburn easily in the Phoenix heat. Paint the trunk with white tree paint, and give a young tree some shade cloth its first summer.
Feed the tree in February as it wakes up, again in May, and again in September.
Pink Lady can set fruit on its own, but it bears best with another apple nearby. Birds find ripe fruit first, so net the tree or bag the fruit before it ripens.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Will Pink Lady apple grow in Phoenix?
It can grow in the Valley with the right expectations. Pink Lady is listed at about 300 to 500 chill hours, and the Valley averages about 300 to 400. Expect lighter crops after a warm winter than with Anna or Dorsett Golden.
How many chill hours does Pink Lady need?
Sources list it anywhere from about 300 to 500 hours. Anna needs about 200 and Dorsett Golden about 100, so choose one of those if you want the most reliable crop.
Does Pink Lady apple need a pollinator?
It can set some fruit on its own, but most growers say it bears best with another apple nearby. Plant a second apple variety if you have room.
When are Pink Lady apples ready to pick?
It ripens late, in fall, one of the last apples of the season. Ripe apples come off easily when you lift and twist, and the flavor improves after a few weeks in storage.
How big does a Pink Lady apple tree get?
Plan for about 15 to 20 feet tall, depending on the rootstock. Prune it each winter to keep the fruit within reach.
How often should I water a Pink Lady apple tree?
Water a new tree often while it roots in. Once established, soak the root zone about 3 feet deep, about twice a month in summer and once a month in winter.
When should I prune Pink Lady?
Prune in late winter, around January, while the tree has dropped its leaves and before the buds break.
Why paint the trunk white?
Tree trunks sunburn easily in the Phoenix heat. White tree paint protects the bark, and shade cloth helps a young tree through its first summer.
How long do Pink Lady apples keep?
They keep for months in cool storage, and the flavor gets better after the first few weeks.
When should I fertilize an apple tree in Phoenix?
Feed it three times a year, in February, May and September.
Pink Lady Apple for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Pink Lady is a late apple from Western Australia that is grown for hot climates. It needs more winter chill than Anna or Dorsett Golden, so it helps to know what to expect in the Valley. Below you will find chill hours, pollination, harvest time, watering, pruning and sunburn care.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Can you grow Pink Lady apples in Phoenix?
Yes, with realistic hopes. Pink Lady needs about 300 to 500 chill hours, and the Valley averages about 300 to 400. Anna and Dorsett Golden need far less and fruit more reliably.
Pink Lady vs Anna apple
Anna needs about 200 chill hours and ripens in early summer. Pink Lady needs more chill and ripens in fall. The fruit is crisp and sweet-tart and keeps much longer.
Does Pink Lady need a pollinator in Arizona?
It can set some fruit alone, but it bears best with another apple variety nearby. A second apple tree in the yard helps the crop.
When do Pink Lady apples ripen?
Pink Lady is one of the last apples to ripen, in fall. Pick when the apples come off with an easy lift and twist.
How to care for an apple tree in the Arizona heat
Paint the trunk white to prevent sunburn, and shade a young tree its first summer. Water deeply, about twice a month in summer, and feed in February, May and September.
When to prune apple trees in Phoenix
Prune in late winter, around January, while the tree is bare. Take out dead, crossing and inward branches to keep the tree open.
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