It was first developed in 1985 as a cross of 'Gala' and 'Elstar' apples by the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV), an Italian apple growers' consortium from Ferrara.

[2] The apple has a striking, striped or solid, light red color.

Its taste is sweet like that of 'Gala', but more aromatic; its texture is more solid and crunchy than that of 'Elstar'.

[1] As of 2007, the apple was grown on about a million trees in Europe, as well as in Chile, South Africa, and the United States.

[3] The 'Civni' cultivar is not to be confused with the Dutch "Rubens" apple, which is a cross of 'Cox's Orange Pippin' and 'Reinette étoilée'.