Thanks, I am trying that.

A player who has only apple trees told me that she still gets golden apples. Although my apple only orchards have yet to produce a golden apple while my mixed-fruit orchards have produced two since this thread started, her experience suggests that hybridization isn't necessary to get the golden apples.

The first tree I planted in my game was an apple, and I left it all by itself. The first time it produced fruit, it gave me a golden apple. I did purchase the lucky rabbit's foot, so that was probably a factor in getting one the first time, but there still aren't any other trees around it.

I also believe it is random because I just got a golden apple from a stand alone tree. I had previously gotten a golden apple from a tree in my mixed orchard but none yet from the paired apple/orange/pear trees.

Now I've seen it personally: a golden apple from a standalone apple tree. I don't have the rabbit's foot.

Hmm... I guess it is random after all. I have a rabbit's foot but I never get the golden apples with my stand alone trees. It was fun to experiment though!

Okay, just got a golden apple from two apple trees planted side by side, touching as part of the experiment. I also have the lucky rabbit foot.

I know I'm late to the gardening party, but I just got my first golden apple. The first I've noticed anyway. It was from a standalone apple tree, but the fruit landed next to a random potato plant my current mayor planted when she was "helping" me garden as a child. The apple and potato were directly next to each other,no full squares in between.

I have the rabbit's foot, but I've had since the second or third day of playing. I'm on day ten or so now. So, to me, it seems random.

I got a golden apple from a trio of 3 trees. Apple Orange & Pear. I've saved the apple because I didn't know what to do with it other than sell it. What are the other possible uses for the golden apple?

The only use for golden apple is to sell it a previous thread mentioned that the townies won't eat it