Each fruit is good in its own way, and the category “apples” is no exception. Someone likes summer varieties more, someone – winter. And someone is delighted with the late autumn ones, the list of which includes the Golden Delicious apple tree. This unique variety, which will be described in detail below, is worth knowing about. Therefore, this material will be very useful both for experts in the field of gardening and for true lovers of delicious and juicy apples.
Description
The Golden Delicious apple tree (also called the Golden Superb) belongs to the American varieties of late autumn, or even winter ripening. It is interesting that it did not appear at all in the way that such popular varieties that exist today should be. Golden Delicious is considered a variety of unknown origin, since its seedling was discovered completely by chance in 1890 in Southern Virginia. After that, he received recognition around the world, and most of all in the southern countries of the CIS, in the south of Our Country and on the territory of the Ukrainian Steppes and Forest-Steppes, and today he can show off in many amateur and industrial gardens. The high level of popularity of this apple tree is also evidenced by the fact that for about 25 years it was the main one among all the others in European apple orchards. Further – more specific characteristics.
The tree belongs to the category of medium height. It should also be said that Golden Delicious trees begin the process of fruiting in the second or third year after budding on rootstocks of a low-growing type. As for the type of fruiting of the Golden Delicious apple tree, it is mixed. At the initial stages, it is usually regular, and then it all depends on the weather conditions and gardening methods. At the same time, you should be aware that garlands of fruits can form on two-year growths, as well as on those that remain from last year. This is due to the fact that 3 or even 4 apples can be preserved on each ringlet.
The crown of young trees is cone-shaped, while those of fruit-bearing trees are broadly round, densely branched and well leafy.
The leaves of this apple tree are broadly oval, with a rounded base along with a slightly elongated tip. They also boast complexity. The color of the leaves, as a rule, is bright green, they are also characterized by a shiny and smooth surface. As for the edges of the leaves, they are, most often, slightly wavy and double-toothed. The degree of pubescence is weak. The leaf blade is distinguished by the fact that it forms a rather sharp angle with the stem. The Delicious leaf is also characterized by the fact that it is strongly wrinkled, has broadly lanceolate stipules and a thick petiole. The top of the annual has shortened internodes, as well as leaves with wavy edges and folded into a wide tray.
The petiole is quite long in this variety, and the stipules are classified as medium in size, they are also lanceolate. The stem of the annual in the nursery has a light brown color with a slight yellow tinge, and a large number of rounded and large strokes or lentils are clearly visible on it. The shoots are characterized by an average level of thickness and curvature. In addition, they are slightly articulated, slightly pubescent, differ in light brown color (sometimes a certain greenish tint can be seen), and also have lenticels – oval, very large and densely scattered.
As for the description of the fruits, first of all, it is necessary to say about their size. So, apples can differ both in medium size and large (for example, in the Kuban their weight can reach 170 g). The shape of apples is round-conical, besides, they are chiseled and have a dense, dry skin. And if the growing conditions are quite favorable, then the skin automatically becomes slightly rough, golden light green in color, which later becomes more yellowish.
Occasionally, the fruits can boast the presence of a reddish, but blurry blush, located on the sunny side. As for the skin of the funnel, as well as outside it, it is usually rusted, and only gently or rough – it depends on the level of air moisture deficiency.
The calyx of Delicious, like most other varieties, is closed, but has gaps near the base of the sepals – half twisted and long. Near the same base, small tubercles are also visible, having the shape of rays. The stalks that are placed near the central fruits are of medium thickness, while those near the lateral ones are thinner, but nevertheless often protrude beyond the funnel, which is quite deep. Speaking about the saucer, it must be said that it is narrow, not very deep and even. Quite long and having a reverse-conical shape is the subcup tube. The axial cavity does not differ in significant dimensions, besides, it does not communicate with the seminal chambers at all, or communicates, but with the help of a very narrow slit.
The pulp of the fruits of this apple tree is a little greenish, but this does not prevent it from being very juicy, sweet and dense. After a certain time of storage, it tends to become creamy or even light yellow, as well as even more delicate and spicy, to acquire a delicious dessert taste.
For the usual period of picking apples, it is customary to consider the end of the first autumn month, that is, September. The fruits are stored, as a rule, until the height of spring (end of March – April), but they can significantly wither in rooms that do not have a sufficient level of humidity. At the same time, they practically do not lose their juiciness. Gardeners should also be aware that the flesh density of Golden Delicious apples, as well as their ability to retain all qualities, will be significantly improved if grown in a grassy orchard. And for the successful formation of a tree, high-quality and careful pruning is required, as well as the implementation of the process of thinning the fruit.
The peculiarity of this variety is also that it is self-fertile. And this means that a necessary condition for the continuation of the Golden Delicious genus is the presence of pollinators. Practice has shown that the best of them are: Jonathan, Wagner Prize, Kuban and Delicious Spur.
Advantages and disadvantages
This variety has a specific set of strengths and weaknesses. So, the obvious advantages of this apple tree are:
- Sufficient level of frost resistance;
- High level of productivity;
- Precociousness;
- High level of productivity;
- The quality of apples is at the level of world standards.
Also, on the positive side, Delicious can characterize the fact that in breeding it is often used as a donor of productivity, precocity, resistance to polygenic scab, dessert characteristics of other apples. As for the world practice in the field of horticulture, Golden Delicious was able to provide more than one variety of hybrid origin (Freiberg, Korey, Priam, etc.).
As part of the description of the advantages of this variety, one should also mention their chemical composition. So, in one apple there are dry substances (14-20,5%), sugar (10-13,8%), titratable acids (0,4%), ascorbic acid (5-12 mg per 100 g), P- active substances (about 100 mg), pectins (0,7 mg per 100 g dry weight).
As for the shortcomings, these are the following points:
- The ability of fruits to wither during storage;
- Tendency to defeat powdery mildew;
- In connection with the overload of the crop, fruit shrinkage may occur;
- The tendency to fruiting of a periodic type;
- Due to the use of preparations containing copper, the skin may become rusty.
All of the above does not make the following conclusion surprising: the Golden Delicious apple variety has been able to achieve such a high level of popularity in gardens around the world, not only due to its beautiful appearance (we are talking about both the tree and its fruits), but, of course, thanks to its unsurpassed taste.
Video “Variety of apples Golden Vladimirsky”
The video shows an apple tree of the Golden Vladimirsky variety, a derivative of the Golden Delicious variety; the characteristics of the tree and fruits are given.
