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Orange Pippin Trees USA logoSpecialist fruit trees for your orchard or back-yard

Black Oxford apple tree

Black Oxford
Black Oxford is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 4

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 apple trees for sale

  • 1Dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
    Dwarf rootstock
    Out of stock
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  • 2Semi-dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    Semi-dwarf rootstock
    Out of stock
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How to grow

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.

History

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.

Black Oxford characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Pollination group4
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Picking seasonLate
  • UsesEating freshCulinaryJuice
  • Keeping (of fruit)3 months or more
  • General resistanceGood
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 3 (-40C)
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)Cold (< 20C / 67F)
  • Country of originUnited States
  • Period of origin1750 - 1799
  • Fruit colorCrimson