Regarded as the finest of English apples with an intense aromatic flavour rarely matched by any other.
Origin: Buckinghamshire UK,
1825
Pollination: Cox's Orange Pippin is self-sterile and would require a pollinator to produce a crop.
Pollination partners
British-grown
All our bare-root trees are personally hand-grafted by our Nursery Manager and grown on at our nursery in Kent. We have Defra and Plant Healthy certification.
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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