A few years ago, my kids prayed for an apple tree in the backyard. After reading the garden catalog from the Stark brothers nursery, I chose Goldrush for its disease resistance.
Five years later, my dwarf Goldrusca arma is big enough to produce about a dozen fruits in October. I, too, have a lovely time in spring flowers. Because Goldrush apple trees are nurtured to be highly disease resistant, yields are obtained without spreading. Many apples are not as picture-perfect as those from grocery stores. I use raw apples to make applesauce and freeze it, following Mark Bittman’s recipe How to cook everything. Better to eat and store fresh apples.
Those thinking about growing Goldruscus apples should know that the best apples require sprouting from another variety of apple tree; and that the choice of the second apple variety is important. So if you want to grow Goldruscus, it helps to have another tree. If space is limited, find a neighbor who wants to grow beans. I prefer to use Jonafree semi-pumice, which is also disease resistant, so that my apple Goldrush can be infected.
My Goldrush apples are smaller, crispier, and more acidic than many grocery store apples. There are those who have a bitter sweet taste. When picked, the fruits are pale green with pink-tinged spots. They become more yellow when seasoned. Goldrush apples will keep for several months refrigerated or in a cool place, such as a gargling room or a non-burning room.
A cooperative breeding program of the Illinois, Indiana, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations developed the golden apple. Illinois designated the Goldrush apple its official fruit in 2008. They are a cross between a delicious orange and an experimental apple variety.
