The apples that Johnny Appleseed brought to the frontier were very different from today's apples and they weren't meant to be eaten.
During Prohibition, apple trees that produced sour, bitter apples used for cider were often chopped down by FBI agents, effectively erasing cider, along with Chapman’s true history, from American life.
But not all of the apples that came from Chapman’s orchards were destined to be forgotten. We have Chapman to thank for varieties like the ‘Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious.’ His penchant toward propagation lent itself to creating a hardy American apple.
Had Chapman and the settlers opted for grafting, the uniformity of the apple product would have lent to a staid and relatively boring harvest. The last surviving tree he planted was saved and propagated by Jeff Meyer.
Today, it lives on as the Johnny Appleseed Authentic™ Algeo Apple Tree. Shepherded through nearly 200 years of American history by his family of rural Ohio farmers, the Johnny Appleseed Authentic™ Alego apple tree is available to homeowners. It’s a piece of America’s pioneering legacy.
CLICK HERE for info on ordering, but trees cannot be shipped to CA.