Anna

The Anna apple was bred in 1959 by Abba Stein at the Ein Shemer kibbutz in Israel to create a high-quality, low-chill cultivar capable of performing in near-tropical conditions. Grown on upright, heavy-fruiting trees requiring low-chill pollinators like Dorsett Golden or Ein Shemer, it yields medium-to-large, distinctively elongated, round-conical fruit closely resembling Red Delicious in shape. Its skin color quality features a clean, bright red blush covering roughly 30 to 50 percent of the surface over a light greenish-yellow background that clears smoothly upon ripening. Uniquely engineered for warm winter climates, it requires a remarkably low 200 to 300 chilling hours, making it poorly suited for true high-altitude zones but highly optimal for low-lying valley belts and sub-tropical foothills between 2,500 and 4,500 feet where standard high-chill apples completely fail to break dormancy. Flowering exceptionally early in late winter, it produces a heavy crop ready for an ultra-early summer harvest by mid-to-late June as ground colors clear. The flavor profile is refreshing, mild, and pleasantly sweet with a balanced, light sub-acid kick that mimics a classic temperate apple despite the warm climate cultivation. This early maturity makes it one of the first fresh apples to hit the market long before traditional varieties are picked. The creamy-white, crisp flesh is highly juicy but soft compared to late-season storage clones, yielding a limited commercial shelf life of only two to three weeks under standard refrigeration before losing pressure.