Some apples announce themselves with a deep red blush. Others catch your eye with a beautiful golden glow. Amarilla Soul® is the sunny one. This newer apple variety has a smooth, light-yellow skin, a crisp and juicy bite, and a refreshing sweetness that makes it an exciting addition to the next generation of apples. And while you won’t find Amarilla Soul ready for picking at Apple Holler quite yet, we’re excited to have planted these trees and watch them grow!
Amarilla Soul® is a newer apple variety developed through the Midwest Apple Improvement Association (MAIA) and is known as MAIA-AM. It was selected through MAIA’s apple breeding program and was chosen for its appealing combination of crisp texture, juiciness, attractive yellow skin and delicious flavor. The variety is part of a newer generation of apples developed with both growers and apple lovers in mind.
Amarilla Soul stands out from many modern red apples because of its light-yellow skin. The skin is smooth and naturally russet-free, giving the fruit a clean, polished appearance. The apples are generally medium-sized and round to slightly globose. Inside, the flesh is yellow-white, firm and juicy. Think of it as a little burst of sunshine hanging from an apple tree!
Amarilla Soul is known for being sweet, crisp and exceptionally juicy. One of its most noticeable qualities is its snappy texture. Take a bite and you’ll get that satisfying crunch followed by a burst of juice. Its flavor is refreshing rather than intensely tart, making it an approachable apple for both kids and adults.
Amarilla Soul is an early-fall apple. It generally harvests approximately one week after Gala, giving it a spot near the beginning of the main fall apple season. Another interesting characteristic is its long harvest window, which gives growers some flexibility when determining the ideal time to harvest. Exact harvest timing can vary depending on growing conditions and Mother Nature.
With its sweet flavor, crisp texture and juiciness, Amarilla Soul is especially well suited to fresh eating. Try it for:
Honestly, this is the kind of apple that doesn’t need much help. Wash it, take a bite and enjoy!
There’s a clue to this apple’s appearance right in its name. “Amarilla” means “yellow” in Spanish, making the name a fitting choice for an apple known for its beautiful yellow skin. And “Soul” gives the name a little personality, because this isn’t just another yellow apple. It has its own combination of crunch, sweetness and juiciness.
Amarilla Soul is part of MAIA’s ongoing work to develop apples that offer desirable qualities for both growers and consumers. Modern apple breeding isn’t just about creating a prettier apple. Breeders evaluate characteristics such as flavor, texture, harvest timing, storage ability, disease resistance and how well a variety performs in different growing environments. Amarilla Soul is one example of what the next generation of apple breeding looks like.
Amarilla Soul has a long harvest window, which is helpful for growers because the fruit doesn’t necessarily have to be harvested all at once at one very specific moment. That means there’s a little more flexibility in finding the right time to pick these sunny yellow apples.
Here’s the exciting part: we just planted Amarilla Soul trees at Apple Holler! That means our Amarilla Soul story is just beginning. These young trees need time to establish themselves and grow before they’ll be ready to produce a crop for our guests to pick. If you visit Apple Holler this season and spot a row of young trees, you may be looking at one of our future apple stars! We can’t wait for the day when we can finally say, “Amarilla Soul is ready to pick!” Until then, we’ll be watching these little trees grow, and we’ll keep you posted as they get closer to their first harvest.
Variety: MAIA-AM
Market Name: Amarilla Soul®
Developer: Midwest Apple Improvement Association
Color: Smooth, light yellow
Flavor: Sweet and refreshing
Texture: Crisp, snappy and juicy
Season: Early fall, approximately one week after Gala
Best For: Fresh eating, snacking, salads and baking
Special Traits: Long harvest window and russet-free yellow skin
