Stark® Red Romance® Apple Tree

About the Stark® Red Romance® Apple Tree

Honeycrisp flavor with more resilience! The Stark® Red Romance® is a premium Honeycrisp cross that delivers the same sweet crunch and juiciness, paired with improved tolerance to common diseases and challenging growing conditions. Developed in Winchester, Illinois in 2002, this variety stands out for its ability to produce high-quality fruit with fewer issues, making it a smart choice for today’s home growers.

The fruit features a rich deep-red finish over pale yellow-cream flesh that is exceptionally juicy, crisp, and slow to brown when cut—perfect for fresh eating, slicing, and everyday use. With a balanced sweet flavor and refreshing bite, it offers that classic Honeycrisp experience with added reliability.

Growing Stark® Red Romance® Apples

This cold-hardy, adaptable apple tree grows similarly to Gala, with a moderately vigorous, open, and spreading habit that’s easy to manage. It performs well in warmer regions and shows excellent tolerance to wet seasons, with little to no fruit rot—a key advantage over more sensitive varieties.

Stark® Red Romance® produces consistent annual crops and ripens in early October, about 2½ weeks after Honeycrisp, helping extend your harvest season. The fruit holds well on the tree and stores for up to 5–6 months, offering long-lasting enjoyment.

This variety shows promising resistance to cedar apple rust, apple scab, and fire blight, making it a strong option for growers looking for a more dependable, lower-maintenance tree. A pollinator is required, see suggestions below.

For growers who love Honeycrisp but want a more resilient, richly colored, and reliable tree, Stark® Red Romance® delivers exceptional flavor with added confidence in the orchard.

• Here’s where you can find our complete list of Honeycrisp Cross Apple Trees to choose from.