AgricultureID

Cultivar · Apple cultivar

Gala

Gala is a sweet, aromatic, red-striped dessert apple bred in New Zealand by J. H. Kidd from a cross of Kidd’s Orange Red and Golden Delicious, and released around 1965. It is one of the most widely produced apples in the world.

Dated referenceLast reviewed: 2026-07-12Updated: 2026-07-12
Illustrative diagram · AgricultureID (original)

Record

Cultivar / variety
Variety of
Apple
Botanical taxon
Malus domestica
Type
Cultivar (clonal)
Breeding method
Cross-breeding (controlled hybridization)
Origin
Greytown, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Released
1965
Breeder / institution
J. H. Kidd (Greytown, New Zealand)
Registry status
Historical
Registries
Intended use
Fresh eating (dessert)

Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.

Gala is a dessert apple developed in New Zealand by the amateur breeder James Hutton (J. H.) Kidd, from a cross between "Kidd’s Orange Red" and "Golden Delicious". It was selected in the mid-twentieth century and released commercially around 1965, later becoming a mainstay of orchards on several continents.

The cultivar is prized for its sweetness, mild aroma, and attractive red-over-yellow striping. Many redder-colouring bud sports — marketed under names such as Royal Gala and Galaxy — have been selected and, in various jurisdictions, separately protected; the original Gala itself is an older, unprotected cultivar. Like other apples it is propagated clonally by grafting.

Origin and history

Gala was raised by J. H. Kidd in Greytown, in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand, from a cross of Kidd’s Orange Red and Golden Delicious. Kidd’s Orange Red was itself derived from Cox’s Orange Pippin and Red Delicious, so Gala carries the ancestry of several classic dessert apples.

Following its release around 1965, Gala spread internationally and was promoted heavily in North America and Europe. It is now among the most-produced apple cultivars worldwide. Numerous colour sports selected for more intense red have been introduced under distinct trade names.

Fruit and eating quality

  • Skin red-striped and flushed over a yellow to orange ground
  • Flesh crisp, fine-textured, and juicy
  • Flavour sweet and mild with a light aroma and modest acidity
  • Fruit typically small to medium; stores reasonably under cool conditions

Colour sports and protection

Much of the Gala grown commercially consists of redder-colouring bud sports selected from the original cultivar and marketed under separate names such as Royal Gala and Galaxy. Some of these sports have held plant-variety protection or plant patents in particular countries and periods; such protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and distinct from the status of the original Gala.

Relationships

Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.

Adapted to climate

Adapted to soil

Scope & limitations

Geographic scope: Global overview of a major commercial cultivar and its colour sports. Fruit quality and storage depend on region, rootstock, season, and the specific sport.

  • Most commercial "Gala" is one of many colour sports that differ in appearance and, sometimes, in maturity; a single description generalizes across them.
  • Protection status applies to specific sports in specific jurisdictions and periods and is not a property of the original cultivar.
  • Storage life and flavour depend on rootstock, climate, harvest timing, and handling, which are not specified here.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]GRIN-Global / National Plant Germplasm System (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Cultivar/germplasm record and placement within Malus domestica

    Type:
    Official registry
    Jurisdiction:
    United States / Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility (opens in a new tab)

    Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

    High

    Cited for: Taxonomy of the parent species Malus domestica

    Type:
    Reference database
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  3. [3]NCBI Taxonomy (opens in a new tab)

    U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

    High

    Cited for: Scientific name and classification of Malus domestica

    Type:
    Reference database
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12

Related topics

Crops