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Cultivar · Apple cultivar

Red Delicious

Also known as: Hawkeye (original name)

Red Delicious is a deep-red, elongated dessert apple that began as an Iowa chance seedling named "Hawkeye" and was introduced by Stark Brothers as "Delicious" in 1895. Over the twentieth century it was selected heavily for colour and shipping quality.

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
Chance seedling
Origin
Peru, Madison County, Iowa, United States
Released
1895
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.

Red Delicious is a widely recognized apple cultivar noted for its deep red skin and distinctive elongated, five-lobed shape. It originated as a chance seedling found by Jesse Hiatt near Peru, Iowa, United States, where it was first called "Hawkeye". Stark Brothers Nurseries acquired it and introduced it commercially as "Delicious" in 1895, later adding "Red" to distinguish it from Golden Delicious.

Through the twentieth century, growers propagated numerous bud-sport selections chosen for redder, earlier colour and a more elongated shape. This emphasis on appearance and long-distance shipping is often cited in discussions of how the cultivar’s eating quality came to differ from its earliest form. As a clonal cultivar it is maintained by grafting.

Origin and history

The cultivar arose as a chance seedling on the farm of Jesse Hiatt near Peru, Iowa, and was originally named "Hawkeye". Stark Brothers Nurseries purchased the rights, renamed it "Delicious", and introduced it commercially in 1895; the "Red" prefix came into use after the firm introduced Golden Delicious in 1914.

Over subsequent decades, many bud-sport selections (for example "Starking", "Richared", and various spur types) were propagated for deeper, earlier red colour and a more strongly lobed shape. Red Delicious became one of the most widely planted apples in the United States, favoured for its appearance, uniformity, and shipping and storage performance.

Fruit and eating quality

  • Skin deep red, often striped or solid, over a yellow ground; typically tough
  • Distinctive elongated, conical shape with five prominent knobs at the calyx end
  • Flesh sweet and mild with low acidity; aroma modest
  • Firm at harvest but can become mealy with age; valued for storage and transport

Selection for appearance

Red Delicious is frequently used as an example of a cultivar shaped by repeated selection for visual traits. Because darker, earlier-colouring sports were commercially rewarded, the marketed fruit shifted toward emphasis on colour, shape, and shelf performance. Eating quality of any given fruit depends on the specific sport, growing conditions, harvest timing, and storage.

Relationships

Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.

Adapted to climate

Adapted to soil

Scope & limitations

Geographic scope: Global overview of a widely grown cultivar and its many colour sports. Fruit behaviour depends on the specific sport, region, rootstock, and handling.

  • "Red Delicious" today covers many bud-sport selections that differ in colour, shape, and quality; a single description cannot capture all of them.
  • Texture and flavour are strongly affected by harvest timing, storage, and rootstock, so eating quality varies considerably between sources.
  • The earliest history of the original "Hawkeye" seedling is drawn from nursery and horticultural records and is partly traditional.

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]USDA ARS — Agricultural Research Service (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Germplasm characterization and cultivar history

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12

Related topics

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