The comprehensive resource for apples and orchards

Fiesta apple

One of the best Cox-style apples, and much easier to grow. Often marketed as Red Pippin.

Fiesta is a modern (1970s) English variety from the East Malling Research Station in Kent, sometimes known as Red Pippin. Like many modern apples one of the parents is the classic English Cox's Orange Pippin. Fiesta is a very good substitute for Cox's Orange Pippin in many respects, and whilst it lacks some of the depth and subtlety it is a better choice for the gardener.

The key to the flavour of most modern varieties that have been developed from Cox's Orange Pippin is often found in the other parent. In the case of Fiesta that is Idared, a 1940s American variety which is itself quite similar to Cox. Perhaps it is this similarity which allows the basic Cox flavour to come through quite faithfully in Fiesta.

Fiesta is a medium-sized apple, with the characteristic flecked red and orange flush over yellow - a very attractive autumnal colouring.  It is crisper than Cox, and in some ways a more accessible easier-eating apple than its parent. It is also quite juicy and is a very good variety for making your own apple juice from.

The flavour is essentially sweet, but with some of the rich complexity of Cox, and some good acidity too.  In an average year Fiesta is merely a good sweet Cox-style apple, but in a year that suits it, Fiesta gets very close indeed to the heights of Cox's Orange Pippin.  This can be a really good apple.

Cox is not a great apple for storing, but Idared stores extremely well and can easily last into the following spring in a basic cold store. The longevity of Idared is inherent in Fiesta as well, but although it remains firm, the appealing sweetness seems to disappear after a while - but it remains pleasant to eat fresh and this is definitely a point in its favour.

Fiesta is also an excellent variety for growing in the garden in most parts of the UK, as (unlike Cox) it is easy to grow and crops quite well

The only minor disadvantage is that Fiesta grows in a bizarre straggly fashion, rather more sideways than vertically.  This is definitely not a variety to plant as a specimen tree - it has the growth habit of a clematis!

In summary Fiesta is a good choice for the gardener wanting a Cox-style apple without the hassle. It is easier to grow in every respect than Cox's Orange Pippin yet comes very close indeed in the quality of flavour.

Last updated 21 May 2011.

Also known as

  • Red Pippin

Summary

  • Species: Malus domestica
  • Parentage: Cox's Orange Pippin and Idared
  • Origin: Kent, England, United Kingdom
  • Introduced: 1972
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 102200

Identification

  • Fruit colour: Red / Orange flush
  • Flesh colour: Cream
  • Fruit size: Medium
  • Bultitude apple group: 7. Flushed / striped, some russeting, sweet

Using

  • Good for eating fresh
  • Good for juice
  • Good for hard cider
  • Flavour quality: Very good
  • Flavour style: Sweeter
  • Ripening period: Late season
  • Use / keeping: 3 months or more

Growing

  • Cropping: Good
  • Flowering period: Mid-Late season
  • Flowering group: 4
  • Fertility: Partially self-fertile
  • Triploid: No
  • Vigour: Slightly small
  • Gardening skill: Very easy
  • General disease resistance: Good

Climate

  • Suitable for temperate climates

Other qualities

  • RHS Award of Garden Merit 1993

Relationships to other varieties

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

Fiesta identification photos from official fruit collections


UK National Fruit Collection

©Crown Copyright more >
UK National Fruit Collection

Fiesta identification photos from website visitors


Fiesta apples at Brogdale Farm, UK tape


Fiesta apples at Brogdale Farm, UK

Fiesta apples, Kent, UK tape


Fiesta apples, Kent, UK


Rate this variety for flavor

Current rating: 4 out of 5. Total votes cast: 2
 

Visitor comments

(Use the form at the bottom to add your own comments about this variety)

