Description
The Jonathan apple tree is a heritage dessert variety known for its crisp, juicy, sweet-tart fruits with a bright red skin and fine-textured flesh. Appreciated for its complex flavour, it’s perfect for fresh eating or baking. Grafted on low-stem form, it is ideal for family orchards. A great choice for eating fresh, making pies or juice, and known for its excellent keeping quality.
Origin: USA (New York), around 1826 from a seedling of ‘Esopus Spitzenburg’
Botanical family: Rosaceae
Notable facts: Historic American variety widely grown since the 19th century
Height: 3 to 4 m (low-stem form)
Width: 3 to 4 m
Habit: Rounded, open canopy
Bark: Grey-brown, smooth to rough with age
Leaves: Deciduous, light green, veined
Growth: Medium
Hardiness: Excellent, down to -25 °C
Bloom time: Early to mid-April (mid-season)
Flowers: Pale pink to white, nectar-rich
Fruits: Medium-sized apples, bright red marbled with yellow, white-cream flesh, firm, juicy, crisp, with a sweet-tart balance and a hint of spice
Harvest: Late September to early October
Storage: Until December in a cellar, up to February in cold storage
Light: Full sun
Soil: Rich, deep, light to moderately clayey, well-drained
pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Preparation: Loosen soil to 50 cm, enrich with compost or orchard-grade potting mix. Improve drainage in heavy soils.
Method: Keep the graft above soil level, stake securely, mulch generously
Season: Plant from November to March, avoiding frost
At planting: Water deeply, then weekly the first year
Later: Moderate needs, water in dry spells
When and how: Shape as goblet or central leader in first 3 years. Winter prune to open canopy and remove dead wood
Rootstock: MM111 for low-stem balance
Best location: Orchard, fruit hedge, edible garden
Good companions: Heritage apples, mint, comfrey, yarrow
Uses: Excellent eating apple, great for pies, sauces, jellies, juice. Holds shape well during cooking.
Vulnerabilities: Moderately sensitive to scab, powdery mildew, fire blight
Natural prevention: Prune for airflow, apply horsetail decoctions or light copper-based sprays
Do: Full sun, enrich soil yearly, mulch in summer
Avoid: Shade, compact or waterlogged soil
‘Jonathan’ is not self-fertile. Requires cross-pollination.
Compatible pollinators: Gueule de Mouton, Reinette Evagil, Transparente de Lesdain, Radoux, La Paix, Reinette étoilée, Cwastresse Simple, Court-pendu rose, Belle Fleur Simple (de Brabant)
It pollinates the following varieties: Jacques Lebel, Reine des Reinettes, Reinette de Chênée, Belle Fleur Large mouche, Gueule de Mouton, Transparente de Lesdain, Cwastresse double, Cwastresse Simple, Radoux, La Paix, Reinette étoilée, Belle fleur double (de France), Belle Fleur Simple (de Brabant), Court-pendu rose
If you’re looking for a traditional apple variety with intense flavour, crisp texture, and excellent shelf life, the Jonathan apple tree is a trusted choice. Grown for nearly 200 years, it’s ideal for both fresh fruit lovers and bakers. Give it full sun, a good pollinator, and it will reward you with fragrant blossoms and steady crops for years to come.
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