Often regarded as the finest of all apples, Cox's Orange Pippin sets the benchmark for flavour to which all others aspire. The aromatic complexity and depth of flavours are remarkable. In our personal experience pear, melon, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and mango are all readily evident in a good example.
Cox's Orange Pippin is a mid/late season variety, at its best if picked when fully ripe, or picked slightly under-ripe and left in storage for a month or so - it is not a long-keeper though.
Although primarily considered a variety for eating fresh, Cox is an excellent apple for juice / cider blends as well. It is also a versatile culinary apple, with an inherently sweet flavour when baked, and is a common ingredient in English apple preserves, chutneys, and mincemeat.
All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.
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Order now for delivery from week commencing 7th October for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.
Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.
Cox's Orange Pippin generally performs better in the drier parts of the UK - the South-east, East Midlands, East Yorkshire and as far north as Edinburgh. It has a reputation for being a bit fussy to grow, but in practice if you are in an area with low rainfall and reasonable sunshine hours you should be successful.
A specific issue with Cox is "Cox spot", a rust-like physiological disorder inherent to this variety, which can be mild or non-existent in some seasons and quite severe (causing early leaf fall) in others. The cause is unknown and there is no treatment, but fortunately although it is unsightly it does not seem to affect the fruit.
Growers in wetter areas might want to consider Fiesta or Sunset, which are closely related and have similar flavour but tolerate higher rainfall much better.
Cox's Orange Pippin is somewhat unusual because it is available in both self-fertile and self-sterile forms - most of ours are the self-fertile form. In general we recommend that you try to have a nearby pollination partner as this will improve cropping.
Cox's Orange Pippin was raised by Richard Cox, in Buckinghamshire, England, in the early 19th century.
Until very recently it was almost universally believed that Cox was a seedling of Ribston Pippin, although some observers noted the similarity with another old variety, Margil. In 2022 Reading University published DNA evidence confirming that the parentage of Cox's Orange Pippin was Margil x Rosemary Russet. Margil was also found to be the parent of Ribston Pippin.
Over time it became apparent that some Cox trees had a good degree of self-fertility but it was not until the 1970s that a standardised self-fertile form was established by the Long Ashton research station near Bristol. This is now the recommended form for gardeners.
Almost since it was first discovered, Cox's Orange Pippin has featured in the development of new apple varieties, as breeders sought to marry its excellent aromatic flavours with other varieties which might be heavier cropping or have more versatile climate characteristics.
Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.
In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance.
Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards
for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK.
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When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.
This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2024.