Shizuka is a large, beautiful Japanese apple known for its exceptionally sweet, juicy flavor and mild acidity. Its flesh is moderately firm and crisp with a tender, slightly buttery texture, and its flavor is often described as fruity and aromatic with subtle floral, tropical, and even pineapple-like notes.

 

Shizuka is especially delicious for fresh eating and snacking, and its slow-to-brown flesh also makes it an excellent choice for salads, fruit trays, and fresh-cut apple dishes. It can also be used for juice, applesauce, baking, pies, preserves, and other cooked recipes.

Shizuka typically ripens in mid-to-late September through October, depending on the growing region, making it a mid-to-late-season apple. One of its most interesting qualities is that Shizuka is a sister variety of Mutsu, as both were developed in Japan from a cross between Golden Delicious and Indo.

 

Shizuka is generally sweeter and less acidic than Mutsu and can grow into an impressively large apple with yellow-green skin that may develop a beautiful orange-red blush. Its combination of large size, tropical sweetness, beautiful appearance, and excellent fresh-eating qualities makes Shizuka a wonderful choice for anyone who prefers a sweet, low-acid apple.