Is the Jonagold apple crisp? Learn about its characteristics, the origin of its name, and its hybrid parentage

Jonagold is a high-quality American apple developed in the 1940s. As the name suggests, it is a cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious. It is grown very widely, and for a Golden Delicious cross it is not limited to warm apple regions, although it is not common in the UK.

Jonagold is a large apple, a substantial snack. If you are trying to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, this can help! The large size is a good clue that this is a triploid apple variety, with 3 sets of genes. As a result, it is a poor pollinator for other apple varieties and needs two different nearby compatible pollinating apple varieties. Golden Delicious is a well-known pollinator of other apple varieties, but it cannot pollinate Jonagold.

The colouring is Golden Delicious yellow with a large red flush. This is a crisp apple with sparkling white flesh. The flavour is very sweet but with plenty of balancing acidity - a very enjoyable apple.

Jonagold's other parent, Jonathan, is an old American variety discovered in the 1820s.

In the UK, Jonagold sometimes appears in supermarkets in spring, packaged as a “value” apple, usually from the Netherlands, and very inexpensive. We are trying to find out more about these apples, but it seems they are mainly “second” grade apples whose storage life is nearing its end and which are in surplus for other uses.

It is most popular in Belgium, and according to the US Apple Association website, it is one of the fifteen most popular apple varieties in the United States.