Wealthy (apple) facts for kids
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The Wealthy is a special kind of apple that was first grown in America. It was the very first apple that could grow well in the cold weather of Minnesota. A plant expert named Peter Gideon created this apple in 1868. He spent many years trying out different apple types before he found the right one.
Before 1868, only crab apples could grow reliably in Minnesota. Native American groups in the area grew other foods, but not apples. Early settlers from other parts of the country tried to plant apples from their old homes. But their apple trees often died because of Minnesota's very cold winters.
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Peter Gideon's Apple Journey
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In 1853, Peter Gideon moved to Minnesota for his health. He started a farm with his family near Excelsior, by Lake Minnetonka. Peter had learned how to grow fruit when he was a child. When he arrived, he planted many apple seeds he brought from Illinois.
For many years, Peter Gideon tried growing different fruits and apples. He planted thousands of trees. But most of them died quickly, and very few ever grew apples.
Finding the Right Apple
By 1861, Peter and his family had only one apple tree left. It was a Siberian crab apple tree. They also had only eight dollars left. Peter was determined to find an apple that could grow in Minnesota.
He used their last money to buy apple seeds and small branches (called scions) from a grower in Bangor, Maine. Only one of the trees that grew from these new seeds survived. This tree was a mix of the new seeds and Peter's Siberian crab apple. It produced the special apple that Peter later named the Wealthy. He named it after his wife, Wealthy (Hull) Gideon.
The Wealthy Apple Spreads
Peter Gideon was a member of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. He loved to share what he knew and his apple trees with others. He gave young apple trees to anyone who asked for them. Soon, Wealthy apples were growing all over Minnesota. They also grew in other states, especially those with similar cold climates.
By the early 1900s, the Wealthy apple was one of the top five apples grown in the whole country. Even though his apple became very popular, Peter Gideon never made money from it.
A Parent Apple
The Wealthy apple also became the "parent" of other successful apples from Minnesota. For example, the Haralson apple was created from the Wealthy apple. It was developed in 1922 at the University of Minnesota's Fruit Breeding Farm.
See also
In Spanish: Wealthy (manzana) para niños
