The Diva of the Orchard: Why America Can’t Get Enough of the Honeycrisp Apple

There’s a star in the produce aisle—and it’s not just any apple. With its perfect crunch, sweet flavor, and eye-catching color, the Honeycrisp apple has become America’s favorite. But behind that polished shine is a fruit with a big reputation and even bigger demands.

One farmer told The Wall Street Journal that Honeycrisp apples are “the divas of the orchard.” And they’re not exaggerating.

Sweet, Crisp, and Worth It

The Honeycrisp was developed in the 1990s and quickly gained fans for its ultra-crispy bite, juicy texture, and just-right balance of sweet and tart. Unlike some apples that are soft or sour, the Honeycrisp hits the taste sweet spot—and people noticed. Over the last decade, it has shot past longtime favorites like Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala to become the top-selling apple in the United States.

Grocery stores can’t stock them fast enough. Shoppers love them. Teachers give them as gifts. Kids request them in lunchboxes. The Honeycrisp has become, as one grower put it, “the apple of our eye.”

But This Apple Is High Maintenance

Despite its popularity, growing Honeycrisp apples is not easy. In fact, it’s a bit like caring for a celebrity.

Start with the skin. Honeycrisp apples have thin, delicate skins, which give them their pleasing texture but also make them very easy to bruise or puncture. That means farmers can’t just shake them off trees or handle them like tougher varieties. Instead, each apple must be picked by hand, carefully and gently.

Then there’s the color. These apples don’t just ripen on their own like some other fruits. To get that perfect red-pink color, each Honeycrisp apple is wrapped in a small “coat” of reflective sheeting while it’s still on the tree. The sheet bounces sunlight back onto the apple’s surface to encourage that bright, eye-catching blush.

Add to that the apple’s short storage life. Many apples can hang out in coolers for months without losing quality. Not the Honeycrisp. It doesn’t like cold storage and quickly turns mealy or loses flavor if kept too long. This means the fruit needs to be shipped and sold quickly after picking.

And if that weren’t enough, Honeycrisp trees are prone to disease and require regular checkups, careful pruning, and extra protection from pests and weather changes.

“It’s like raising a rock star,” said one Washington State apple grower. “They look amazing, but behind the scenes, it takes a lot of effort to keep them looking and performing that way.”

A Best-Seller, Despite the Drama

So why do farmers go through all this trouble?

Because the Honeycrisp sells—and it sells well. Consumers are willing to pay higher prices for the sweet, crisp experience this apple delivers. Even with its growing challenges, the demand remains strong year after year.

And while it might take more care than other apples, many farmers believe it’s worth it. The Honeycrisp has helped bring new attention to apple growing and inspired other premium varieties like the Cosmic Crisp and SweeTango.

For now, the Honeycrisp remains the undisputed queen of apples. High maintenance? Yes. But for apple lovers across America, it’s a price they’re happy to pay.