Late-winter variety. Selected in the USA from seedlings of the 'Ezop Spitzenburg' variety. One of the most popular and widely cultivated varieties in all industrial horticultural zones. Its presence in recent plantings is limited. It is recommended for use in the North Caucasus region by the State Register of Varieties.
Medium-sized tree with a broadly rounded, moderately dense crown formed by skeletal branches that branch off the trunk at obtuse angles. With age, branches droop under the weight of fruit. Bears fruit primarily on spurs, short shoots, and fruiting stems.
Shoots are greenish-brown, slightly curved, thin to medium-thick, densely hairy. Leaves are small to medium-sized, elongated-oval, slightly wrinkled, matte, with slightly raised, slightly wavy, finely toothed margins, green with dense hairs creating a bluish-silver sheen, a characteristic feature of Jonathan.
Fruits (see photo) are medium to above-medium size, slightly flattened round or round-conical in shape, smooth or slightly ribbed at the apex, surface smooth. Main color is greenish-yellow, with a covering of intense, blurred or striped dark red blush covering nearly the entire fruit surface. Skin spots are barely noticeable, and fruits may develop rust-like 'netting'. Peduncles are short to medium, thin. Calyx is medium width, deep, with rust. Receptacle is usually deep, medium width, with nearly vertical walls, slightly wrinkled. Calyx tube is closed. The fruiting stem is usually long, medium width, funnel-shaped. Seed chambers are closed.
Flesh is greenish-white, turning creamy upon ripening, sweet-tart, aromatic, very juicy, firm, with excellent dessert flavor. In southern Russia, fruits accumulate 13.7% dry matter, 10.6-11.3% sugars, titratable acids — 0.65%, ascorbic acid — 6 mg/100 g, P-active substances — 100 mg/100g.
Harvested in mid-September, stored until April. During storage, fruits develop bitter 'Jonathan' spots and begin to wilt.
Early-bearing variety — begins fruiting on medium-sized rootstocks from the 5th year. High yield — individual trees at the 'Sady-Gigant' collective farm produced up to 490 kg per tree. Productivity decreases on poorly fertile soils and under water stress, with fruits becoming smaller.
Not sufficiently winter-hardy — perennial wood freezes.
Trees are relatively resistant to scab, but severely damaged by powdery mildew.
Advantages of the variety: early fruiting and high yield, excellent fruit flavor.
Disadvantages of the variety: strong susceptibility to powdery mildew, fruit spotting during storage, low winter hardiness.
Jonathan has been widely used as a parent variety by domestic and foreign breeders. Around 40 new varieties have been created (more than half abroad), including 'Pamyat Sergeeva' (Anis Kubansky x Jonathan) from the SKZNIISiV and 'Aidorad' (Jonathan x Wagner) from the USA. With Jonathan's participation, immune-to-scab varieties such as 'McFry' (M. floribunda 821, Jonathan, McIntosh, Royal Beauty) from the Ottawa Experimental Station (Canada) and 'Prime' (M. floribunda 821, Jonathan, Golden Delicious) from the Angers Experimental Station (France) have been developed.
