Sunrise Apple is a modern cultivar bred in British Columbia that combines the best qualities of McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples. Introduced in 1990, this patented variety produces large red-over-yellow apples in early August that are remarkably sweet, tender, crisp, and juicy. Hardy in zones 4 through 9 and reaching 8 to 12 feet tall, it's an upright tree that rewards northern gardeners with reliable, abundant harvests. What truly sets Sunrise apart is its exceptional hang time: fruit can remain on the tree for up to four weeks without deteriorating, giving you flexibility in when to pick and an extended eating season.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-9
144in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
These trees produce enormous crops of large apples that hang on the branches well into late summer, a quality that genuinely changes how you approach harvest. The fruit itself is a visual feast: bold red coloring over a golden base, with flesh that's both crisp and juicy in a way that justifies the early-season wait. For northern gardeners, this early-ripening variety solves a real problem, delivering full flavor and eating quality when many apple seasons are just beginning.
Sunrise apples are outstanding fresh-eating fruit, best enjoyed straight from the tree when their crisp texture and juiciness are at their peak. Their sweetness and tender flesh make them excellent for fresh salads, as a raw snack, and in any preparation where you want to showcase the fruit's natural flavor rather than mask it. The extended hang time means you can harvest selectively throughout August, picking fruit as you want to use it rather than processing an entire crop at once.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant bare-root or container-grown Sunrise apple trees in early spring (as soon as soil is workable) or in fall before hard freezes. Choose a location with full sun exposure and prepare a planting hole two to three times wider than the root ball, working compost into the backfill soil. Space trees 12 to 15 feet apart. Water deeply after planting and maintain consistent moisture through the first growing season to establish a strong root system.
Sunrise apples ripen in early August and can hang on the tree for up to four weeks without losing eating quality, so you have a generous harvest window. Pick fruit when it reaches full size and the background color shifts from green to golden yellow; the red overlay will be prominent. Apples that detach easily with a gentle lift and twist are fully ripe. Select-pick throughout August to harvest fruit as you plan to use it, or gather the entire crop at once if you prefer. Handle carefully to avoid bruising the tender flesh.
Prune Sunrise apples in winter or early spring while dormant to maintain the upright growth habit and create an open center framework. Remove any crossing branches, inward-growing shoots, and dead wood. Thin fruit in late June if the set is exceptionally heavy, leaving fruit spaced 4 to 6 inches apart to encourage larger apples and prevent branch breakage under the weight of the enormous crops these trees produce.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Sunrise Apple emerged from deliberate breeding work at a British Columbia nursery, combining the heritage McIntosh (known for tender, juicy flesh) with Golden Delicious (prized for sweetness and keeping quality). Patented and introduced in 1990, it represents modern apple breeding focused on extending the season and reliability for cool-climate growers. This cultivar was developed to serve backyard orchardists in northern regions who previously had limited early-season options.”