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Through China
The Fuji was named and brought to market in 1962; its name is derived from the first part of the town where it was developed: Fujisaki. Its flavor is sweet and its texture is crisp. It can be used to make apple sauce. According to the US Apple Association website, it is one of the nine most popular apple cultivars in the United States.
Characteristics
Fuji apples are typically round and range from large to very large, averaging 75 millimetres (3.0 in) in diameter. They contain from 9–11% sugars by weight and have a dense flesh that is sweeter and crisper than many other apple cultivars, making them popular with consumers around the world. Fuji apples also have a very long shelf life compared to other apples, even without refrigeration. With refrigeration, Fuji apples can remain fresh for up to a year.
The Fuji thrives in areas with relatively warm summers. A late-season variety, the Fuji ripens after the McIntosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp, but at the same time as the Empire, Red Delicious, and EverCrisp.
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Popularity
In Japan, Fuji apples continue to be an unrivaled best-seller. and Japan's apple imports remain low. Aomori Prefecture, home of the Fuji apple, is the best known apple growing region of Japan. Of the roughly 900,000 tons of Japanese apples produced annually, 500,000 tons come from Aomori.
Outside Japan, the popularity of Fuji apples continues to grow. In 2016 and 2017, Fuji apples accounted for nearly 70% of China's 43 million tons grown. The Fuji has been a market success in North America since its debut there in the late twentieth century. As of 2024, the Fuji ranked fifth among the most popular apple varieties in the United States, behind only the Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp. It is also one of the top varieties in Canada, alongside the Ambrosia, Gala, and Honeycrisp. In Canada, the Fuji is grown in Ontario and British Columbia. However, while demand for this apple in British Columbia remains stable, farmers there face increasing competition from China. In the United States, most Fuji apples are grown Washington State, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. However, by 2025, the Fuji dropped to sixth place in Washington State, overtaken by the Cosmic Crisp. In the United States and Canada, the price look-up codes for Fuji apples are 4129 for small, 4131 for large.
In Brazil, the Gala and Fuji together commanded 95 percent of the apple market in the middle 2020s.
Mutant cultivars
Many sports (mutant cultivars) of the Fuji apple have been recognized and propagated. In addition to those that have remained unpatented, twenty had received US plant patents by August 2008:
Unpatented Fuji mutants include:
- BC 2
- Desert Rose Fuji
- Nagafu 2
- Nagafu 6
- Nagafu 12
- Redsport Type 1
- Redsport Type 2
Descendant cultivars
- Autumn Glory: Fuji × Golden Delicious
- EverCrisp: Fuji × Honeycrisp
- Hokuto: Fuji × Mutsu