Gala is an apple cultivar with a sweet, mild flavor, a crisp but not hard texture, and a striped or mottled orange or reddish appearance. Originating from New Zealand in the 1930s, similar to most named apples it is clonally propagated. Easy to grow, the Gala is one of the top commercial apple varieties today and one of the most popular in North America.
Appearance and flavor Gala apples are non-uniform in color, usually vertically striped or mottled, with an overall orange color. They have creamy white flesh, which is sweet, fine textured, and aromatic. In addition to being eaten raw and cooked they are especially suitable for creating sauces. Density 0.86 g/cc Sugar 13.5% Acidity 4.2 grams/liter Vitamin C 0–5 mg / 100 gram + Typical size distribution 55–60 mm 60–65 mm 65–70 mm 70–75 mm 75–80 mm 80–85 mm 1% 6% 12% 40% 38% 3%
History The first Gala apple tree was one of many seedlings resulting from a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Kidd's Orange Red planted in Greytown, Wairarapa, New Zealand in the 1930s by orchardist J.H. Kidd. Selected in 1939, introduced in 1960.Brooks, Olmo. American Society for Horticultural Science, Vol. 91, page 908 Donald W. McKenzie, an employee of Stark Bros Nursery, obtained a US plant patent for the cultivar on October 15, 1974. By the early twenty-first century, it has become one of the most popular apple varieties worldwide; productions continue to grow, as of the 2020s.
It is a relatively new introduction to the UK, first planted in commercial volumes during the 1980s. The variety now represents about 20% of the total volume of the commercial production of eating apples grown in the UK, often replacing Cox's Orange Pippin.
During the 2000s the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada, subsidized apple producers to replace older trees, mainly the McIntosh, with newer higher-return varieties of apples, including the Gala. Elsewhere in Canada, apple orchardists made the switch as well. By the 2020s, the Gala has become one of the top apple varieties in Canada, alongside the Ambrosia and Honeycrisp. Most Canadian Gala apples are grown in Ontario and British Columbia. The most common strains or sports are the Imperial and Royal Gala.
During the 1980s, American wholesalers began searching for new apple varieties, and one they picked was the Gala. In 2018, the Gala surpassed Red Delicious as the apple cultivar with the highest production in the United States, according to the US Apple Association. It was the first time in over 50 years that any cultivar was produced more than Red Delicious.2018 Annual Review U.S. Apple Association. By 2024, the Gala accounted for 17% of sales in the United States, more than any other apple. The majority of American Gala apples are harvested in Washington State, Michigan, and New York State.
In Brazil, the Gala and Fuji together commanded 95 percent of the apple market in the middle 2020s.
Sports (mutations) Many sports of Gala have been selected, mostly for increased red color, including the popular Royal Gala. The original cultivar produced fruit with orange stripes and a partial orange blush over a yellow background. Since then, several un-patented sports have been recognized. Additionally, more than twenty sports have received US plant patents: Date"Inventor"Marketed asMutated fromAssigneeHabitPatternEarlierColorPlant patent numberFeb 20, 2013W. Fulford, New Zealand Regal Gala (Fulford Gala, Gala Must)Gala reddish orange blush over a yellow groundUSPP 3309 Oct 15, 1974 McKenzie Gala – Stark standard partial blush – yellow Oct 4, 1977 H.W. Ten Hove, New Zealand Royal Gala, Tenroy Gala3637 Stark standard stripe – red May 10, 1988 John Creech, US Scarlet Gala Kidd's D-83637 C & 0 standard blush – scarlet Aug 1, 1989 K.W. Kiddle, New Zealand Galaxy Tenroy4121 Stark standard stripe earlier intense red Dec 18, 1990 Cooper Treco Spur Red Gala No. 42, Regal Auvil Oregon Rootstock spur stripe – red Jul 16, 1991 Fulford Fulford Kidd3637 standard blush – bright red Mar 1, 1994 Olsen Obrogala, UltraRed Tenroy4121 Stark standard stripe 2–4 days redder Apr 5, 1994 Waliser, US Waliser Gala Tenroy4121 Waliser standard stripe 10 days bright red May 10, 1994 Hill Applewaites Kidd's3637 standard blush 2–3 days more complete red Nov 5, 1996 Olsen Olsentwo Gala, Pacific Gala Royal Gala4121 standard stripe 5–10 days distinguishably different Sep 2, 1997 Paul Brookfield, New Zealand