Cox's Orange Pippin

Try these similar varieties

• 
  Jupiter
• 
  Kidd's Orange Red
• 
  Red Windsor
• 
  Rubinette
• 
  Sunset
• 
  Laxton's Superb
• 
  Tydeman's Late Orange

History and description of Cox's Orange Pippin

Cox's Orange Pippin was raised by a retired brewer called Richard Cox at Colnbrook Lawn, Slough, Buckinghamshire, UK c 1825. Believed to have been a Ribston Pippin seedling. Introduced by Smales & Son, Colnbrook c 1850. Was first grown commercially c 1862 by Thomas Rivers in Hertfordshire. More extensive planting around London and in Kent followed until disease problems led to its decline in the early 1900's. Commercial planting was revived after the introduction of lime sulphur sprays in 1920's. It has since become the most widely grown dessert variety in the UK. It is also grown in NewZealand and continental Europe. Received an Award of Merit and a First Class Certificate from the RHS in 1962.

Medium sized, round conical fruit. Greenish yellow skin ripening golden yellow covered with orange-red flush and broken stripes. Some small russet patches. Firm, juicy, cream flesh. Sweet but with plenty of balancing acidity. Intensely aromatic, complex flavour. Regarded as the finest of English dessert apples. Flavour improves with storage but loses its crispness if stored for too long.

Moderately vigorous tree. Rather susceptible disease. Unsuitable for colder and more humid regions, or for organic cultivation. A very difficult variety to grow. Less experienced gardeners would be well advised to substitute Cox with alternative varieties such as Sunset or Ellison's Orange which are much easier to grow.

Characteristics of Cox's Orange Pippin apple trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Flushed
Flavour	Aromatic
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time	Late Sep/Early Oct
Season of use	Oct-Dec
Tree vigour	Moderate
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Good
Suitable for	Late Frost
Special features	Good for Cider
Pollination date	11
Pollination group	C
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Parentage	Ribston Pippin
Progeny	Acme Acme Laxton's Advance Alkmene Allington Pippin Arthur W Barnes Barnack Orange Barnack Orange Bountiful Captain Kidd Carswell's Honeydew Carswell's Orange Carswell's Orange Charles Ross Charles Ross Nuvar™ Cheerfull Gold™ Clopton Red Cobra Downton Pippin Edith Hopwood Ellison's Orange Exquisite Laxton's Favourite Fiesta Laxton's Fortune Francis Nuvar® Freckles Freyberg Gloucester Cross Golden Nugget Hereford Cross Herefordshire Russet High View Pippin Holstein Ingrid Marie James Grieve Jupiter Karmijn de Sonnaville Kent Kidd's Orange Red King George V Langley Pippin Laxton's Pearmain Laxton's Triumph Lynn's Pippin Merton Beauty Merton Charm Meridian Merton Russet Merton Worcester Millicent Barnes Orangenburg Pixie Polly Prosser Prins Bernhard Prince Charles Rival Rosy Blenheim Rubens Rubinette Ruby (Thorrington) St Cecilia St Everard Sunset Suntan Laxton's Superb Tydeman's Late Orange William Crump Winston
Sports	Flanders Cox Queen Cox Self-Fertile Cox