Second Apple Variety From Washington Program Coming Out

Just months after releasing its first cultivar, the Washington State University apple breeding program is releasing a second apple, the “WA 5.” The program, based at the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in the nation’s “Apple Capital” of Wenatchee, released the first cultivar, WA 2, earlier this year. That release followed 15 years of research by breeder Bruce Barritt, who also worked on WA 5. Like WA 2, one of WA 5’s parents is also Splendour. But while WA 2’s other parent was Gala, WA 5’s other parent is Coop 15.