SCIENTIFIC NAME: Malus domestica 'Blushing Delight', PP21,511

COMMON NAME: 'Blushing Delight' Urban Apple; marketed as 'Moonlight' in Europe

GARDEN SIZE: 8-10 ft. tall and wide by 2-3ft. wide

GROWTH RATE: Slow

USDA ZONE: 4-8

EXPOSURE: Full Sun

WATER & SOIL: Loamy & well drained soil

HABIT (FORM): Columnar Dwarf

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; Green

BLOOM TIME: Midseason - Flowering Group 3

HARVEST TIME: Early-midseason, ripens mid-September

FRUIT: Large, sweet, and juicy green apples that develop a faint red blush when ripe. The apples grow on spurs directly from the tree’s main trunk.

POLLENIZATION: Not self-fertile: Needs a pollination partner of a different variety nearby. Compatible with the other columnar apples of the Urban Apple series.

POLLENIZATION (Trees that pollenize this one): Colonnade Golden Sentinel, Colonnade Scarlet Sentinel, CrimsonCrisp, Fuji, Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Russet, Golden/Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith, Hardy Cumberland, Honeycrisp, Jonathan, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Premier Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Royal Red Honeycrisp, Sweet Sixteen, Urban Apple 'Golden Treat', Urban Apple 'Tangy Green', Wolf River

POLLENIZATION (Trees that are pollenized by this one): Arkansas Black, Colonnade Golden Sentinel, Colonnade Scarlet Sentinel, CrimsonCrisp, Fuji,Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Russet, Golden/Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith, Hardy Cumberland, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Jonathan, Liberty, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Premier Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Royal Red Honeycrisp, Stayman Winesap, Sweet Sixteen, Urban Apple 'Golden Treat', Urban Apple 'Tangy Green', Winesap, Wolf River

CARE: Prune while the tree is dormant. Remove water sprouts in June or July. Thin fruitlets to 6 inches apart in mid-June to encourage larger apples. Options for controlling pests, bacterial infections, and fungal disease include dormant oils applied early in the season before blooming, scented insect traps, and copper-based fungicides. DO NOT apply insecticides during blooming. This risks harming bees, which are crucial for pollination and fruit production. If necessary, fireblight can be treated with a streptomycin antibiotic spray during blooming. Apple trees need about an inch of water every 7-10 days, though young trees need a little more during their first growing season as they establish roots. If not enough rain has fallen, give the tree extra water by running a hose at a trickle around the base of the tree until the ground is fully soaked (but not for so long that there is standing water). Waterlogged roots can harm apple trees, so don't overdo it!

DISEASE RESISTANCE: Resistant to fireblight, mildew, and scab; susceptible to cedar-apple rust.

USES: Eating fresh, cooking. The tree's columnar form is ideal for containers and small gardens.

TOXICITY: Stems, leaves, and seeds contain cyanide and are therefore toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and humans. The fruit is non-toxic.