Apple Ellison’s Orange

An old, mid-season dessert apple from the early 20th century, Malus domestica Ellison's Orange was bred from Cox’s Orange Pippin and an old French variety. The fruit is medium-sized, with yellowish-green skin with a pretty, orange flush. The flesh is creamy-white, quite soft, juicer than a Cox, and has a rich, complex, aromatic flavour, sometimes with just a hint of aniseed; if you don’t care for aniseed, it is best eaten fresh, as the aniseed flavour can grow stronger the longer it is kept. The tree is a partial tip-bearer, reliable, and a good cropper. Particularly resistant to scab and late frost damage, it’s far easier to grow than a Cox. Though partially self-fertile, it crops better if planted near an apple of the same or adjacent pollination group. Apple Ellison’s Orange holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Site: Sheltered, sunny site
Soil: Fertile, well-drained, loamy soil, preferably slightly acid to neutral
Position: Full sun; tolerates partial shade
Pick: Late September
Keep: Until late October
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination Group 4
Uses: Eating