Golden Russet

Golden Russet is one of three russet varieties reported as growing in the islands by 1891 (the other two are Canada Reinette and English Russet), and is the most common Russet in ancient orchards in the islands. Nearly very russet sample from a heritage tree that we have had identified by genetic fingerprinting has matched the variety of Golden Russet that WSU's fruit lab identifies as GR1 (Golden Russet of Western New York).  On Lopez this variety is also known as Brown Russet, in part because it can be found in the orchard planted by Mary and Charles Brown near Hummel Lake. We have found it growing in orchards on Lopez and Orcas, including the orchard at Camp Moran and at the Land Bank's Watmough Head Preserve (and scions are available through our annual scion exchange and grafting workshops on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan),

This variety originated in New York and is thought to be a seedling of one of the English russet apple varieties. It is late ripening and long keeping. Still considered an excellent cider apple, Golden Russet is also a high quality dessert and cooking apple (recommended in the 1906 Apples of New York as "particularly desirable for home use during the spring months before small fruits ripen, being then excellent for dessert and culinary uses); it also dried well and makes lovely cider syrup (boiled cider). The juice is slow to oxidize, remaining clear and golden. The flavor is typical of russets: sweet, tart, and nutty. Overall this is an extraordinary apple, and well adapted to the islands' climate.

You can view watercolors of Golden Russet in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection.