Blenheim Orange
Malus domestica Blenheim Orange is a popular large English heritage apple variety, widely grown in gardens. It has the characteristic orange flush which is often associated with English apples. Although it can be eaten fresh, it is best considered a culinary apple, and it cooks to a stiff puree.
Blenheim Orange makes a good feature tree in a larger garden.
Blenheim Orange apple trees for sale
RF11-year bare-root
tree
on MM106 rootstock£34.95
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Can be trained on as a large free-standing apple tree, a half-standard apple tree, a large apple fan or espalier, or a pleached apple tree.
Available next season
RF22-year bare-root
tree
on MM106 rootstock£43.00
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Suitable for a large bush-trained free-standing apple tree.
Available next season
RF32-year half-standard bare-root
tree
on MM106 rootstock£46.50
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Suitable for a free-standing half-standard apple tree.
Available next season
RF41-year bare-root
tree
on M25 rootstock£35.75
Mature height: 5m-7m after 10 years
Can be trained on to produce a big 'standard' free-standing apple tree in a traditional apple orchard.
Available next season
Growing and Training
Blenheim Orange produces a large vigorous tree, with unusually dense wood.
It is a triploid variety so will not pollinate other apple trees, but is readily pollinated by many other apple varieties.
This is slow-growing long-lived variety which takes a while to get into its stride. Victorian author Hogg, writing at the end of the 19th century noted that Blenheim Orange "... when it becomes a little aged, it bears regular and abundant crops".
Recommended pollinators for Blenheim Orange apple trees
Blenheim Orange is not self-fertile and is also a poor pollinator of other varieties. Ideally you need two other different but compatible varieties planted nearby in order to produce fruit, or one compatible self-fertile variety.
The following varieties are good pollinators for Blenheim Orange.
If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.
EveresteEvereste is one of the most well-known crab-apples, featuring white blossom and red-yellow fruits.
FiestaFiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
GorgeousMalus Gorgeous has pink/white blossom and spherical cherry-like red fruits which are good for jelly.
GreensleevesGreensleeves is a reliable and popular mid-season green/yellow apple, easy to grow and productive.
James GrieveJames Grieve is the classic Scottish dual-purpose apple. It can be eaten fresh, and is also excellent for juicing and cooking.
KatyKaty is an attractive and versatile early apple variety from Sweden, very easy to grow.
Red DevilRed Devil is a good apple variety for the UK garden, and produces a sweet red-tinted juice.
Red FalstaffRed Falstaff is one of the best garden apple trees, heavy crops, easy to grow, and very juicy.
History
Blenheim Orange is believed to date back to early 18th century. It was discovered at Woodstock in Oxfordshire, and named after the nearby Blenheim Palace. The parentage is unknown.
Blenheim Orange characteristics
- Gardening skillExperienced
- Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
- Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
- Pollinating othersPoor
- Pick seasonLate
- Picking periodearly October
- Keeping1-2 months
- Food usesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1700 - 1749
- Fruit colourOrange flush
You might also like these varieties
Arthur TurnerA mid-season cooking apple, producing a light yellow puree. Very attractive blossom.
Bramley's SeedlingBramley is the essential English cooking apple, famous for its rich sharp acidity.
Howgate WonderHowgate Wonder is a large cooking apple which keeps well. Produces an excellent sharp juice.
Lord DerbyLord Derby is a high-quality mid/late-season traditional English cooking apple, cooks to a chunky puree.
More about apple trees
We've all grown up with Bramley cookng apples so we take it for granted that cooking apples are different to eating apples, but, surprisingly, the UK is one of the few countries that makes such a distinction between apples for cooking and apples for eating fresh.
The main qualtities of a good "cooker" are size - the bigger the better - and acidity. Counter-intuitively, it is the acid which gives cooking apples their flavour. In contrast the flavour of sweet dessert apples collapses with cooking.
Cooking apples are usually easier to grow than eating apples, and will tolerate partial shade.
