Rajka apple
A modern variety from the Czech Republic, bred specifically for disease resistance.
A good modern variety from the Czech Republic. Like most new varieties it is a well-shaped, good-size apple, with a very attractive appearance.
The colour is deep-red over a golden yellow background. The flesh is a creamy-yellow colour and is open-textured, fairly crisp, and snaps cleanly when you bite into it. The flavour is sweet, but with good acidity - probably the nearest comparison is with Elstar.
The parentage of Rajka is complicated, but the similarity to Elstar gives a clue that Golden Delicious must be in there somewhere. One of Rajka's immediate parents is Sampion, also raised in the Czech Republic and this in turn is a cross between Golden Delicious and Lord Lambourne. Lord Lambourne is a James-Grieve style apple, and the combination of the sweetness of Golden Delicious with the juicy acidity of James Grieve is the key to the flavour of Rajka.
Intriguingly, in a good summer Rajka can have a hint of the elusive strawberry-apple flavour which almost always indicates Worcester Pearmain - one of the parents of Lord Lambourne.
Rajka has been bred specifically as a disease resistant variety. This means that it can be grown with minimal use of chemical pesticides, which benefits the environment and the consumer. This makes it an increasingly popular garden variety, although it does still appear to have some susceptibility to scab.
If there is a a failing, it is that Rajka seems to need a warmer climate than is often found in the UK, and in a typical (sun-less) UK summer can end up with a slightly bleak metallic taste as a result of incomplete ripening.
Summary
- Species: Malus domestica
- Parentage: Golden Delicious, Lord Lambourne
- Origin: Czech Republic
- Introduced: 1990s
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 104500
Identification
- Fruit colour: Red
- Flesh colour: Cream
- Fruit size: Medium
- Bultitude apple group: 6. Red flushed, smooth, sweet
Using
- Good for eating fresh
- Flavour quality: Good
- Flavour style: Sweet/Sharp
- Ripening period: Mid-Late season Apples will hang on the tree for several weeks.
- Use / keeping: 1 week
Growing
- Cropping: Heavy
- Flowering period: Mid-Late season
- Flowering group: 4
- Fertility: Self-sterile
- Triploid: No
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
- Tolerates cold winters
- Suitable for N. England?: Yes
Disease resistance
- Scab - Very resistant
- Mildew - Some resistance
Relationships to other varieties
Parents and other ancestors of this variety:
See also:
- Topaz - Rajka and Topaz were both developed at the Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Republic
Rajka identification photos from website visitors
Fruit tree register
Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.
The following Rajka trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.
You can also view these trees on a map.
United States
- Florian Deisenhofer in Brush Prairie, Clark County WA
Belgium
- Jan Gelders in ZELEM, LIMBURG
Poland
- Richard in KRAKOW,
Mature heights for Rajka trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Rajka tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.
| Rootstock | Soil quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | Below average | Average | Above average | Very good | |
| P22 | 2.5 ft 0.8 m |
3.1 ft 0.9 m |
3.7 ft 1.1 m |
4.3 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
| M27 | 2.8 ft 0.9 m |
3.5 ft 1.1 m |
4.2 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
5.6 ft 1.7 m |
| M9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Bud.9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 16 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 11 | 4.9 ft 1.5 m |
6.1 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.6 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
| M26 | 5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.6 ft 2.0 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.2 ft 2.8 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
| Geneva 30 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| MM102 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| M7 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| M116 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| MM106 | 7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.8 ft 2.7 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.3 ft 3.8 m |
14.0 ft 4.3 m |
| MM111 | 8.4 ft 2.6 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
14.7 ft 4.5 m |
16.8 ft 5.2 m |
| Bud.118 | 9.1 ft 2.8 m |
11.4 ft 3.5 m |
13.7 ft 4.2 m |
15.9 ft 4.9 m |
18.2 ft 5.6 m |
| M25 | 10.5 ft 3.2 m |
13.1 ft 4.0 m |
15.8 ft 4.8 m |
18.4 ft 5.6 m |
21.0 ft 6.4 m |
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.
Where to buy apple trees
The following fruit tree nurseries offer Rajka apple trees for sale:
-
Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK)
United Kingdom Supplier's website >> -
Keepers Nursery
United Kingdom More >>
Where to buy apples
The following orchards and suppliers offer Rajka apples for sale. map >
United Statesmap >
-
Washingtonmap >
- Hockinson Hill Orchard, Brush Prairie
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