Golden Delicious is a yellow, thin-skinned, relatively large apple that ripens in late September. Despite the similar name, it is not related to Red Delicious. Its thin skin results in a tendency for it to bruise during handling. Consequently, it does not store well and should be used soon after harvesting.

History: Golden Delicious was found on a hillside in West Virginia in 1914. It was a chance seedling, possibly a cross from Grimes Golden. First marketed locally as “Mullin’s Yellow Seedling” or “Annit,” the original tree was bought by Stark Brothers Nursery in 1914. Stark renamed it “Golden Delicious” to market it as a companion to the company’s Red Delicious, although the two varieties were genetically unrelated. In 1955 Golden Delicious was named the official state fruit of West Virginia.* It has been used as a parent for other popular apple varieties. We grow three of them: Gala, Jonagold and Goldblush.

Taste Profile: Golden Delicious is sometimes characterized as an all-purpose apple. It has a medium-sweet taste and crisp but somewhat soft texture. Its skin has a tendency to russet and experience surface bruising.

Suggested Uses: Good for eating raw and in salads. It makes a medium-sweet cider. Golden Delicious can be used for most types of cooking. It is very good for pies that have a mild flavor.

*Material drawn from Wikipedia and Roger Yepsen, Apples. New York, W. W. Norton, 1994. p. 114.