Introducing Sunflare, Washington State University’s next apple

Washington State University has named its newest apple, WA 64, Sunflare.

The university announced in a news release Tuesday the variety that’s a cross between Honeycrisp and Pink Lady will reach grocery stores in 2029.

Sunflare is the third apple released by the WSU breeding Program. Their most notable variety is the Cosmic Crisp, which launched in 2019.

The new apple was first bred in 1998 at WSU’s Columbia View Research Orchard. Over the years, breeders tested thousands of trees in search of one outstanding variety.

WSU holds a patent on WA 64, and has filed trademark applications for the Sunflare brand name.

The name was selected from a public contest that drew more than 15,000 responses. Thousands of names were narrowed down by WSU faculty, staff and public focus groups.

The contest winner, 49-year-old Ryan Escarcega, is a food service salesperson and chef from Centralia, Wash. The news release said he was inspired by the apple’s bright hues and the powerful solar storms that brought northern lights to North America this spring.

He will receive a box of Sunflare apples along with other WSU-themed prizes, including a can of Cougar Gold Cheese, an engraved charcuterie board, WSU spice rubs, a coffee cup and water bottle.

WSU scientists continue to study the best way to grow WA 64. Royalties from sales of trees, bud worth and the apple will help support research and future apple varieties at WSU.

Breeding WA 64 was assisted by the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, Washington Research Foundation and WSU apple royalties.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.