Did you know that Washington’s State Fruit is the apple? This state is actually the top apple producing state in the United States! (1) There are so many varieties of apples, coming in all shapes and sizes, so we’ll go through a couple of them right here so you can learn more about what’s out there and pick the perfect apple. If you give any of these apples a try, let us know which is your favorite!
Honeycrisp Apple
Honeycrisp apples are a super crisp and very sweet apple (the name says everything you need to know!). These apples do have a touch of tartness, but are sweet enough to be perfect for baking and making sweeter sauces and dressings (2). Honeycrisp apples are typically ready to be picked in late August and you can tell they’re ripe when the green coloring turns yellow (3).
Granny Smith Apple
Granny Smith Apples are a very tart and crisp apple. It has a firm texture that holds up really well in different recipes – perfect for baking and cooking! (4) Because Granny Smith apples are naturally bright green, it can be difficult to determine if it’s completely ripe and ready to eat off the tree when they are in-season starting in late August. All you need to do is take the apple in your hand and twist, if the stem breaks off easily, then it’s ripe and ready to go! Ripe Granny Smith apples do not need to be cut off a tree. (5)
Gala Apple
Gala apples are mild tasting, but still sweet in flavor with a crisp texture. Gala apples aren’t too sweet, but have just enough flavor to give folks a traditional apple experience. Gala apples have a darker red skin with a pale yellow flesh inside. (6) Gala apples are typically ready to harvest in mid-August and you’ll know they’re ripe when the green coloring under the red skin looks yellow or even white. (7)
Red Delicious
Red Delicious apples have a very dark red skin with a pale yellow flesh. They aren’t too crisp in texture and have a very mild sweetness to them with a tough skin. Many folks say the Red Delicious apple has no flavor, but they are popular and inexpensive, so it’s worth it to give it a taste either way! (8) You’ll know Red Delicious apples are ripe when they lose all the green coloring and develop and bright red skin throughout the entire apple. (9) These apples are typically ready to be picked in late September, so they are relatively late bloomers! (10)
Winter Banana Apple
The Winter Banana Apple is a mildly sweet and tangy flavor with a tropical scent, similar to that of a banana or pineapple. They typically have a yellow base color with patches of red or pink coloring on the skin. These apples are best used as snacks, eaten raw, as that’s when they are the most flavorful with the best texture. (11) They are typically ready to pick in mid- to late-October and you’ll know they are more yellow than green. (12)
Kodiak Cave 
