A new variety of Red Delicious apple tree originating as a sport of the Gilbert Cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,822, exhibiting a distinctively semi-spur growth form and purplish overmature fruit coloration, and advantageously exhibiting substantially earlier color formation, earlier fruit maturation, and better resistance to sunburn than the parent tree and other Red Delicious varieties.

The subject plant is a new and distinct variety of Red Delicious apple tree 
that was discovered by Kasper B. Sali, originating as a sport of the 
Redspur.TM. (Gilbert Cultivar) variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,822) in his 
orchard on Duffield Road in Moxee, Wash. This new variety has been fruited 
through three successive generations in the discoverer's orchard by 
budding and grafting, and has also been asexually reproduced in the Van 
Well Nursery orchard at Wenatchee, Wash. Each successive generation has 
proved true to the original bud sport so as to establish the genetic 
stability of this new variety, for which the varietal name `Sali` is 
proposed.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
The following characteristics clearly distinguish this new variety from the 
parental stock: 
Growth form: Whereas the parental trees characteristically exhibit a spur 
growth form, this new variety has a semi-spur growth form. For example, a 
representative limb from a fourteen-year-old tree of this new variety 
bears approximately 19 spurs per 30-inch length of wood, as compared to 
approximately 29 spurs on the same length of wood on the parental trees of 
comparable maturity grown in the same orchard. FIG. 1 shows representative 
limbs from this new variety (left) and the parental variety (right). 
Early bloom Time: This new variety blooms two to four days earlier than 
other known Red Delicious apple trees, including Redspur.TM., Red 
Chief.TM. (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,578), Scarlet Spur.TM. U.S. Plant Pat. 
No, 4,839), Topred.TM. (Hutchinson Cultivar, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,916), 
Rose Red.TM. (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,485), and Bisby strain (U.S. Plant 
Pat. No. 1,565) trees. I have compared the blooms of the subject trees in 
my orchard with Redspur.TM., Topred.TM., and Rose Red.TM. trees for five 
consecutive years, and each year this new variety has bloomed from two to 
four days earlier. For example, in 1986, full bloom on trees of this new 
variety was achieved on April 16, but the Redspur.TM. and other trees did 
not reach full bloom until April 20. In 1987, full bloom on this new 
variety occurred on April 17, which was four days earlier than for the 
Redspur.TM. and other trees. 
Early fruit coloring: This new variety bears apples that begin coloring 
approximately thirteen days after full bloom, and full red blush color is 
achieved approximately forty days after full bloom, making this the 
earliest coloring Red Delicious tree that I have observed. Such early 
fruit coloring has been recorded for the past seven consecutive seasons on 
the original tree, and for the past two seasons on second and third 
generation trees in my orchard at Moxee, Wash. 
Other early-coloring Red Delicious apple trees are known to include Scarlet 
Spur.TM., Red Chief.TM., Rico.TM. (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,569), and Early 
Red One (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,556). The Scarlet Spur.TM. and Red 
Chief.TM. varieties are spur trees and are thereby distinguished from this 
new variety, which exhibits a semi-spur growth form. Apples of the 
Rico.TM. tree color with a red strip on a yellowish ground color, in 
contrast to the blush coloration that distinguishes this new variety. 
Apples of the Early Red One.TM. tree also color with a stripe. In 
addition, the Early Red One.TM. tree is distinguished from this new 
variety by bearing leaves that are distinctively smaller, with light 
green, grayish underside coloration. 
Sunburn: Due to the distinctively early, intense coloring factor, the 
apples of this new Red Delicious variety, as sampled from approximately 
800 trees, exhibited very low levels sunburn from the extreme sunlight 
conditions of the 1987 growing season. That is, apples of the subject 
trees advantageously retained their redcoloration and crisp texture. 
Early fruit maturity: At approximately 125-135 from full bloom the fruit of 
this new variety is matured, i.e., the apples have brown seeds, white 
flesh, and, most importantly, a soluble solids content of 10.5% or higher. 
