Washington apples are an important agricultural crop in the U.S. state ofWashington as well as asymbol of the state itself. Washington is the leading U.S. producer of apples and one of the leading exporters in the world, producing 60% of the U.S. crop in 2022.[1]
The first apple tree in Washington may have been planted atFort Vancouver between 1827 and 1829,[2][3][4] and one of the five original trees was designated aheritage tree by theCity of Vancouver, Washington and surrounded by a park created in 1984,Old Apple Tree Park. The main trunk of the tree died in 2020 but one of itsroot suckers was designated as a replacement heritage tree.[5][6] ThePiper Orchard, planted around 1890 by an early Seattle pioneer, stands in Seattle and the original trees still produce fruit in the 21st century.[7] Another orchard from around the same time stands nearSteptoe Butte inEastern Washington.[8]
Before large scale irrigation in Eastern Washington,San Juan County was the state's most important apple production region.[9]
Significant early pests were thecodling moth andSan Jose scale.[10]
The state has led the U.S. in apple production since the 1920s.[11] Two Eastern Washington areas account for the vast majority of the state's apple crop: the Wenatchee–Okanogan region (comprisingChelan,Okanogan,Douglas, andGrant counties), and the Yakima region (Yakima,Benton andKittitas counties).[12] The industry was developed by the railroads with theNorthern Pacific Railway controlling the Yakima valley and theGreat Northern Railway controlling the Wenatchee valley. Commercial apple farming was made possible by district irrigation projects.[10]
Apple boxes were used to preserve fruit quality during transportation, and Wenatchee emerged as a production center. Colorful box labels were used for marketing by the second decade of the 20th century.[4]
The apple industry in the Pacific Northwest distinguished itself from traditional apple growing regions in the east of the country by focusing on the quality of apples delivered to the market rather than the quantity. As a result of this growers in Washington delivered their apples to market packing in boxes as opposed to the barrels used by most established growers.[10]
TheGreat Depression hurt the industry greatly as widespread economic disruption caused consumers in market cities to decrease consumption. World War II saw most of the Washington apple industry's apples diverted to the war effort with only apples of secondary quality and culls left for the domestic market. This significantly hurt the reputation Washington's apple industry as apples of secondary quality and culls had not been sold on the domestic fresh fruit market before. Improvements and innovation in packaging technology during the war allowed apples to last longer in transit. The rise in commercial trucking after the war radically altered the industry as growers and packers were no longer dependent on the railroads to reach distant markets. Since World War II there has been a trend of consolidation in the industry.[10]
"The Washington apple is certainly one of the most recognized symbols of the state worldwide", according to theWashington State Legislature.[13]
Botrytis cinerea is a majorapple disease in Washington.[14]SDHIs are commonly used, especiallyboscalid, which has produceda resistance problem.[14] Yinet al., 2011 provides amolecular diagnostic for a particularly commonsuccinate dehydrogenase (SDH) mutation.[14] Using their own test they also noticed that SDH alone did not entirely determine SDHI resistance, indicating that other factors than the exactnucleotide sequence of this oneenzyme are involved in the resistance problem.[14]
Apple maggots are such a problem that the state has erected theApple Maggot Quarantine Area between thewest and theeast.
The 2022 crop was worth over 2 billion dollars.[1]
TheWashington Apple Commission regulates the industry.
New varieties were developed in the 21st century in Washington state, includingCosmic Crisp andSunflare. Other new varieties developed elsewhere but grown in large acreage in Washington includeArctic Apples andSweeTango.
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