Get ready to take your apple experience to new heights! Red Zeppelin® is a newer apple variety from the Midwest Apple Improvement Association that’s turning heads with its deep red color, bold flavor, incredible crunch and impressive storage ability. And yes, the name is just as fun as the apple! We recently planted Red Zeppelin trees at Apple Holler, so this is one variety you’re going to want to remember. They’re not ready for picking yet, but someday, these young trees will be producing some seriously crunchy apples for our guests.
Red Zeppelin® is the market name for MAIA-RZ, a newer variety developed through the Midwest Apple Improvement Association. Red Zeppelin originated from an open-pollinated Honeycrisp in the MAIA breeding program. In other words, Honeycrisp is part of its family tree, but instead of breeders deliberately crossing Honeycrisp with a specific second variety, Red Zeppelin came from an open-pollinated seedling. What came from that seedling? A remarkably red, crisp and flavorful apple!
This apple takes the word red seriously. Red Zeppelin develops a deep, full-red skin, giving the fruit a dramatic appearance in the orchard. Inside, you’ll find firm, crisp flesh designed to deliver plenty of satisfying crunch. It is the kind of apple that catches your eye before you’ve even taken the first bite.
Red Zeppelin is known for its bold, sweet flavor and exceptionally crisp texture. If you enjoy apples with a strong crunch, this one belongs on your future must-try list. The firm flesh holds up well when you bite into it, while the sweetness gives the apple a full, satisfying flavor. It’s especially suited to people who like their apples sweet, crisp and substantial.
Red Zeppelin is an early-to-mid fall apple, generally harvesting approximately two weeks after Gala. That puts it right in the heart of apple-picking season in many orchards. Of course, exact timing varies depending on growing conditions and Mother Nature.
Red Zeppelin is particularly well suited for fresh eating, where you can really appreciate its texture and flavor.
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Its firm texture also makes it a great apple to keep around for snacks throughout the fall.
One of Red Zeppelin’s standout characteristics is its excellent storage ability. That means the crisp texture and desirable eating quality can be maintained for an extended period under proper storage conditions. For apple lovers, that’s good news. An apple harvest doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyed all at once!
The name is a playful combination of the apple’s deep-red color and the legendary name Led Zeppelin. MAIA’s description of the apple uses plenty of high-flying language, too, calling attention to its bold flavor and “sky-high crunch.” It’s certainly one of the more memorable names in the orchard!
Red Zeppelin’s story begins with a Honeycrisp. The variety resulted from an open-pollinated Honeycrisp seedling, meaning pollen from another apple variety naturally fertilized a Honeycrisp flower and produced a seed with a unique genetic combination. That seed eventually grew into a tree whose fruit had desirable characteristics, and Red Zeppelin was born. It’s a great example of how much genetic diversity can be hiding in a single apple seed!
Red Zeppelin is a full-red apple that harvests about two weeks after Gala and combines that striking color with excellent storage ability. So it’s not just a pretty apple, there’s plenty going on beneath that red skin!
Here’s where our Red Zeppelin story gets especially exciting: We just planted them! Our young Red Zeppelin trees need time to establish themselves and grow before they’ll be ready to produce apples for guests to pick. You won’t find Red Zeppelin on our picking calendar just yet. But someday, when those trees are mature, you’ll be able to walk through the orchard, spot those deep-red apples hanging from the branches, and hopefully hear a whole lot of CRUNCH! For now, consider Red Zeppelin one of our future Apple Holler favorites. We’ll be watching them grow right along with you.
Variety: MAIA-RZ
Market Name: Red Zeppelin®
Developer: Midwest Apple Improvement Association
Origin: Open-pollinated Honeycrisp seedling
Color: Deep, full red
Flavor: Bold and sweet
Texture: Firm and exceptionally crisp
Season: Approximately two weeks after Gala
Best For: Fresh eating, snacking, salads and storage
Special Traits: Full-red color and excellent storage ability
