Wealthy is one of those American apples with a great story. After spending thousands of dollars and nearly 10 years trying to grow apples in Minnesota, Peter Gideon and his family were down to their last eight dollars. The only surviving tree was a Siberian Crab Apple, but Gideon, determined to find an apple that could thrive in Minnesota, sent his remaining money to an apple grower in Bangor, Maine. In return, he received apple seeds and scions.

One of the resulting trees, which Gideon initially thought was a cross with his Siberian crab apple, produced an apple he later named the Wealthy, after his wife, Wealthy (Hull) Gideon. Recent genetic analysis, however, revealed that it’s actually a cross between ‘Duchess of Oldenburg’ and ‘Jonathan’, which makes sense given its resemblance to Duchess.

Best Use

• Wealthy apples are best used for processing, though Elizabeth made a delicious pie that everyone loved (see photo). It’s also fantastic for apple sauce and apple butter, which have an excellent flavor.

• While it may not be listed often online for pies, its versatility in cooking and preserving makes it a staple in many orchards.

Hardiness & Storage

• Hardy to -50F, likely due to its Duchess of Oldenburg parentage.

• It stores well, bears reliably, and produces smaller apples. However, Fred Stewart of Green Bench Orchards managed to grow them exceptionally large in 2024, showing their potential with the right care.

Rootstock & Tree Size

• These trees are grafted onto Dolgo rootstock, a full-size tree hardy to -60F.

• Dolgo rootstock trees can grow to 20-30 ft. at maturity.