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Blenheim Orange apple

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Blenheim Orange

A popular old English apple variety, primarily a cooker.  Good for making 'Apple Charlotte' as it cooks to a stiff puree. Lovely eaten with cheese, having a nutty, quite sweet taste and a crumbly texture.

Our photo shows a redder-sport called Blenheim Red which was found in 1966.

Blenheim Orange is an exceptionally vigorous tree, growing to a similar size to Bramley's Seedling.

Blenheim Orange apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Blenheim Orange
  • Blenheim Orange

USDA identification images for Blenheim Orange

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

  • USDA watercolor image of Malus domestica: Blenheim Orange

Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

Offspring of this variety


Visitor reviews

  • 19 Oct 2022 
    I have a Blenheim Orange in Aberdeen Scotland. Fortunately the garden is huge (1 ha) so space is not an issue, the tree is still young (8 years) but very large already. Lots of apples this year(2022), long branches weeping down with the weight of it. Healthy tree, great apples.
  • 17 May 2017  PORTSMOUTH, United Kingdom
    I worked in the gardens of an old people's home and we used this variety to decorate dining tables at xmas. Pity really because they still tasted good. I now have my own but I think it has lost its pollinator as it has very few apples now. I plan to get another. Good for eating and cooking.
  • 20 Oct 2015  IPSWICH, United Kingdom
    Very large appleand sweet like russet
  • 17 Sep 2010  WORCESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom
    the tree was in my garden when i came in 1972, this year it is the best it has ever been, it is loaded and have been giving them away, and they taste good.
  • 16 Feb 2009  MILVERTON, ONTARIO, Canada
    We used to have an apple orchard near Woodstock, Ontario and we had an old tree that someone had planted years before we even moved there. My dad said he thought it was a Blenheim Pippin. It was very tart, but had a great flavour and kept well. It is a taste I miss!!
  • 28 Oct 2008  EAST SUSSEX, United States
    We have a very old tree in our garden we thought it was a cooker and this year it has produces a very large crop so much so we have given so many away we only found out about the apple when a lady had taken some of the apples and told us it was Bleneheim orange and it was a verry old variety.
  • 04 Oct 2008  MONMOUTH, United Kingdom
    On two occasions I have had very old stumps ruthlessly pruned when I wasn't looking. In a few years it recovers and occasionally crops really well.
  • 29 Sep 2008  SURREY, United Kingdom
    We have a very ancient and decrepit Blenheim Orange which produces a huge crop of beautiful unblemished fruit almost every year, untreated. I think the flavour developes when they are cooked - we love them, so do our friends!
  • 05 Nov 2007  EAST YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom
    Found in a bucket outside a farm saying take some to try. It said first found in 1740 growing against a wall at Blenheim Palace, formerly known as Kempsters Pippin. One of the nicest tasting apples I've ever had!
  • 18 Oct 2007  CRAWLEY, United Kingdom
    I have a dwarfed tree in a pot and I think they are the best eating apples in the world! They may be a bit sharp for some people but I love them!
  • 03 Aug 2007  United Kingdom
    I have a Blenheim orange tree in my garden, that nearly every year produces a good crop of large apples. I first used it as a cooker but it does not “fall” when cooked, and I prefer the taste of Bramleys.I have now decided that it is better as an eater. It is excellent with cheese and tastes similar to Egremont Russets. They keep well for a few months in my garage.

Tree register

United States

United Kingdom

Ireland

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

Switzerland

Spring blossom records for this variety

2023 season

  • 12th May  2023  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2022 season

  • 2nd May  2022  - tree owned by James in Glynn,, Ireland

2021 season

  • 15th May  2021  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2020 season

  • 25th May  2020  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2019 season

  • 1st June  2019  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2018 season

  • 30th May  2018  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2017 season

  • 16th October  2017  - tree owned by Neville in Tea Tree Gully, Australia
  • April  2017  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2016 season

  • 25th October  2016  - tree owned by Neville in Tea Tree Gully, Australia
  • May  2016  - tree owned by l in Littleport, United Kingdom

2015 season

  • 10th October  2015  - tree owned by Neville in Tea Tree Gully, Australia
  • May  2015  - tree owned by Paul in Llandyfriog, Newcastle Emlyn, United Kingdom

2014 season

  • 12th May  2014  - tree owned by Danny in Lochore, United Kingdom
  • 4th May  2014  - tree owned by Bruce in Taunton, United Kingdom
  • 1st May  2014  - tree owned by Steve in Steeple Claydon, United Kingdom
  • May  2014  - tree owned by J in Whitchurch, United Kingdom

2013 season

  • 12th May  2013  - tree owned by Jean in Martock, United Kingdom
  • 9th May  2013  - tree owned by Steve in Steeple Claydon, United Kingdom
  • 6th May  2013  - tree owned by Martin in Kingston-Upon-Thames, United Kingdom

