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Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Pixie

Pixie apples
Pixie has received the RHS Award of Garden MeritPixie is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

Pixie is an excellent garden apple for those who like traditional English apple flavours. It is a good substitute variety for Cox's Orange Pippin (its probable parent) but much easier to grow.

The flavour has some of the aromatic qualities of Cox's Orange Pippin but is more robust - a good choice if you prefer a slightly sharper apple.

Red Pixie is a sport of the original variety, identical in flavour and growth characteristics, but with a more pronounced red colouring.

Pixie apple trees for sale

  • 1-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

Growing and Training

Pixie is easy to grow and generally untroubled by diseases. The apples tend to be quite small and Pixie has a tendency to over-crop, so it is a good idea to thin the fruitlets in June.


Recommended pollinators for Pixie apple trees

Pixie is not self-fertile, so you will need another different but compatible variety planted nearby in order to produce fruit. The following varieties are good pollinators for Pixie. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.

  • Pollinator Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange
    Ellison's Orange is a well respected Cox-style apple which can achieve very good flavour.
  • 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 Newton Wonder
    Newton Wonder
    A traditional English cooking apple, a good alternative to Bramley.
  • Pollinator King of the Pippins
    King of the Pippins
    A popular and versatile dual-purpose apple, widely grown in the Victorian era.
  • Pollinator John Downie
    John Downie
    John Downie is a traditional crab apple for making crab apple jelly. White blossom and orange-red fruits.
  • Pollinator Peasgood's Nonsuch
    Peasgood's Nonsuch
    Peasgood Nonsuch is a highly-regarded old-fashioned English cooking apple.
  • Pollinator Golden Hornet
    Golden Hornet
    Malus Golden Hornet is a traditional white blossom crab apple, with persistent yellow fruits.

History

Pixie was developed at the National Fruit Trials at Wisley in Surrey, in 1947. It is thought to be a seedling of Cox's Orange Pippin.


Pixie characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonLate
  • Picking periodearly October
  • Keeping3 months or more
  • Food usesEating fresh
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colourOrange flush

You might also like these varieties

  • 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 Sunset
    Sunset
    Sunset is a popular garden alternative to Cox, easier to grow, with a sweet aromatic flavour.

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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