Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for EU delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Gala apple trees

Malus domestica
Gala apples
Gala is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 4

Galao is one of the most popular supermarket apple varieties, and a good mid-season variety for the garden in many areas. The sweet flavour of ripe Gala apples eaten straight from the tree is quite a surprise compared to supermarket examples. Gala is also a good variety for juicing, as you might expect the flavour is rich and sweet, useful for mixing with other sharper varieties.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Gala organic apple trees for sale


  • 1 yeartree on Bittenfelder rootstock23.25€
    Very large tree (5m-6m+ after 10 years) Bare-root
    Sold-out
EU delivery countries
  • Austria
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  • Netherlands
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Growing and Training

One of its unique characteristics is that Gala will produce good-quality apples across an unusually wide range of climates from cool temperate to hot. Whilst not quite a low-chill variety, its chilling requirement of about 800 hours is at the lower end of the range, which helps when growing in warmer climate zones.

However Gala appears to be susceptible to just about every problem known to affect apples - but don't let this put you off. In practice, provided you have a dry climate, it is not too difficult to grow.


History

Gala was developed by New Zealand apple enthusiast J.H. Kidd from one of his earlier successes, Kidd's Orange Red, which he crossed with Golden Delicious. Through this parentage Gala unites three of the world's most influential apple varieties, Cox's Orange Pippin, Delicious, and Golden Delicious.


Gala characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityPartially self-fertile
  • Flowering group4
  • Disease resistancePoor - Very susceptible to scab
  • Picking seasonMid
  • Season of use3 months or more - Flavour fades in storage but remains sweet
  • Food usesEating freshJuice - Gala produces a very sweet juice
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 5 (-29C)
  • Summer average maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)Hot (>30C / 86F)
  • Chill requirementLow-chill - 500 hours
  • Country of originNew Zealand
  • Period of origin1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colourOrange / Red

Similar varieties

  • See also Cabarette
    Cabarette
    A traditional very-late season dessert apple, found in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • See also GoldRush
    GoldRush
    A modern disease-resistant apple, like Golden Delicious but with a better tart/sweet balance. Good for eating fresh and juicing / cider.
  • See also Honeycrisp
    Honeycrisp
    Honeycrisp is a very popular modern American cold-hardy disease-resistant apple, known for its crisp sweet flavour.
  • See also Queen Cox
    Queen Cox
    A modern self-fertile form of the renowned Cox's Orange Pippin, with arguably even better flavour.

This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2024.