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

Calville Blanc apple tree

Calville Blanc
Calville Blanc is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 4
One of the world's great cooking apples, Calville Blanc is a French variety with a spicy tangy flavor.
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Calville Blanc apple trees for sale

  • 1Small 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
    G.41 rootstock
  • 2Medium 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    G.969 rootstock
    Out of stock
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  • 3Large 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
    Semi-vigorous rootstock
    Out of stock
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Our inventory is up to date, you can pre-order now for the spring 2024 planting season.


Calville Blanc is one of the world's great cooking apples, noted for its distinctive sharp spicy flavor.

It is an ancient French variety, which crossed the Atlantic early in the history of the New World and soon gained a following amongst discerning North American apple enthusiasts. It is not the best looking apple, but you grow this one for the kitchen not for the fruit bowl - it is a cooking apple of the highest quality.

Calville Blanc keeps its shape when cooked. If sliced thinly it can be used for the classic French "tarte aux pommes" - as found in the window of any French patisserie shop. If cut into small pieces it cooks down into a thick textured puree with a superb rich aromatic flavor. It does not keep long, and is best used within a month or so of picking.

Like many good culinary apples, Calville Blanc produces a good juice with a sharp but balanced flavor. Calville Blanc is noted for its high vitamin C content.

How to grow

Calville Blanc can be grown successfully in most of the apple-growing regions of the USA. It bears fruit from an early age. In cooler regions it should be planted in a sunny location.

When grown in Europe Calville Blanc is considered a tree of slightly weak vigor but many growers in the USA find it relatively more vigorous - however in either case cropping is generally good though not spectacular.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Thought to have originated from Normandie in France in the early 1600s, but rapidly gained a following in England and North America.

Also known as Calville Blanc d'Hiver - translation means "the white winter apple".

Calville Blanc characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Pollination group4
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • PloidyDiploid
  • Bearing regularityRegular
  • Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
  • WildlifeRHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking seasonLate
  • UsesCulinaryJuiceHard ciderTraditional cooker
  • CroppingGood
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • Flavor style (apples)Aromatic
  • Cooking resultKeeps shape
  • General resistanceAverage
  • Cedar apple rustSome susceptibility
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)(4) -30F / -34C
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originFrance
  • Period of origin1550 - 1599
  • Fruit colorGreenGreen - light