Black Oxford is a handsome traditional apple from Maine. The deep crimson skin usually has an attractive bloom, which is thought to contribute to its generally good disease resistance.
As with many old heirloom varieties, Black Oxford is a versatile apple - good for winter eating, useful for cooking, and the juice has a good flavor.
Black Oxford has excellent winter hardiness and good disease-resistance. The main issue is a tendency to over-crop, leading to biennial bearing. This can be managed by aggressive thinning of the fruitlets in the "on" year.
If grown on seedling rootstock Black Oxford can also be very long-lived.
Advice on fruit tree pollination.
Although the name suggests it must be an old English variety, Black Oxford is believed to originate from Oxford County in Maine, around the end of the 18th century.