malus domestica 'GOLDEN DELICIOUS' apple tree - late

Golden Delicious ranks among the most important apple cultivars of the 20th century and became the foundation for breeding dozens of other varieties worldwide. The fruits are medium to large, conical to round‑conical, with a smooth skin that is greenish‑yellow at harvest and turns golden yellow as it ripens. On the sun‑exposed side, a faint red blush may appear. The flesh is creamy white, fine‑textured, juicy, and tender, with a typically sweet, honey‑spiced flavor and a light caramel aroma. Average fruit weight ranges from 140 to 180 g. Harvest takes place from late September to early October, eating maturity begins in October, and with proper storage the apples keep until April. Thanks to their versatility, they are suitable for fresh consumption, baking, drying, and cider making. The true taste of Golden Delicious is far superior to that of supermarket apples, which are often artificially fertilized to enormous size and heavily treated with sprays.

The tree grows moderately vigorously, forming broadly pyramidal to rounded crowns of medium density. In intensive orchards it is most often grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks such as M9, which ensure early bearing and easy harvesting, while on MM106 it is suitable for medium‑sized gardens, where the tree grows larger and lives longer. It flowers mid‑late and is self‑sterile, requiring suitable pollinators such as ‘Idared’, ‘Jonathan’, ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’, or ‘Gala’. It is often claimed that the cultivar has somewhat lower resistance to severe frosts, but this is not true – it simply requires higher sums of heat and abundant sunlight to ripen high‑quality fruit, which is why it is recommended mainly for warmer regions. The cultivar was discovered by chance in 1890 on the farm of Anderson Mullins in Clay County, West Virginia (USA), probably as a seedling of ‘Grimes Golden’ and ‘Golden Reinette’, and since then it has become one of the most widely grown apple cultivars in the world.

Apple trees in general are not demanding to grow. They thrive best in sunny sites with fertile loamy to sandy‑loam soils that are well‑drained and moderately moist. The optimal pH is slightly acidic to neutral. They do not tolerate permanently waterlogged soils, nor extremely dry and windy locations where fruit may drop prematurely. Young slender trees and half‑standards should be tied to a stake to ensure straight growth, while tall‑standards benefit from a firm wind‑brace for the first three years. During this period (and preferably longer) the soil above the roots should be kept clean of grass and weeds. Fertilization can be light, ideally organic, but is not essential. Pruning, on the other hand, is generally discouraged — it is an old and misguided habit of previous generations that often resulted in water sprouts and overcrowded crowns without fruit. Modern experience shows that, given the right site, apple trees shape a balanced crown on their own and bear reliably without intervention. Most cultivars are highly frost‑hardy, easily withstanding temperatures below –30 °C, so in our conditions they require no winter protection. At harvest and in storage, however, the fruit should be handled carefully, as even small bruises can shorten its keeping quality.

Last update: 11-03-2008, 24-10-2025