2012 season

  • May  2012  - tree owned by Graham in Coldstream, United Kingdom
  • 27th April  2012  - tree owned by Bruce in Taunton, United Kingdom
  • 27th April  2012  - tree owned by Lenore in Beverley, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 28th April  2011  - tree owned by John in Malvern, United Kingdom
  • 25th April  2011  - tree owned by Malcolm in Loughborough, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Mary in , United Kingdom
  • 21st April  2011  - tree owned by James in Melbourne, United Kingdom
  • 21st April  2011  - tree owned by Luke in Northampton, United Kingdom
  • 15th April  2011  - tree owned by Peter in Hitchin, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 9th May  2010  - tree owned by John in Reading, United Kingdom
  • 30th April  2010  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • 28th April  2010  - tree owned by Peter in Hitchin, United Kingdom
  • April  2010  - tree owned by David in Sheffield, United Kingdom

2009 season

  • 20th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • 5th April  2009  - tree owned by Peter in Hitchin, United Kingdom
  • April  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in Loughborough, United Kingdom

Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.


Harvest records for this variety

2023 season

  • 3rd week September  2023  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2022 season

  • 2nd week November  2022  - tree owned by David in Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • September  2022  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States
  • September  2022  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2021 season

  • 3rd week September  2021  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2020 season

  • 3rd week September  2020  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2019 season

  • 2nd week October  2019  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2018 season

  • 1st week October  2018  - tree owned by Jim in Mequon, United States

2016 season

  • 1st week October  2016  - tree owned by Nigel in Ryton Dorrington Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week May  2016  - tree owned by l in Littleport, United Kingdom

2015 season

  • 4th week October  2015  - tree owned by Paul in Llandyfriog, Newcastle Emlyn, United Kingdom
  • 1st week October  2015  - tree owned by Jeannine in Thetis Island, Canada
  • 1st week October  2015  - tree owned by Mark in Coventry, United Kingdom

2014 season

  • 1st week October  2014  - tree owned by Jeannine in Thetis Island, Canada
  • 3rd week September  2014  - tree owned by Hannah in Minsterley, United Kingdom

2013 season

  • 3rd week September  2013  - tree owned by Martin in Kingston-Upon-Thames, United Kingdom
  • 4th week April  2013  - tree owned by Katrina in Nelson, New Zealand

2012 season

  • 2nd week October  2012  - tree owned by Lenore in Beverley, United Kingdom
  • October  2012  - tree owned by Graham in Coldstream, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 2nd week October  2011  - tree owned by Luke in Northampton, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week October  2011  - tree owned by Jude in Peasenhall, United Kingdom
  • October  2011  - tree owned by Matthew in Southampton, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week September  2011  - tree owned by James in Melbourne, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • October  2010  - tree owned by Pam in Great Bookham, United Kingdom
  • October  2010  - tree owned by David in Sheffield, United Kingdom
  • September  2010  - tree owned by Chris in Chipstead, United Kingdom

2009 season

  • 2nd week October  2009  - tree owned by Peter in Hitchin, United Kingdom
  • October  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • September  2009  - tree owned by Chris in Chipstead, United Kingdom
  • September  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in Loughborough, United Kingdom

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
  • Parentage: Unknown
  • Originates from: England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1740
  • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1973-133
  • Some historical details taken with kind permission from 'The New Book of Apples' by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards , illustrated by Elisabeth Dowle, published by Ebury Press, 2002.

Identification

  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Period of origin: 1700 - 1749
  • Fruit colour: Orange flush
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Popularity: Best sellers
  • Annual cycle: Deciduous

Using

  • Picking season: Late
  • Keeping (of fruit): 1-2 months
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Flavour style (apples): Sharper
  • Cooking result: Puree
  • Discoloration of fruit: No discoloration (Good for drying)
  • Vitamin C content: Medium
  • Cropping: Good
  • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
  • Food uses: Eating fresh
  • Food uses: Culinary
  • Food uses: Dual purpose
  • Picking period: early October
  • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

Growing

  • Gardening skill: Experienced
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Pollinating others: Poor
  • Ploidy: Triploid
  • Vigour: Very vigorous
  • Precocity: Slow to start bearing
  • Bearing regularity: Biennial tendency
  • Fruit bearing: Partial tip-bearer
  • Attractive features: Attractive fruit
  • Attractive features: Attractive tree / plant
  • Longevity: Long-lived
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile

Climate

  • Frost resistance of blossom: Susceptible
  • Cold hardiness (USDA): Zone 5 (-29C)
  • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
  • Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)
  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cold (< 20C / 67F)

Other qualities

  • Disease resistance: Average
  • Canker: Very resistant
  • Scab (Apple and Pear): Some resistance
  • Powdery mildew: Some resistance
  • Bitter pit: Some resistance

Where to buy trees

The following tree nurseries offer Blenheim Orange apple trees for sale:


Where to buy fresh fruit

The following orchards grow Blenheim Orange:

United Kingdom


Canada


Australia




References

  • Apples of England (1948)
    Author: Taylor
  • Fruit Expert
    Author: Hessayon

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