20 Oct 2011 N. BuckCAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
This year's Fiesta apples were ripe much earlier than usual due to the hot spring weather giving way to a very cool summer, with the result that many of my fruit trees panicked, shut down their growth and dropped about half of their leaves in early August! My Fiesta apples began to drop in early September (about two weeks early) and I had harvested them all by mid-September. Fruit quality and flavour was average (not too sharp, not too sweet, slight hint of Cox flavour) but fruit which has recently been coming out of cool storage is now only just about palatable; with very strong flavours of aniseed and/or brandy (rather sweet, spicy and alcoholic). In my climate, the tree and its fruit remain almost pest and disease-free without need for sprays (albeit with a little bitter pit on some fruits). Despite claims that it only has average resistance to powdery mildew, in my very-mildew-prone location it appears to be almost immune, while other trees have been killed or crippled due to being very prone to this fungal menace of spray-free growers. Remarkably, Fiesta also seems to not be particularly attractive to woolly aphids, with no colonies established so far despite some very heavy infestations on some of its neighbouring trees. However, in the last few years my Fiesta has been developing some burr-knotting on the undersides of lower branches which might cause a variety of problems in later years such as partial girdling, canker, or it may allow tunnelling/wood-eating pests to get into the heart of the tree, resulting in a shortened lifespan. On the other hand, the development of burrs as the tree ages could make this variety reasonably easy to proagate from any cuttings which bear these burrs (although the burrs didn't start to appear on my tree until the tree was several years old - and, having tried it; I can state for a fact that cuttings from this tree which don't have those burrs will not root themselves under normal conditions).
06 Oct 2010 HollyUnited Kingdom
I was surprised to read the word 'tastless' associated with this deliciously tangy apple. Recently available at my local farm shop I think it was one of the nicest English apples I have tasted. Aspects of strawberry and the tartness of Cox apples combine into a very juicy and delicious apple.
13 Sep 2010 N. BuckCAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
With the first of my Fiesta apples being picked at the moment, I revisited this page. I find that in my area, Fiesta is a good performer of a tree - good regular crops of blemish-free, quality fruit. As often stated: a good garden tree. Disease and frost resistance is plenty adequate in my area (eastern UK). It also doesn't suffer much from pest/insect/maggot damage. It is slightly prone to bitter pit in its younger years, when carrying only a light crop and growing strongly at the same time - no doubt the bitter pit problem is inherited from its very-prone Cox parent. As the tree starts to mature, the bitter pit problem ceases. As mentioned by another poster: Fiesta will often form a spreading, twiggy, untidy or one-sided tree, which can require a bit of pruning effort to shape it. Unfortunately, despite many claims of good flavour, I find the apples to be merely juicy, with no definite flavour. None of my Fiesta's apples have attained a Cox-like flavour. In summary: a good, reliable, relatively trouble-free tree, but the fruit is only fair flavour and the tree has a tendency for one-sided growth.
24 Oct 2009 Peter LakeMELBOURN, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
My experience with growing Fiesta is that it is prone to canker.
11 Oct 2009 Pauline DolbyNORFOLK, ENGLAND, United Kingdom
We have been told that the willow type apple tree iin my garden is a Fiesta Red Pippin. This year I did prune and we have much larger apples which I think taste like the Cox apple and is very juicy. The skin however is very tough and they are better pealed. I have also cooked these apples and they stay very firm. Does this sound like a Fiesta Red Pippin apple?
03 Jun 2008 Marian FitchSOMERSET, United Kingdom
My Fiesta is a biennial bearer, but with excellent flavour. The tree itself is very untidy and actually fell over in a storm last year, however it has set a reasonable amount of fruit this year propped up by 2 stakes.
26 Jan 2008 Margaret JarvisPERTHSHIRE, United Kingdom
We agree with your tasting notes - keeps well, tastes good. Just now eating last years crop for first time. Also juices well - like several others. Also very fond of Katy for an early one. We have 12 varieties in a small new domestic orchard, in what is typically a soft-fruit area. - Fiesta was amongst the first planted in Jan 1999 as a maiden form Butterworths.
12 Nov 2007 Paul DillonSURREY, United Kingdom
I think Fiesta does not have much taste, and what it does have is unpleasant.
11 Oct 2007 Dan KissaneCO KERRY, Ireland
I agree with the above description of this variety. A bit prone to scab, and needs to be well thinned to avoid lots of small apples, but an apple of the highest quality.

