The Apple Tickled Pink Baya Marisa Tree (Malus domestica ‘Tickled Pink’) is one of the most distinctive modern apple varieties, offering a combination of ornamental beauty and culinary versatility. With its striking red flesh and pink spring blossom, it brings both practical and aesthetic value to any garden.
This variety produces crisp, juicy apples with firm texture and a refreshing flavour that can be enjoyed straight from the tree. The fruit is equally suited to cooking, as it retains both its flavour and structure when baked or stewed. Its vivid pink-red flesh adds a splash of colour to desserts, preserves, and juices, making it a unique and versatile choice for home growers. Tickled Pink’s ability to perform well both as a dessert apple and a cooking apple makes it a true dual-purpose variety.
The tree itself is ornamental as well as productive. In spring, deep-pink blossom covers the branches, attracting pollinators and brightening the garden. As summer progresses, the fruit begins to develop, ripening fully between late September and October. The apples are medium to large in size and have a glossy red skin, complementing the unusual colouring of their flesh.
Tickled Pink requires a pollination partner from Group 3 to ensure reliable cropping. Suitable partners include popular apple varieties such as Discovery, Fiesta, or Red Windsor. When paired correctly, it produces excellent yields of high-quality fruit.
The tree thrives in fertile, well-drained soil and prefers a sunny, sheltered position to maximise blossom and fruit production. With the right care, Tickled Pink is a consistent performer, offering both decorative spring interest and a rewarding harvest later in the season.
Originally bred in Germany, Tickled Pink was introduced to the UK by Frank P Matthews in 2011. It quickly gained attention not only among home gardeners but also in professional culinary circles. Its fruit was famously featured in the dessert final of the BBC’s Great British Menu, supplied directly from the breeder’s mother orchards in Worcestershire.
For gardeners seeking a fruit tree that combines beauty, productivity, and culinary uniqueness, the Apple Tickled Pink Baya Marisa Tree is an outstanding choice.
The Apple Tickled Pink Baya Marisa Tree typically reaches 3–4 metres in height with a spread of 2–3 metres after ten years, depending on the rootstock chosen and the pruning regime applied. This makes it a medium-sized apple tree suitable for most garden settings.
With proper pruning, it can be shaped to fit smaller gardens or trained against a wall to maximise space. Compact forms are also possible when grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks, allowing for container or small orchard planting.
Its manageable size ensures it remains practical for both harvesting and maintenance, while still producing abundant crops. Combined with its ornamental spring blossom and colourful fruits, Tickled Pink is an ideal choice for adding seasonal beauty and productivity to gardens of varying sizes.
