Malus domestica ‘Ellison’s Orange’
€30.00
Frequently Bought Together
Description
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Ellison’s Orange Apple
- Botanical Name: Malus domestica ‘Ellison’s Orange’
- Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree
- Mature Height: 3–4m (as a standard tree; can be kept smaller with pruning or on dwarfing rootstock)
- Mature Spread: 2.5–3.5m
- Flowering Period: April to May
- Flower Colour: White to soft pink
- Fruit: Medium-sized, yellow-green apples flushed with orange-red; aromatic, juicy, sweet with a hint of anise; harvest September
- Foliage: Mid-green, turning yellow in autumn
- Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK & Ireland)
- Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, moderately fertile
- Aspect: Full sun (essential for best fruiting and colour)
- Maintenance: Moderate (annual pruning and thinning recommended)
Description
Malus domestica ‘Ellison’s Orange’ is a heritage apple variety loved for its aromatic, juicy fruit and reliable cropping in Irish and UK gardens. Sometimes described as a “Cox with extra character,” it stands out for its sweet, aniseed-tinged flavour and its ability to thrive in cooler, wetter climates where other dessert apples may struggle.
In spring, ‘Ellison’s Orange’ is covered with clusters of soft pink and white blossom, drawing pollinators and promising a generous crop. By September, the tree produces medium-sized apples—yellow-green with a warm orange-red flush—each one crisp, juicy, and full of distinctive taste. The flavour is sweet and aromatic with a hint of spice, making it a treat for eating fresh and a favourite for juicing.
Vigorous and easy to grow, ‘Ellison’s Orange’ is partially self-fertile but will crop best with a compatible pollination partner (group 3, such as ‘James Grieve’, ‘Discovery’, or ‘Fiesta’) nearby. It’s a strong, healthy tree that resists scab and copes well with the Irish and UK climate, making it ideal for gardens, small orchards, and even larger containers.
Plant as a specimen tree in a lawn, as part of a mixed orchard, or train against a sunny wall for a classic, productive feature. Its combination of blossom, fruit, and reliable performance makes it a true garden favourite.
Caragh Garden Notebook
Planting:
Space trees 2.5–3.5m apart for standards, or closer for cordons/espaliers. Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in late autumn to early spring (November–March). Choose a sunny, sheltered site with fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid frost pockets and waterlogged areas. Dig a generous hole, incorporate well-rotted compost, and plant at the same depth as in the nursery. Firm soil, water well, and mulch to retain moisture.
Space trees 2.5–3.5m apart for standards, or closer for cordons/espaliers. Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in late autumn to early spring (November–March). Choose a sunny, sheltered site with fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid frost pockets and waterlogged areas. Dig a generous hole, incorporate well-rotted compost, and plant at the same depth as in the nursery. Firm soil, water well, and mulch to retain moisture.
Soil Preparation:
Prefers moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0 is ideal. Improve poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
Prefers moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0 is ideal. Improve poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
Pruning & Care:
Prune annually in late winter or early spring to maintain shape, encourage fruiting spurs, and remove any dead or congested growth. Thin fruit in early summer to promote larger, healthier apples and prevent biennial bearing.
Prune annually in late winter or early spring to maintain shape, encourage fruiting spurs, and remove any dead or congested growth. Thin fruit in early summer to promote larger, healthier apples and prevent biennial bearing.
Pollination:
‘Ellison’s Orange’ is partially self-fertile but will crop best with a pollination partner from group 3, such as ‘James Grieve’, ‘Discovery’, or ‘Fiesta’.
‘Ellison’s Orange’ is partially self-fertile but will crop best with a pollination partner from group 3, such as ‘James Grieve’, ‘Discovery’, or ‘Fiesta’.
Harvesting:
Pick fruit in September when apples are fully coloured and come away easily from the branch. Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for a few weeks in a cool place.
Pick fruit in September when apples are fully coloured and come away easily from the branch. Best eaten fresh, but can be stored for a few weeks in a cool place.
Pests & Problems:
Generally reliable and disease resistant, especially to scab. Watch for aphids and codling moth. Good hygiene and regular checks help keep trees healthy.
Generally reliable and disease resistant, especially to scab. Watch for aphids and codling moth. Good hygiene and regular checks help keep trees healthy.
Propagation:
Not typically divided; propagate by grafting in winter for more trees.
Not typically divided; propagate by grafting in winter for more trees.
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