Malus domestica 'Cripps Pink'
fruitPink Lady (cultivar name Cripps Pink) is one of the last apples picked each year, delivering a bright sweet-tart flavor with citrus and berry notes over crisp, slow-browning flesh. The signature pink-blushed skin develops only with long sun exposure and warm autumn days, which is why this Australian-bred cultivar needs the longest season of any major variety.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 5 days
Harvest
~24 months
to first harvest
Difficulty
medium
Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
Spacing
12-15 ft (semi-dwarf)
Planting Depth
Graft union 4 in above soil
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6 – 9
When to Fertilize
Early spring before bud break
Fertilizer
Compost; supplement with 10-10-10 only if growth lags
Pink Lady demands a long warm growing season; it ripens 6 to 7 months after bloom and is best in zones 6 to 9 where autumn frost holds off into November. Plant in full sun on well-drained loam, with the graft union 4 inches above soil. Train to a central leader and prune in late winter to flood the lower canopy with light, which drives the pink blush. Cross-pollination is required: Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith all overlap with Pink Lady bloom. Thin clusters early so each remaining apple gets full sun.
Direct sow
Apr 15
Projected first harvest
Oct 22 · Year 3
Year 1
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Plant on a windswept slope for fast leaf-drying, rake leaves under the tree, and choose resistant rootstocks where available
Bag fruit at thumb size, hang pheromone traps to time control, and remove drops every week through the season
Prune 12 in below cankers during dry weather and disinfect tools; never fertilize heavily when blight is active
Wrap the lower trunk with a plastic guard pushed 2 in into the soil and clear mulch back from the bark
Pink Lady ripens between October 15 and November 10 in most apple regions. Wait for the green background to turn cream and the blush to deepen to true pink. After picking, the flavor actually improves for the first four weeks in cold storage as starches convert to sugars; aim to eat the first apples after a month and the rest through the winter.
Roughly 52 calories per 100 g with 2.4 g of fiber, 5 mg of vitamin C, and 107 mg of potassium. The high acidity (malic acid) keeps blood sugar response moderate compared to sweeter dessert apples.
Eat the flesh, not the seeds. Apple and pear seeds contain amygdalin, a cyanide-releasing compound. Swallowing a seed or two is harmless, but do not deliberately eat or crush the seeds or cores in quantity.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.
Year 2
Year 3