Ask a child in Delhi to draw an apple and you'll get a Royal Delicious. Deep red, slightly elongated, five small bumps at the base. That isn't an accident.
Royal Delicious is a strain of the Red Delicious family — selected for deeper colour and for how well it performs in Indian orchards. Most of what's sold in India as "Himachal Red Delicious" is, in fact, Royal Delicious.
It is by some distance the most recognised apple in the country. The interesting question is why.
Four reasons it became India's apple
It arrived first
Modern apple growing reached Himachal through Samuel Stokes, an American who settled in Kotgarh and began planting Delicious varieties in the early 1900s. Royal Delicious spread across the hills from there — decades before anything else.
It travels
Firm flesh and a sturdy skin meant it could survive the journey from a Himachal hillside to a Chennai fruit shop in an era with no cold chain. Varieties that bruised simply never left the valley.
It looks like an apple
Elongated, deep crimson, with five small bumps at the base. When an Indian child draws an apple, this is the shape. That familiarity is worth more commercially than any tasting note.
It suits everyone
Sweet but not cloying, crisp but not hard, low in acid. It's the apple least likely to be refused by anyone in a household.
The Stokes connection
Commercial apple growing in Himachal owes a great deal to Samuel Evans Stokes, an American who settled in Kotgarh in the early 1900s, took Indian citizenship, and began planting Delicious varieties on the hillsides above the Sutlej.
What he introduced took hold remarkably quickly. Within a few decades, apple orchards had replaced much of the traditional cropping across upper Shimla district — and Delicious strains were the backbone of it. The apple economy that supports our village today grew out of those first plantings.
What it actually tastes like
Sweet and mild, with a clean crunch and low acidity. Not as sugary as Fuji. Not as honeyed as Golden. Not remotely as sharp as Granny Smith.
That middle position is precisely the point. Royal Delicious is the apple least likely to be refused by anyone in a household — which is why it remains the default for gifting, for lunchboxes, and for families who don't want to negotiate about fruit.
How it compares to what else we grow
| Variety | Taste | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Delicious | Sweet, mild | Late Jul–Sep |
| Fuji | Very sweet | Aug–Oct |
| Golden Delicious | Honeyed | Jul–Oct |
| Granny Smith | Tart | Sep–Oct |
Why shop-bought ones look so much glossier
Because they're waxed. Royal Delicious travels and stores well, which means a great deal of it spends months in controlled-atmosphere storage with a food-grade coating to hold moisture and shine. It's safe — but a wax-free Royal Delicious looks duller, feels drier in the hand, and tastes noticeably more like fruit.
When it's at its best
Late July through September on our hillsides, with the finest fruit usually in late August and early September. It's one of the earlier major varieties we pick, which is why it's often the first apple of the season to reach people.
Buy it inside that window and it's a genuinely good apple. Buy it in April and you're eating something that was picked seven months earlier.
Keeping them well
- Two to three weeks in a cool, dark place; longer in a fridge crisper drawer
- Better keeper than Golden, not as long-lasting as Fuji or Granny Smith
- Don't wash until you eat — washing removes the fruit's own protection
- Away from bananas, which ripen everything near them faster
Common questions
What is Royal Delicious?
Royal Delicious is a strain of the Red Delicious apple — deeper red, better coloured, and better suited to Himachal's conditions than the original. When Indians picture an apple, this is usually the one: elongated, deep red, with five small bumps at the base.
Is Royal Delicious the same as Red Delicious?
Effectively yes. Royal Delicious is a selected strain within the Red Delicious family, chosen for deeper colour and stronger performance in Indian orchards. Most Himachal 'Red Delicious' sold in India is in fact Royal Delicious.
Why is Royal Delicious so famous in India?
Three reasons. It was planted early and widely across Himachal after Samuel Stokes introduced modern apple growing to the state. It travels well, so it reached markets across India when other varieties couldn't. And it looks exactly like what people expect an apple to look like.
When is Royal Delicious in season?
Late July through September in Himachal, with the best fruit usually in late August and early September. It is one of the earlier major varieties to come off our trees.
What does Royal Delicious taste like?
Sweet and mild, with a clean crunch and low acidity. It isn't as sugary as Fuji or as honeyed as Golden — it sits in the middle, which is exactly why it suits almost everyone.
Is Royal Delicious good for cooking?
Not especially. It softens when heated and loses shape. It's an eating apple. Use Granny Smith for baking.
Why are shop-bought Royal Delicious so shiny?
Because they're waxed. A food-grade coating is applied so fruit shines and holds moisture through months of cold storage. Wax-free Royal Delicious looks duller and may show natural freckles or russet — and tastes considerably more like an apple.
How long do Royal Delicious apples keep?
Two to three weeks in a cool, dark place, longer in a fridge crisper drawer. It keeps better than Golden but not as long as Fuji or Granny Smith.
Royal Delicious, picked to order
Grown in Upper Shimla. No wax, no cold storage, shipped within 24 hours of picking.
Buy Royal Delicious onlineWritten by Amit Palsra, Orchards Box — a farming family in Pujarli, Upper Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Questions? WhatsApp +91 82198 70604.
