Internal bark necrosis (IBN), a disorder that stunts tree growth, was examined in 18 ‘Delicious’ apple (Malus domesticaBorkh.) orchards with histories of IBN in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Leaves were sampled from 3 to 6 trees in each orchard and a composited soil sample was collected from the 5–20 cm depth beneath the same trees. The orchards were classed for IBN bark symptoms as none, moderate and severe. Leaf and soil B levels were in the adequacy range; IBN was therefore attributed to Mn toxicity. IBN was not related to rootstocks which varied within each IBN class. Tree ages averaged 12 and 4 years, respectively, for the none and severe IBN classes. Leaf Mn increased from 67 to 233 to 306 mg kg‐1in association with none to moderate to severe IBN symptoms. Severity of IBN was not associated with leaf Ca. IBN showed little or no relationship with soil pH, 0.02 M CaCl2‐Mn or exchangeable bases, even though they differed widely between orchards. Correlation coefficients between leaf Mn or leaf Ca and soil properties were not higher than 0.57 (P <0.05). The effectiveness of lime applications in several of these orchards, usually on the soil surface, for correcting IBN is discussed.