• Record your blossom dates!
  • Our fruit tree register lets you record your spring blossom dates from year to year.More>
Orange Pippin logo
All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Rival apple

By the early 20th century Cox's Orange Pippin was well-established as the premier English apple.  However it was not the easiest to grow, and many attempts were made to cross it with varieties which were easier to manage.  Rival is slightly unusual in that the other parent is Peasgood's Nonsuch, a well-regarded English cooking apple, which imparts good disease resistance and a much shaper flavour.

Rival is a good variety for attracting deer as the apples stay on the tree into winter.

USDA identification images for Rival

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

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

    Parents and other ancestors of this variety


    Offspring of this variety


    Visitor reviews

    • 20 Oct 2013  NORFOLK, United Kingdom
      We have a Rival tree in our garden. Apples taste quite sweet and cook well. They are not good "keepers" as they yend to become quite floury.

    Tree register

    United Kingdom

    Switzerland

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2013 season

    • May  2013  - tree owned by Sheila in Methwold, United Kingdom

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


    Harvest records for this variety

    2013 season

    • 4th week August  2013  - tree owned by Sheila in Methwold, United Kingdom

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Parentage: Peasgood Nonsuch x Cox's Orange Pippin
    • Originates from: Berkshire, United Kingdom
    • Introduced: 1907
    • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1907-006

    Identification

    • Country of origin: United Kingdom
    • Fruit colour: Green

    Using

    • Picking season: Late
    • Keeping (of fruit): 1-2 months
    • Flavour quality: Good
    • Flavour style (apples): Sharper
    • Cooking result: Textured puree
    • Cropping: Good
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Culinary

    Growing

    • Gardening skill: Average
    • Flowering group: 3
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Vigour: Average vigour
    • Bearing regularity: Biennial tendency
    • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
    • Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile

    Climate

    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Cold-hardiness: Cold-hardy

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Good

    Where to buy fresh fruit

    No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.



    References

    • Apples of England (1948)
      Author: Taylor

    Varieties you viewed