Wilton's® Red Jonaprince Apple Tree

Wilton’s® Red Jonaprince is what happens when Jonagold gets better — a natural mutation discovered in the Netherlands in 1994 that takes the beloved Jonathan × Golden Delicious flavor profile and improves on it in three meaningful ways: it ripens nearly a month earlier, it has a firmer texture, and it has higher sugar content than its parent. Large, deep red fruit with crisp, juicy flesh and a rich, aromatic sweet-tart flavor that’s exceptional for fresh eating and baking alike. Unlike most early-ripening apples that must be eaten immediately, Red Jonaprince stores remarkably well and often improves in flavor with a short time in storage. Cold hardy in Zones 4–8.

Jonagold Flavor — Earlier, Firmer, and Sweeter

Red Jonaprince’s improvement over Jonagold is meaningful across all three dimensions. The early September ripening arrives nearly a month ahead of standard Jonagold — bringing the same beloved sweet-tart aromatic character to the harvest season significantly earlier. The firmer texture makes it more satisfying to bite into and better suited to baking applications where structure matters. And the higher sugar content produces a richer, rounder flavor that surpasses the already well-regarded Jonagold profile.

Brilliant Deep Red Color — Stores Better Than Expected

Red Jonaprince’s brilliant deep red coloring is visually striking — fully colored and beautiful at harvest in early September. The exceptional shipping and storage quality for an early apple is a practical advantage that separates it from most September varieties. Where early apples typically have limited storage windows, Red Jonaprince holds its quality and often deepens in flavor with a short period in cool storage — making it a genuinely versatile early-season apple.

Discovered in the Netherlands — 1994

Red Jonaprince was discovered as a natural bud mutation of Jonagold in the Netherlands in 1994 — a naturally occurring improvement that happened to combine earlier ripening, better color, firmer texture, and higher sugar content in a single sport. That natural origin reflects the kind of exceptional genetic variation that produces the most reliably distinctive apple varieties.

Why Growers Choose Wilton’s® Red Jonaprince

• Nearly a month earlier than Jonagold — same great flavor, much sooner
• Higher sugar content — richer, sweeter profile than the parent variety
• Firmer texture — better for fresh eating and baking
• Brilliant deep red coloring — fully colored and beautiful at harvest
• Stores and ships better than most early apples — flavor improves in short storage
• Natural mutation, Netherlands 1994 — a genuinely exceptional discovery

Here’s where you can find our complete list of Jonathan Apple Trees to choose from.