One parent of Ellison's Orange is Cox's Orange Pippin, and the flavour certainly comes through. Sweet but acidic with lots of crunchy, juicy white apple flesh. The apple was first introduced around 1904 from Lincoln. If stored for a week or more, Ellison's Orange develops a very slight aniseed flavour but it is barely noticeable.

In September, when the apples are first ready, the skin is red, just as a Cox's. But leave it on the tree for a week or two more and the skin turns an autumnal orange colour.

If you want to buy Ellison's Orange from our recommended suppliers, then click here. The trees are supplied bare-root, around four to five foot tall (1½ metres).

The apples are not so good for keeping although off the tree they will last for ten days or so. As well as eating apples they make excellent apple juice.

Aside from their excellent taste and appearance they are also excellent for growing in cooler parts of the country and in frost pockets. This is because the pollination group is 4, so Ellison's Orange flowers later than many apple trees. Combine this with a relatively early fruiting time and you have a unique apple tree variety.