Cox's Orange Pippin apple trees
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- Picking season: Mid Later mid-season
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
- Flowering group: 3
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.
Cox's Orange Pippin apple trees for sale
Pot-grown
All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.
PG12-year bush-trained 11.5L pot-grown tree M27 rootstock £60.50
Very small tree
(< 1.7m after 10 years)
PG2Premium cordon 12L pot-grown tree M9 rootstock £60.50
Small tree
(1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
PG32-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree M26 rootstock £56.50
Medium tree
(2m-3m after 10 years)
PG42-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree MM106 rootstock £56.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
PG5Premium half-standard 12L pot-grown tree MM106 rootstock £61.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Bare-root
BR11-year bare-root tree M9 rootstock £38.25
Small tree
(1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
BR2Cordon-trained bare-root tree M9 rootstock £46.25
Small tree
(1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
BR32-year bush-trained bare-root tree M9 rootstock £44.75
Small tree
(1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
BR41-year bare-root tree M26 rootstock £35.75
Medium tree
(2m-3m after 10 years)
BR52-year bush-trained bare-root tree M26 rootstock £43.00
Medium tree
(2m-3m after 10 years)
BR61-year bare-root tree MM106 rootstock £34.95
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
BR72-year bush-trained bare-root tree MM106 rootstock £43.00
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
BR82-year half-standard bare-root tree MM106 rootstock £46.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
BR91-year bare-root tree M25 rootstock £35.75
Very large tree
(4m-7m after 10 years)
BR102-year (1.75m) bare-root tree M25 rootstock £46.95
Very large tree
(4m-7m after 10 years)
(Not self fertile)
Out of stock
Please try next season
Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts
Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.
Next deliveries
Order now for delivery from week commencing 25th November for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.
Delivery charges
Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.
Growing and Training
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.
History
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.
Cox's Orange Pippin characteristics
- Gardening skillExperienced
- Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
- Flowering group3
- Pollinating othersAverage
- Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
- Climate suitabilityTemperate climates
- Picking seasonMid
- CroppingGood
- Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
- Food usesEating freshCulinaryJuice
- Disease resistancePoor
- CankerVery susceptible
- Scab (Apple and Pear)Very susceptible
- Powdery mildewSome susceptibility
- Fire blightSome susceptibility
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1800 - 1849
- Blossom colourWhite
- Fruit colourOrange flush
- Flesh colourWhite
British-grown trees 
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.
Find out more
Guaranteed fruit trees
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.
