Golden Delicious apple

Malus domestica

Undoubtedly one of the most important apple varieties of the 20th century, both as a commercial variety in its own right, and as breeding stock for many other varieties. Has a poor reputation amongst apple enthusiasts, but is actually surprisingly good when eaten straight from the tree.

Parentage: Grimes Golden ???
Origin: USA
Introduced: 1890s
Season: Nov-Jun
Apple cultivar ID: 108400

Golden Delicious is a variety which is often frowned upon by apple lovers, but is very popular as a supermarket apple variety. However it is now, quite rightly, undergoing something of a rehabilitation amongst apple enthusiasts.

The variety was first discovered in the USA at the end of the 19th century, and is now planted in all the major warm apple growing areas of the world. From a grower's perspective Golden Delicious is an attractive proposition - heavy crops, and fruit which keeps in storage for a long time after harvest.

These qualities meant that by the mid-late 20th century Golden Delicious had become one of the mainstays of supermarket apple sales, along with Red Delicious and Granny Smith. Towards the end of the 20th century when flavour once again became important in apples, detractors saw Golden Delicious as bland and boring, and it became a victim of its own success.

However enthusiasts are increasingly re-discovering Golden Delicious, and recognising that behind the mass-production and supermarket shelf-appeal there is a very good apple. Part of the problem is that fruit picked for supermarkets is often picked when still green, and then stored for months before sale. In contrast when fresh from the tree the true flavour is revealed - exceptionally sweet and rich, almost like eating raw sugar cane. Golden Delicious is also a versatile apple, and can be used both for dessert and cooking purposes, and it has an attractive appearance - which can indeed be golden if left to mature on the tree.

Furthermore, there is no doubting the importance of Golden Delicious in the sheer number of new varieties which have been raised from it. You do not need to be a professional grower to realise that crossing Golden Delicious with Cox's Orange Pippin (or their respective offspring) might lead to something with both the sweetness of Golden Delicious and the richness and complexity of Cox, and that is indeed what many have tried. That other supermarket staple, Gala, is a good example of this strategy.

Golden Delicious can grow well in the UK provided you have a warm and sheltered microclimate. Our photo shows an English-grown Golden Delicious - not the perfect specimen you might see in a supermarket, but still a nice crisp sweet apple.

Apple Tree Register

Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details on our Apple Tree Register here.

Relationships to other apple varieties

Offspring of this variety:

Ambrosia
Crispin (Mutsu)
Elstar
Estivale
Falstaff
Freyberg
Gala
Greensleeves
Honeycrisp (distant descendant) - Honeycrisp may be descended in some degree from Golden Delicious
Jester
Jonagold
Pink Lady
Rajka (distant descendant)
Rubinette
Saturn
Scrumptious
Sonya (distant descendant) - Related via Gala - Sonya is even sweeter than Golden Delicious
Sundowner
Sunrise
Topaz (distant descendant)

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

Grimes Golden (parent)

Discuss Golden Delicious in our Forums

11 Oct 2009 15:23		Claire
	We inherited a small young apple tree from my mother-in-law in 1990 which was growing in her garden 1.000 ft up in the South Wales Valleys, producing tiny fruits. We dug it up and planted it on our allotment in Cardiff - eventually it started to develop and for many years has produced volumes of apples. I use them for cooking in Sept/Oct when green - needing very little sugar, (I use lemon rind or mix with other fruits like Autumn raspberries, blackberries or cape gooseberries - grown in a greenhouse - to give added flavour). Later towards end October/Nov. when they ripen further and turn from green to yellow they are super juicy (and very sweet) - a very unexpected delight as I would not buy a golden delicious as to me they have little flavour. Until 3 years ago I had no idea the variety of this apple tree until an Italian allotmenteer suggested it was a 'Golden Delicious'. I was surprised as I'd no idea this apple could taste so surprisingly good. I am often picking them off the tree after the leaves have dropped when they are so good for eating. Not a great keeper unless kept in a cool place which is why I leave them on the tree for as long as possible and before the birds eat them all. I keep it fairly hard pruned so as not to grow too high and it never fails to produce lots of fruit. Also on the allotment I grow a fairly large green cooker, similar to Bramley, in addition to a small Sunset apple tree and Charles Ross - both excellent eaters especially the CR which are huge apples except it does not keep long after picking - goes dry and woolly in flavour. We planted one in our small garden 40 years ago supposedly on a small rootstock which produced wonderful apples, good enough for showing at Horticultural Shows until it grew too big and had to be severely cut/pruned - starting to grow a few fruits again.
09 Aug 2009 00:38		bridie
	Hi Amy I have tree with two verieties grafted onto it James Grieves and Golden delicious which as you say have never been green or yellow but green with some red .I wondered if it was another variety as it looks more like the James Grieves.
18 Jun 2009 17:10		Chuck
	The apple in the picture is what the Golden Delicious look like here at Shop n Save but not the apple I remember eating as a child. Am I correct in saying that apples do not ripen after they are picked? If so why are these very unripe hard and marginally digestible specimens being called Golden Delicious?
See more forum posts about Golden Delicious. Add your comments.

Golden Delicious apple

Malus domestica

Undoubtedly one of the most important apple varieties of the 20th century, both as a commercial variety in its own right, and as breeding stock for many other varieties. Has a poor reputation amongst apple enthusiasts, but is actually surprisingly good when eaten straight from the tree.

Parentage: Grimes Golden ???
Origin: USA
Introduced: 1890s
Season: Nov-Jun
Apple cultivar ID: 108400

Apple Tree Register

Relationships to other apple varieties

Offspring of this variety:

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

See also:

Discuss Golden Delicious in our Forums

Sign in | Register

Where to buy apple trees

Where to buy fruit and related products

Apple tree register

Variety request

Apple and Orchard Articles

Golden Delicious apple

Malus domestica

Undoubtedly one of the most important apple varieties of the 20th century, both as a commercial variety in its own right, and as breeding stock for many other varieties. Has a poor reputation amongst apple enthusiasts, but is actually surprisingly good when eaten straight from the tree.

Parentage: Grimes Golden ??? Origin: USA Introduced: 1890s Season: Nov-Jun Apple cultivar ID: 108400

Apple Tree Register

Relationships to other apple varieties

Offspring of this variety:

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

See also:

Discuss Golden Delicious in our Forums

Sign in | Register

Where to buy apple trees

Where to buy fruit and related products

Apple tree register

Variety request

Apple and Orchard Articles

Parentage: Grimes Golden ???
Origin: USA
Introduced: 1890s
Season: Nov-Jun
Apple cultivar ID: 108400