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Fruit tree register

Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.

The following Fiesta trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.

You can also view these trees on a map.

United States

United Kingdom

Ireland

Netherlands



Latest Spring blossom records for this variety

2011 season

  • 26th April  2011  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Eric in BRISTOL, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2011  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
  • 18th April  2011  - tree owned by Dan in UXBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • 15th April  2011  - tree owned by David in SLEAFORD, United Kingdom
  • 13th April  2011  - tree owned by A in CHIPPENHAM, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 7th May  2010  - tree owned by Matt in CHESTER, United Kingdom
  • 5th May  2010  - tree owned by Stuart in Newbury, United Kingdom
  • 4th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • 3rd May  2010  - tree owned by Marian in STREET, United Kingdom
  • 17th April  2010  - tree owned by David in SLEAFORD, United Kingdom

2009 season

  • 25th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • April  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom

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

Latest harvest records for this variety

2011 season

    2010 season

    • 3rd week October  2010  - tree owned by Matt in CHESTER, United Kingdom
    • October  2010  - tree owned by Pauline in , United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • 3rd week October  2009  - tree owned by Matt in CHESTER, United Kingdom
    • October  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
    • September  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom
    • September  2009  - tree owned by Pauline in , United Kingdom

Mature heights for Fiesta trees

This table shows the likely mature height for a Fiesta tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.

Rootstock Soil quality
Poor Below average Average Above average Very good
P22 2.1 ft
0.6 m		 2.6 ft
0.8 m		 3.2 ft
1.0 m		 3.7 ft
1.1 m		 4.2 ft
1.3 m
M27 2.4 ft
0.7 m		 3.0 ft
0.9 m		 3.6 ft
1.1 m		 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 4.8 ft
1.5 m
M9 3.6 ft
1.1 m		 4.5 ft
1.4 m		 5.4 ft
1.7 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.2 ft
2.2 m
Bud.9 3.6 ft
1.1 m		 4.5 ft
1.4 m		 5.4 ft
1.7 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.2 ft
2.2 m
Geneva 16 3.6 ft
1.1 m		 4.5 ft
1.4 m		 5.4 ft
1.7 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.2 ft
2.2 m
Geneva 11 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 5.3 ft
1.6 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.4 ft
2.3 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m
M26 4.5 ft
1.4 m		 5.6 ft
1.7 m		 6.8 ft
2.1 m		 7.9 ft
2.4 m		 9.0 ft
2.8 m
Geneva 30 4.8 ft
1.5 m		 6.0 ft
1.8 m		 7.2 ft
2.2 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m		 9.6 ft
2.9 m
MM102 4.8 ft
1.5 m		 6.0 ft
1.8 m		 7.2 ft
2.2 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m		 9.6 ft
2.9 m
M7 5.4 ft
1.7 m		 6.8 ft
2.1 m		 8.1 ft
2.5 m		 9.5 ft
2.9 m		 10.8 ft
3.3 m
M116 5.4 ft
1.7 m		 6.8 ft
2.1 m		 8.1 ft
2.5 m		 9.5 ft
2.9 m		 10.8 ft
3.3 m
MM106 6.0 ft
1.8 m		 7.5 ft
2.3 m		 9.0 ft
2.8 m		 10.5 ft
3.2 m		 12.0 ft
3.7 m
MM111 7.2 ft
2.2 m		 9.0 ft
2.8 m		 10.8 ft
3.3 m		 12.6 ft
3.9 m		 14.4 ft
4.4 m
Bud.118 7.8 ft
2.4 m		 9.8 ft
3.0 m		 11.7 ft
3.6 m		 13.7 ft
4.2 m		 15.6 ft
4.8 m
M25 9.0 ft
2.8 m		 11.3 ft
3.5 m		 13.5 ft
4.1 m		 15.8 ft
4.8 m		 18.0 ft
5.5 m

From an idea by N. Buck - more details.

Where to buy apple trees

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Where to buy apples

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