Opal® ('UEB 32642') - the apple that visited the Universe

'UEB 32642' / Opal® is a club variety that thrives best in sunny, dry, wine-growing areas. It is suitable for intensive commercial orchards (managed under conditions of organic and integrated production) with irrigation. Its full, honey-sweet flavour, firm flesh that naturally does not turn brown when cut, and rusty appearance are what make Opal® unique.

In 2015, the Johnson Space Center and grower Broetje Orchards (today part of FirstFruits Farms) went for Opal® when searching for apples to send to the astronauts at the International Space Station. This is documented by a unique photo of astronauts Terry Virts and Samantha Cristoforetti with apples floating in weightlessness.

"When we got the request for apples we knew right away that we wanted to send Opal, the most special apple in our line-up."
Ralph Broetje, owner of Broetje Orchards

Today, Opal® is one of our most popular varieties, with mean annual plantings of about 240,000 trees. So far, nearly 3.5 mil trees have been planted in the world, especially in Europe and the USA. This club variety is grown and marketed under its club's conditions. The trademark Opal® is owned by the companies fruit.select, Germany and Varieties International, USA.

Read more about the story of Opal® and how it happened that this exceptional apple was launched into space on Growing Produce.