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Cox Queen apple trees

Queen Cox apples
Cox Queen is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 3

Queen Cox is a variant of the original Cox's Orange Pippin, and is perhaps the best of all the many forms of Cox's Orange Pippin.

The most noticeable difference is a slightly deeper skin colouring, but the fruit-size can also be slightly larger and the texture may be slightly crisper ... although these are nuances and may vary from year to year.

In any case there is no doubt that Queen Cox has all the aromatic qualities associated with Cox's Orange Pippin, and in flavor terms is by any standards a remarkably good apple.

Cox Queen apple trees for sale

  • Semi-standard 1-year bare-root tree $37.95
    Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
    Semi-vigorous rootstock
    Out of stock
    Sorry we have sold out for this season

How to grow

Queen Cox is a reliably self-fertile form of Cox's Orange Pippin.

Queen Cox is a poor pollinator of other apple varieties, partly because many are related to Cox, and partly because its self-fertility seems to reduce the viability of the pollen for cross-pollination.

In other respects growing Queen Cox means dealing with the same challenges as the original. Disease-resistance is only average, and it does best in areas with cool summer temperatures.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Queen Cox was raised from a self-fertile form of the original Cox's Orange Pippin at the Long Ashton research station near Bristol, England in the 1970s. It is possible the scion material for this development was propagated from a naturally-occurring bud-sport of Cox's Orange Pippin found in an orchard in the county of Berkshire in the 1950s, although the Berkshire form is not self-fertile. The Long Ashton Queen Cox was originally known as SF18.

Cox Queen characteristics

  • Gardening skillExperienced
  • Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
  • Pollination group3
  • Pollinating othersPoor
  • Picking seasonMid
  • UsesEating freshCulinaryJuice
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • General resistancePoor
  • CankerSome susceptibility
  • ScabSome susceptibility
  • Cedar apple rustSome susceptibility
  • MildewSome susceptibility
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Fruit colorOrange / Red

Similar varieties

  • See also Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox is widely considered to have the best flavor of any dessert apple variety.
  • See also Karmijn de Sonnaville
    Karmijn de Sonnaville
    A rare Cox-style apple from the Netherlands, with the potential for very good flavor.
  • See also Kidd's Orange Red
    Kidd's Orange Red
    Kidd's Orange Red is one of the best Cox-style apples, aromatic, sweet, and easy to grow.
  • See also Rubinette
    Rubinette
    Considered by many to be the best-tasting apple ever, Rubinette has a perfect sweet / sharp flavour.