WSU unveils its newest apple, Sunflare

• The apple should be in stores by 2029.

Driving the news: WSU announced the apple's official name on Tuesday at the Northwest Horticulture Expo in Yakima, according to the university.

• The name was chosen through a public contest with over 15,000 entries.
• The winner, Ryan Escarcega, a food service salesperson and chef from Centralia, said he was inspired by the apple's vibrant hues and recent solar storms.

What they're saying: "It was a real eye-catcher. I saw a nice relationship between the colors and the name," Escarcega said in a WSU press release.

By the numbers: Scientists first bred Sunflare in 1998 when they hand-pollinated a Honeycrisp flower with pollen from a Cripps Pink tree at WSU's Columbia View Research Orchard, per WSU.

• Sunflare combines the crispness and juiciness of Honeycrisp with the storage-friendly firmness and flavor of Cripps Pink, also known as Pink Lady.
• Royalties from Sunflare will support future WSU research and apple breeding.

What's next: WSU scientists are studying the best ways to grow Sunflare, with royalties and sales managed by the International New-Varieties Network.