This advantageous characteristic is demonstrated by the following 
tabulation of soluble solids content data (%), sampled at periodic percent 
intervals (month-day) during six consecutive growing seasons, from apples 
grown in my orchard on trees of this new variety ("Sali") and the 
early-coloring Red Chief.TM. variety. 
______________________________________ 
SALI RED CHIEF 
8-18 8-25 9-1 9-8 8-18 8-25 9-1 9-8 
______________________________________ 
1982 9.6 10.4 10.2 10.8 8.8 10.0 10.0 9.8 
1983 -- -- -- 11.0 -- -- -- 10.8 
1984 -- -- 11.5 11.9 -- -- 11.9 11.7 
1985 -- 11.7 13.1 12.6 -- 9.3 9.9 10.9 
1986 10.6 11.0 11.2 11.3 9.8 9.2 11.1 10.6 
1987 -- 11.0 11.2 -- -- -- -- -- 
______________________________________ 
Referring now to FIG. 2, comparative data is presented from the 1988 
growing season. Soluble solids content of representative apples (%, 
plotted on the y-axis) was sampled periodically percent throughout the 
growing season (month-day), on the x-axis) for trees of this new variety 
as compared with Scarlet Spur.TM., Topred.TM., Ryanred Spur.TM., and Red 
Chief.TM. trees, all grown in the same orchard. 
Purple overmature coloration: If picking is delayed past the mature stage, 
the fruit of this new variety develops a distinctly purple coloration, 
somewhat like the apples of the Early Red One.TM. tree.FIGS. 3A and 3B 
show the overmature Sali variety apple, as compared with Redspur.TM. and 
Topred.TM. apples. Some purplish apples of the subject variety develop red 
veins in the fruit flesh. 
The following description of this new variety of Red Delicious apple tree 
characterizes both the original and the asexually propagated trees. 
TREE 
Growth form: The tree is vigorous with an upright growth form (FIG. 4). 
Vase-formed in shape, the tree is of medium to tall height and exhibits a 
semi-spur growth form. The trunk tends to be stalky, with smooth bark. The 
branches tend to be slender, with smooth, gray bark. Tree lenticles are 
numerous and large in size. The branchlets tend to be slender, 
medium-jointed, and gray. The branching angle of the branchlets is 
average, and internodes are of medium length. 
Leaf: Leaves are medium in size, narrow, and taper-pointed. The leaves are 
of medium thickness, medium green in color (including the undersides), and 
rugose. Leaf buds are small to medium in overall size, and long and 
slender in shape. Leaf margins are coarsely serrated, as in the parental 
variety. 
Flowers: As mentioned above, this new variety is a distinctly early 
bloomer. The white blossoms are medium in size with petals of average size 
and shape. The flowers are self-sterile. The distribution of blossoms on 
the tree is average, with many flower clusters. 
This new variety is a hearty, productive, and regular bearer. Its 
susceptibility to insects and diseases is similar to other Red Delicious 
trees. 
FRUIT 
Shape: The symmetrical apples are of medium size, typically three to 
three-and-one-fourth inches in length, about three inches in width, and of 
roundish to conical shape. The apples hang well on short, thick stems. The 
cavity at the stem end is smooth and of medium depth and width. The calyx 
is closed and of medium size. 
Skin: Fruit skin is of medium thickness, smooth, waxen and glossy. 
Skin color: The red overcolor develops by blush color formation. Ground 
color is an attractive yellow with overcolor that initiates very early as 
splashes (not stripes). As mentioned above, color development is 
distinctly early for a Red Delicious variety. At maturity, the apple is a 
solid red color (FIG. 5). The mature apple coloration, as identified using 
Ridgeway's Color Standards and Nomenclature (1912), is Violet Carmine 
(Plate XII). 
Flesh: The flesh is greenish white, red streaked, firm, and crisp. The 
juicy, sweet flesh is of best quality. 
Seeds: The medium-sized core has five seed cells, with two seeds per cell. 
At maturity, the seeds are colored brown, have acute points, and are of 
average size, typically about 5/16 of an inch in length and 3/16 of an 
inch in breadth. 
Use: The fruit is a commercially marketable dessert apple of best quality.