Golden Delicious Apple

For more than a century the American apple Golden Delicious has been one of five apple varieties from which new varieties are mostly developed. Twenty percent of modern commercial varieties of apples have Golden Delicious as one of their ancestors. It is a yellow apple, popular all over the world, and now old enough to be considered a heritage variety.

Homegrown apples from our orchard, with Golden Delicious centre rear.

In France it is the most cultivated apple, with more than a third of the French apple crop being Golden Delicious. Commonly referred to as simply 'Golden' in France, its success is down to its ability to meet consumer demands, ease of production and suitability for modern commerce. However, it is frequently criticised by gourmets for its lack of taste and high water content.

It was discovered as a chance seedling in West Virginia in 1890 and originally called Mullins Yellow Seedling. Later, in 1914, it was renamed as Golden Delicious.

 

Organic Golden Delicious apples grown by Fruits O'Kalm on the outskirts of Preuilly.

It blossoms mid-season, in late April, and requires a pollinator such as Akane, Granny Smith, Melrose or Reine des Reinettes. Because of its desirable qualities it is often chosen as the parent when developing new varieties and is the ancestor of popular modern apples such as Jonagold, Gala, Rubinette and Elstar. Orchards need to be aware of this as it means it is not a suitable pollinator for the varieities it is related to.

Trees become productive at three years and fruit prolifically. Although well adapted to drought, it is not adapted to heat and ideally requires a thousand hours of winter frost to produce well.

Locally grown Golden Delicious in the supermarket.

The fruit requires five months to mature properly and should be harvested in September. In storage you can eat it from October to May.

Seedlings will produce good early fruit, but not come true.

Locally grown Golden Delicious in the supermarket.

In France Goldens from two regions are considered particularly high quality and have a certification in place. Apples from the Limousin will proudly bear a little sticker proclaiming them to be 'AOP Pommes de Limousin', and those from Savoie will say 'IGP Pommes et Poires de Savoie'. The latter reflects the fact that the variety thrives in higher altitudes and the fruit from there is higher in quality.

Locally grown organic Goldens.