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Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Ellison's Orange

Ellison's Orange apples
Ellison's Orange has received the RHS Award of Garden MeritEllison's Orange is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

Ellison's Orange is a superb traditional English dessert apple, closely related to Cox's Orange Pippin, but with a notably juicier flesh. It has the attractive orange flush so typical of English apples.

Ellison's Orange is known for its background aniseed note which enhances the aromatic complexity so typical of a Cox-style apple. In a good year the flavour of Ellison's Orange makes it one of a very small number of varieties which could truely be put on a par with Cox's Orange Pippin.

Ellison's 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

Growing and Training

Ellison's Orange is a mid-season variety, and generally easy and reliable to grow. It makes a good alternative to the more temperamental Cox's Orange Pippin, and has better disease resistance.


Recommended pollinators for Ellison's Orange apple trees

Ellison's Orange is partially self-fertile, so you do not need another variety to pollinate it to produce fruit. However you will get a better crop if you plant any of the following pollinator varieties nearby. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.

  • Pollinator Braeburn
    Braeburn
    Braeburn is one of the best-flavoured supermarket apple varieties.
  • Pollinator Gala
    Gala
    Gala is popular supermarket apple - but better when home-grown, with a sweet pleasant flavour.
  • Pollinator Golden Gem
    Golden Gem
    A traditional crab-apple featuring a mass of white blossom in spring, followed by yellow crab apples.
  • Pollinator Golden Hornet
    Golden Hornet
    Malus Golden Hornet is a traditional white blossom crab apple, with persistent yellow fruits.
  • Pollinator Harry Baker
    Harry Baker
    Malus Harry Baker is a popular crab-apple with deep pink flowers and dark red fruits which are very good for crab-apple jelly.
  • Pollinator John Downie
    John Downie
    John Downie is a traditional crab apple for making crab apple jelly. White blossom and orange-red fruits.
  • Pollinator King of the Pippins
    King of the Pippins
    A popular and versatile dual-purpose apple, widely grown in the Victorian era.
  • Pollinator Newton Wonder
    Newton Wonder
    A traditional English cooking apple, a good alternative to Bramley.

History

Raised by the Reverend Ellison in Lincolnshire, England, c1905. Believed to be a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and an old French apple variety.


Ellison's Orange characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Self-fertile?Partially self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonMid
  • Picking periodmid-September
  • Keeping1 week
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1850 - 1899
  • Fruit colourOrange flush

You might also like these varieties

  • See also Christmas Pippin
    Christmas Pippin
    Christmas Pippin is a new high-yielding Cox-style apple, discovered as a chance seedling tree.
  • See also Fiesta
    Fiesta
    Fiesta (or Red Pippin) is one of the best Cox-style apples, easy to grow, with a good aromatic flavour.
  • See also Kidd's Orange Red
    Kidd's Orange Red
    Kidd's Orange Red is one of the best Cox-style apples, aromatic, sweet, and easy to grow.
  • See also Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff
    Red Falstaff is one of the best garden apple trees, heavy crops, easy to grow, and very juicy.

More about apple trees

Apples are very versatile, and all varieties can be eaten or used in the kitchen. However varieties specifically grown as eating apples tend to have the best flavours for eating raw.

The main thing to decide when choosing an eating apple is when you intend to eat the apples. Early season apples are typically ready in August, and generally don't keep very long. Mid-season apples are ripe in early September, while late-season apples start to become ripe in late September and October. Many of the late-season varieties can also be stored in a fridge or cold shed for several months into the winter.

Some apple varieties are self-fertile, but most are not. However in most areas of the UK you do not need to worry whether your apple trees are self-fertile or not, as there will be other apple trees in nearby gardens to help with pollination.


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