Family
Rosaceae
Botanical Name
Malus domestica 'Dorsett Golden'
Plant Common Name
Apple, Dorsett Golden Apple, Yellow Cooking Apple, Yellow Dessert Apple
General Description
Discovered in the Bahamas, ‘Dorsett Golden’ is among the few apples that will yield dependable crops of good-quality fruit in warm climates. All apples require chilling during the dormant season in order to bloom strongly in spring, and most need several hundred hours of temperatures below 7 degees C (45 degrees F) to bloom and bear well. But ‘Dorsett Golden’ produces apples after winters with as few as 50 hours of such temperatures. In some climates, this means flowering can start in late winter, when frost can damage the flowers. However, ‘Dorsett Golden’ has a long period of bloom, so the later flowers often escape damage and the tree bears fruit. The fruits are medium-sized and yellow with a red blush, resembling the much more widely grown ‘Golden Delicious,’ and are crisp and juicy, with good flavor
Like most domestic apples, ‘Dorsett Golden’ grows and fruits best in full sun in average, well-drained soil. It is a vigorous, upright tree, suitable as an ornamental for its bloom in a large yard. For a small yard, it should be grafted to a rootstock that controls its size. If allowed to bear a heavy crop, it will have a lighter crop the following year. Remove about one-third of the young fruits while they are still the size of marbles. This allows the tree to bear well year after year.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 9
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Sunset Zone
H1, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Fruit
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
12'-15' / 3.7m - 4.6m
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Width
15'-15' / 4.6m - 4.6m
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Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
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Native To
Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Russia/Siberia, Southern Asia, Western Asia
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Clay, Loam
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Tolerances
Drought
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Oval/Rounded
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Fall
