Todd Little-Siebold

Stories

DNA analysis identifies ancient Maine tree as a lost ancestor of American apples

Active in heritage apple preservation

A hollow, blackened apple tree on Verona Island, Maine kept producing sweet yellow fruit through nearly two centuries of neglect. In 2023, DNA analysis identified it as a Drap d'Or de Bretagne, a variety first recorded in France in 1628 and previously unknown in North America. The tree is one of three genetic founders behind many of the continent's apple varieties.

Updated 2 hours ago