Baigent Royal Gala4121 Brookfield standard stripe extremely early bright red Nov 11, 1997 Gale Gale Gala Royal Gala4121 Van Well, US standard stripe 3 weeks more complete Jun 23, 1998 Tina Fackler, US Big Red Gala Kidd's3637 Protree standard stripe – same Mar 30, 1999 Simmons Simmons Imperial Peace Valley standard stripe 21 days brighter red Jan 18, 2000 Stiekema Stiekema 1 Obragala8621 standard blush – red Apr 11, 2000 McSpadden, Jr Caitlin Tenroy4121 Stark standard stripe "earlier" – Aug 13, 2002 Bob Black, US Harry Black Gala (Autumn Gala) Kidd's3637 International Plant Management standard stripe 5 wk. later – Apr 29, 2003 Banning Banning Gala Imperial standard stripe – intense red blush, darker stripe Jan 6, 2004 Smith Smith gala Tenroy4121 standard stripe – yellow May 4, 2004 Weaver Weaver Fulford7589 Adams County Nursery more compact blush – bright red Jan 4, 2005 Ligonniere Dalitoga Imperial SNC Elaris standard stripe 3 wk. yellow Aug 15, 2006 Burkitt Burkitt Gala Tenroy4121 BMA Trust standard stripe 10 d. completely red Feb 26, 2008 McDonald El Niño Royal4121 standard intense dark red stripe bright red Jul 8, 2008 McLaughlin McLaughlin Gala, Blondee Kidd's3637 standard no striping or blush 4—6 d. yellow Dec 30, 2008 G. E. Fankhauser, Australia Alvnia Gala Fankhauser standard stripes "earlier" red, > 95A% coverage Apr 14, 2009 A. Richard, France Galaval Galaxy Gala6955 Pepinieres du Valois standard blush – intense dark purple brown Sept 28, 2010M. Julien, FranceJugalaMitchgla Gala 5 d. USPP 21315Aug 14, 2012S. Buck, New Zealand Premier Star Imperial Gala USPP 22949Jul 22, 2014R. Wyle, USFoxtrotTenroy Gala earlier ripening more intensely redUSPP 24664 Apr 7, 2015 S. Perathoner, ItalyGala Parathoner Mitchgla Gala stripes light and dark stripes 95–100% USPP 25407 Jan 24, 2017 A. Gruber-Genetti, Italy Gala Schnico RedGala Schnitzer Scinga 100% dark red USPP 27577May 9, 2017 A. Defrancesschi, Italy Gala 2013 Gala 100% purple-red USPP 27978Jan 23, 2018L. Fabre, FranceGalafab(Gala Star) Gala Red 90–100% USPP 28885Dec 25, 2018Brisset, FranceGala Surf Gala Very dark purple redUSPP 30009May 21, 2019J. Braun, ItalyGalaMicGala Deep purpleUSPP 30512
Unpatented varieties
+ Unpatented varieties Name mutated from year and country Auvil Imperial Gala Ultima Gala (Banning)Imperial Gala 1997 US
Descendant cultivars Name Parentage Cross made Introduced Origin Aurora Golden Gala Splendour × Gala 1981 Canada Bravo Cripps Red × Royal Gala 1992 Australia Delfloga (Royal Gala × Florina) ? ? Envy (Scilate) (Royal Gala × Braeburn) 1985 New Zealand Gaia Gala × A3-7 Italy Galarina Gala × Florina Querina 1978 France Jazz (Scifresh) Braeburn × Royal Gala 1985 ? New Zealand Nicoter (Kanzi) (Gala × Braeburn)United States Patent PP17201 Belgium Modi Gala × Liberty 1992 Italy Monalisa Gala × Malus 4 Brazil Newson Gala × Hawkes Bay Red Delicious 1983 Canada Nicola Splendour × Gala 1981 CanadaPink LusterGala × Honeycrisp19972020USA Sciros (Pacific Rose) (Splendor × Gala) Rubens (Civni) Elstar × Gala Italy Sweetie ('PremA280') Salish Splendour × Gala 1981 1997 Canada
Season Gala apples are grown from May through September in the northern hemisphere, but, like most apples, are available almost all year through the use of cold storage and controlled atmosphere storage. Australian Gala are available from late January. California fruit is available until October. While the season usually lasts only 9 or 10 months, they are able to last all year round. However, due to some apples continuing to be grown in some orchards, and the fact that they can be refrigerated for some months leads to the availability of the Gala apple year-round in some Australian markets. These usually taste different (slightly less sweet) from those in season. The UK season begins in late summer (August). Storage makes the UK fruit available nearly year-round as with fruit from other origins.
Royal Gala sport
Royal Gala is a Gala sport, patented by Stark in 1977, which produces redder fruits than the original cultivar. It is a pink-red dessert apple and is therefore usually eaten fresh. Royal Galas are usually harvested in early to late February in the Southern Hemisphere. In New Zealand, the pinker original Gala has almost disappeared as a commercial apple in favor of the darker-skinned Royal Gala.
References
External links
New York Apple Association description JUSTICIA Patents – Apple tree named 'McLaughlin Gala'