GoldRush is field immune to scab, highly resistant to powdery mildew, and moderately resistant to fireblight. It is, however, susceptible to cedar-apple rust. The tree will survive temperatures down to -22 degrees. It shouldn't be grown north of zone 5 as the season will be too short for ripening. It is very productive and will need thinning to maintain annual bearing and to prevent tree damage caused by overcropping. GoldRush's disease resistance and easy growing habits make it an excellent choice for organic growers and home gardens. Ed Fackler, a fruit consultant from Indiana says: "It's one of the easiest things to grow in my life. The tree sets a heavy crop but is easy to thin to achieve good-sized fruit."

The fruit ripens late October through mid November in upstate NY, but extremely high sugar levels help protect it from freezing. The apple is conic-round, medium large, and a greenish yellow blushed bronze. The coloring tends to deepen in storage. Flesh is hard, very crisp, and breaking, with an intense and memorable spiced flavor. Both sugar and acid levels are high (soluble solids seldom below 17%), with the balance slightly favoring tartness at harvest, then mellowing in storage. The complex flavor profile makes it extremely valuable in cider production, and some producers are even making a single-variety cider from this apple. Its storage potential is almost without parallel, in excess of six months, and it maintains good texture in a household refrigerator as late as July or August. This tree is also recommended for wildlife planting.

Also known as Co-op 38 (PRI 2750-6), GoldRush was developed by Purdue, Rutgers and Illinois universities in the 1970s and released in 1994; it is probably the best apple to come out of this breeding program. Its parentage includes Golden Delicious, Winesap, Rome Beauty, Melrose, and Malus floribunda (for scab resistance).