Developed in Japan in the 1930s from Red Delicious and the old Virginia heirloom Ralls Genet, Fuji was named for Fujisaki, the town near the research station where it was bred. The irony is not lost: two quintessentially American apples, crossed in Japan, then exported back to become one of the most widely grown apple varieties in the world. Its fruit is large and firm, with red skin and an exceptionally sweet, dense flavor — and refrigerated, it can hold four to six months, outlasting almost any other common cultivar.

Choose your size carefully: a true dwarf tops out at 8 to 10 feet while a semi-dwarf will reach 12 to 15 feet. Blossoms open in April, showing pink on the reverse and white on the face, and fruit matures around mid-October, about three to five years after planting. Fuji requires a cross-pollinator — Rome or Braeburn are reliable choices, though almost any apple works if bloom periods overlap. Well-drained, slightly acidic loam and full sun are non-negotiable for fruit production; avoid heavy clay that holds water around the roots.