Apple, Gold Rush

Apple, Gold Rush
Malus domestica ‘Gold Rush’

Gold Rush is a late-season apple variety celebrated for its intensely sweet-tart flavor, exceptional storage life, and strong disease resistance—especially to apple scab. Developed by Purdue University as part of the PRI disease-resistant breeding program, Gold Rush is a top-tier dessert apple for both fresh eating and long-term storage. Its dense, aromatic flesh and crisp texture improve in storage, becoming sweeter over time without losing its tangy backbone. This makes it a favorite among homesteaders, cidermakers, and permaculture orchards.

Key Characteristics

• Exceptional Flavor That Improves in Storage
  Gold Rush has a bright, complex flavor with a perfect sweet-tart balance when harvested late. Over several months in cold storage, it becomes even more sweet and aromatic, making it one of the best fresh-eating apples well into spring.

• Outstanding Storage Life (Up to 7 Months)
  True to its name, Gold Rush stores exceptionally well—up to 7 months under refrigeration. Its flavor continues to evolve after harvest, offering a long-lasting supply of high-quality apples for extended eating or sales.

• Highly Disease Resistant
  Bred for resistance to apple scab and showing moderate resistance to fireblight and powdery mildew, Gold Rush reduces the need for sprays, making it ideal for organic or low-input growing systems.

• Excellent for Multi-Use Orchards
  This is a multi-functional apple that excels in fresh eating, baking, cider, and drying. It’s a key variety for permaculture orchards, offering high nutrition, extended availability, and resilience to common diseases.

• Strong Candidate for Food Forests & Fruit Tree Guilds
  Gold Rush pairs well with diverse guilds thanks to its disease resistance and late-season ripening. Companion plant it with nitrogen fixers, flowering understory herbs, and dynamic accumulators like comfrey for optimal production.

Product Details

• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Medium, well-drained
• Bloom Time: Mid-season
• Bloom Color: White
• Fruit Qualities: Firm, crisp, dense; sweet-tart with spicy undertones
• Fruit Uses: Fresh eating, baking, drying, cider
• Fruit Ripening Month: Late October to early November
• Required Chill Hours: ~800–1000
• Pollination Requirements: Requires a compatible mid-season pollinator

• • Compatible pollinators include:

• Apple, Enterprise
• Apple, Liberty
• Apple, Fuji
• Apple, Crimson Crisp
• Apple, Honeycrisp
• Apple, Gala
• Apple, Arkansas Black

• USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8

Gold Rush is a superb late-season apple for growers who want a no-nonsense, flavor-packed fruit that gets better with time. Disease resistance, long storage life, and intense flavor make this a must-have for regenerative orchards and backyard growers alike.