Malus domestica Apple - Golden Delicious

Golden Delicious Apple is a classic dessert apple producing medium to large yellow-green fruit with crisp, sweet flesh and a mild honey flavour. It flowers in spring with soft pink-white blossoms and is prized for fresh eating, juicing and baking.

At maturity, trees typically reach 3–4 m high and 3 m wide on dwarfing rootstock, or 4–5 m high on standard rootstock. It suits espalier, backyard orchards and larger gardens, depending on pruning and rootstock choice.

Grow in full sun in well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. In Australia, plant during winter dormancy in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and cooler regions. Water deeply through spring and summer, mulch well, and apply a balanced fruit tree fertiliser in early spring.

Prune in winter to maintain shape and encourage fruiting spurs. Thin fruit in early summer for better size and quality. Suitable companion plants include lavender, chives, strawberries and nasturtiums to attract pollinators and help deter pests.