Cox's Orange Pippin

[Salina]

Does anyone have a Cox's Orange Pippin apple tree?
I've seen a few pictures of them in books and they produce SO many apples and they are a lovely colour as well and are supposed to taste great. Just wondering how easy/affordable it would be to acquire one lol.

[Snadger]

I think Cox requires either one or two other species of apples around it to fertilise it!
I have a Sunset apple which is a Cox derivitive (ie looks the same and tastes similar) but the beauty of it is it is self fertile so I only need the one!

They will soon be appearing, in bare rooted form in places like Aldi,Lidl and Netto. I think I paid 3 quid for mine!

[serenity]

snager do you think the cheeper trees are any different from the ones avalable from the online retailers? i have some pipe dreams of training several trees over metal arches but would be far too pricey ay 15 quid a piece

[Janco]

Hi Salina,
I have a Cox's Orange Pippin and yes the apples are great BUT it is a difficult tree to look after and is prone to diseases and not happy with wet or windy sites. I have had my Cox for many years and only have a few apples that reach maturity every year. I also have a very young Sunset apple tree and that seems to be thriving and produces Cox like apples with far less bother. I believe Suntan is also like Cox but easier to grow. Hope this helps you to make a decision.

[Two_Sheds]

I have a lickle Lane's Prince Albert, which is dwarf (M27 rootstock?) shorter than me (espaliered, in a Heath Robinson kinda way) but produces a dozen delicious large apples (dessert or cooking) each October.
Not sure where to source it, I inherited mine.

[pigletwillie]

Salina, I have loads of them either as cordons or espaliers on my plots and have just put half a plot down as an orchard.

The only thing I can see wrong with them is the fact you dont generally know what the vigour of the rootstock is. Saying that, all have fruited this year and I am very happy with them.

I have a cox and it can give loads of fruit one year at the expense of the next making it almost a bi-annual fruiter. The apples though are the business.

[Salina]

Thanks for the info!
Maybe a sunset tree would be a good substitute? How old is it before it starts producing decent size apples? seeing as the Cox doesn't like wind and wet I don't think it'd be very happy in this country lol!

[Snadger]

Thanks for the info!
Maybe a sunset tree would be a good substitute? How old is it before it starts producing decent size apples? seeing as the Cox doesn't like wind and wet I don't think it'd be very happy in this country lol!

Have a look at my show entry for the virtual show! A bare rooted plant last year and about a dozen large juicy apples this year!
I shouldn't really have let it fruit this year according to the books, but apples don't read books and after seeing it's beautiful blossom I didn't have the heart to take the fruit off soon after!
As an added bonus the weight of the apples has pulled some of the branches down horizontal which is supposed to give bigger crops with more fruiting spurs! I'll just have to wait and see what happens next year!

[Janco]

My sunset apple tree was bought as a maiden whip last year and it had 9 apples on it this year and looked superb. It is the best of all my new apples trees bought last year (out of 12)

[Snadger]

My sunset apple tree was bought as a maiden whip last year and it had 9 apples on it this year and looked superb. It is the best of all my new apples trees bought last year (out of 12)

Someone else who goes a gainst the books then!

[Janco]

Someone else who goes a gainst the books then!

Yep Don't always get away with it though

[littlemark]

Thanks for the info!
Maybe a sunset tree would be a good substitute? How old is it before it starts producing decent size apples? seeing as the Cox doesn't like wind and wet I don't think it'd be very happy in this country lol!

You might like to have a look at this site: http://www.irishseedsavers.ie/content.php?page=10
They may be able to give you advice on what's local to you, and what would thrive in your micro-climate.

Mark

[Salina]

wow! that's very fast lol.
are they expensive to buy? there are apple trees for sale at one of my local garden centres for about €20 each (about £15?) but I never though to look to see what variety they were.....to be honest I kind of thought an apple tree was an apple tree until I started reading up on them lol.