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Gala apple tree

Gala
Gala is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 4

One of the most popular supermarket apple varieties, and a good mid-season variety for the garden in many areas. The sweet flavor of ripe Gala apples eaten straight from the tree is quite a surprise compared to supermarket examples. Gala is also a good variety for juicing, as you might expect the flavor is rich and sweet, useful for mixing with other sharper varieties.

Because of the commercial importance of Gala a large number of Gala "sports" exist. These are naturally occuring mutations, and are mostly indistinguishable from the original in terms of flavor but may have a deeper coloration or more pronounced flush to the skin.

IMPORTANT NOTE We strongly recommend Galarina or Sansa for backyard growers, in preference to Gala. Both these varieties are closely related to Gala and have similar appearance and flavors, but both have better disease-resistance and are better suited to the home orchard.

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Gala apple trees for sale

You can pre-order now for spring 2025

  • Semi-dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $39.20
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    G.969 rootstock

How to grow

Gala is grown on a commercial basis in South Africa, Chile, New Zealand, and France. One of its unique characteristics is that Gala will produce good-quality apples across an unusually wide range of climates from cool temperate to hot. Whilst not quite a low-chill variety, its chilling requirement of about 800 hours is at the lower end of the range, which helps when growing in warmer climate zones.

In the USA it can be grown with good quality from zones 5-9.

Gala appears to be susceptible to just about every problem known to affect apples, but don't let this put you off. In practice, provided you have a dry climate, it is not too difficult to grow - and the flavor of home-grown ripe Gala apples us worth a bit of effort.

Most sports of Gala have some degree of self-fertility - but will set much better crops if there is a nearby pollination partner.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Developed by New Zealand apple enthusiast J.H. Kidd from one of his earlier successes, Kidd's Orange Red, which he crossed with Golden Delicious. Through this parentage Gala unites three of the world's most influential apple varieties, Cox's Orange Pippin, Delicious, and Golden Delicious.

Gala characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityPartially self-fertile
  • Pollination group4
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Picking seasonMid
  • UsesEating freshJuice - Gala produces a very sweet juice
  • Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more - Flavour fades in storage but remains sweet
  • General resistancePoor - Very susceptible to scab
  • FireblightSome susceptibility
  • CankerSome susceptibility
  • ScabVery susceptible
  • Cedar apple rustSome susceptibility
  • MildewSome susceptibility
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 5 (-29C)
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)Hot (>30C / 86F)
  • Chill requirementLow-chill - 500 hours
  • Country of originNew Zealand
  • Period of origin1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colorOrange / Red