Ellison's Orange

The broad stripes on the apple at left do not appear to be usual, but I wanted you to see it alongside the more-typical apple on the right. Both are Ellison's Orange.

Consequently there are two examples of this English apple to enjoy.

These fruits are on the small side of large, a cheerful spring green layered with a subdued orange-red blush and a fair amount of rusetting.

The surface finish ranges from matte to rough.

The apples have russet-colored lenticel dots that are most visible in the blush but that can be spotted throughout. There is no ribbing to speak of, and the apple is round and oblate.

I really like this look in an apple, layered and rustic and full of character.

Inside Story

Inside, fine grained white flesh is breaking crisp and dense without being especially hard. There are green highlight in the flesh and a tartness (nothing extreme) that makes me suspect unripeness.

Nonetheless, Ellison's has some fine lively flavors of lychee, cane sugar, and spice.

There's nothing that clobbers you, just tastes that are balanced and refreshing and refined. There is a little orange towards the end of the chew

The finish is modest and sweet.

Notes

Ellison's Orange grew from a Cox's Orange Pippin pip. The National Fruit Collection says the pollen parent is Calville Blanc.

Orange Pippin warns that Ellison's Orange can develop a strong and unpleasant anise flavor in storage. OP also describes a very different apple: "quite soft, somewhat pear-like in texture, and juicier than Cox."

That's not what I found, but probably my samples (picked ca. September 8) were early. There may also be differences due to climate and terroir.

I could wish that mine had had another week on the tree.

Aren't those stripes something?

Links

• Cox's Orange Pippin x Calville Blanche d'Hiver
• Ellisons at the National Fruit Collection and the always-marvelous Orange Pippin
• Terroir, perhaps
• Pip, pip