Blenheim Orange apple tree

• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Pollination group: 3
• Awards: RHS AGM (current) 1993
• List of other varieties that will pollinate Blenheim Orange

Blenheim Orange is a classic English dual-purpose apple, useful for dessert and cooking with.

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Blenheim Orange apple trees for sale

• Small 1-year bare-root tree $35.95
  Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
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Blenheim Orange is a popular large English heritage apple variety, widely grown in gardens in the UK. It has the characteristic orange flush which is often associated with English apples. Although it can be eaten fresh, it is best considered a culinary apple, and it cooks to a stiff puree.

Blenheim Orange makes a good feature tree in a larger garden.

How to grow

Blenheim Orange produces a large vigorous tree, with unusually dense wood. It is a triploid variety so it needs two separate pollinating apple trees nearby.

This is slow-growing long-lived variety which takes a while to get into its stride. Victorian author Hogg, writing at the end of the 19th century noted that Blenheim Orange noted, "... when it becomes a little aged, it bears regular and abundant crops".

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Blenheim Orange is believed to date back to the early 18th century. It was discovered at Woodstock in Oxfordshire, and named after the nearby Blenheim Palace. The parentage is unknown.

Blenheim Orange characteristics

• Gardening skillExperienced
• Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
• Pollination group3
• Pollinating othersPoor
• PloidyTriploid
• Bearing regularityBiennial tendency
• Fruit bearingPartial tip-bearer
• WildlifeRHS Plants for Pollinators
• Picking seasonLate
• UsesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
• CroppingGood
• Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
• Flavor style (apples)Sharper
• Cooking resultPuree
• General resistanceAverage
• CankerVery resistant
• ScabSome resistance
• MildewSome resistance
• Cold hardiness (USDA)(5) -20F / -29C
• Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Cold (< 20C / 67F)
• Country of originUnited Kingdom
• Period of origin1700 - 1749
• Fruit colorOrange flush
• AwardsRHS AGM (current) 1993