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Winston apple

This apple started life as Winter King but in 1944 it was renamed Winston.

It is a high quality, late-keeping apple with creamy- white flesh, firm, juicy and a little sharp but mellowing to be sweet and aromatic.

Whilst Winston has many of the flavour characteristics of Cox's Orange Pippin, its horticultural characteristics - fortunately - take after its other parent, Worcester Pearmain.  Hence it is resistant to most diseases, easy to grow, and crops reliably.

USDA identification images for Winston

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


    Visitor reviews

    • 11 Oct 2015  HERTFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
      I have had this tree for 30+ years, and nearly always get a good crop from it, though the fruit is often on the small side, even after thinning. However, I thoroughly recommend this variety because of its exceptionally long season of use. I find it pleasant to eat straight from the tree when picked from late September onwards, yet I find it will keep until March or even longer, retaining its good flavour and crisp texture pretty well, if stored in an unheated room. My other late-keeping variety, Sturmer Pippin, will keep at least as long if picked in late autumn, but is virtually inedible until January or later.
    • 24 Oct 2010  SUSSEX, United Kingdom
      We used to sort and store these for my mother, all the ones which weren't fit to store were taken to a cider press after a week and juiced. The juice was superb really strong and really tasty. Some lasted to March/April Now trying the juice from the community orchard. see blog www.lemonaday.com
    • 13 Sep 2010  CAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
      I agree - a good performer and forms an attractive, easy-to-grow, fairly-trouble-free tree. The apples are quite sharp when picked and are best if stored for several weeks after picking. In simple cool storage, the apples should keep for a few months, maybe several months. The apples can be quite small if not thinned, but I find that smaller apples are less attractive to pests, so I don't thin mine and I accept "lunchbox" or "fun sized" fruits. In a garden situation, without the benefit of hives of bees shipped-in by orchards for pollination, Winston's very fertile blossoms (which seem to have some frost tolerance) can be useful to help obtain a good crop when other varieties fail. Many commentators praise Winston's resistance to scab and mildew, but I find that although its resistance is adequate in most seasons, it is not as highly-disease-resistant as is often implied. "Some resistance" to scab and mildew would be a better description than "very resistant". A very good tree and I highly recommend it as an easy-to-grow, attractive, not-too-troublesome, reliable, late-keeping apple.
    • 07 Aug 2010  CORNWALL, United Kingdom
      One of the most reliable croppers that stores well in air, crisp and good-flavoured. It should be more comonly grown.

    Tree register

    United States

    United Kingdom

    Belgium

    Ireland

    Netherlands

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2016 season

    • 12th May  2016  - tree owned by Cheuk in Amsterdam, Netherlands

    2010 season

    • 20th May  2010  - tree owned by Maureen in Eyemouth, United Kingdom
    • 7th May  2010  - tree owned by Stuart in Newbury, United Kingdom
    • 4th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • 25th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom

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


    Harvest records for this variety

    2018 season

    • 3rd week October  2018  - tree owned by Tessa in KINGSTON, United Kingdom

    2017 season

    • 2nd week October  2017  - tree owned by Robert in Enfield, United Kingdom

    2016 season

    • 2nd week November  2016  - tree owned by Cheuk in Amsterdam, Netherlands

    2010 season

    • August  2010  - tree owned by Hazel in Cheadle Hulme, United Kingdom

    2009 season

    • October  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Parentage: Cox's Orange Pippin and Worcester Pearmain
    • Originates from: Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
    • Introduced: 1900
    • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1974-410

    Identification

    • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
    • Annual cycle: Deciduous

    Using

    • Picking period: mid-October
    • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

    Growing

    • Pollinating others: Average
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Organic culture: Suitable

    Climate

    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Climate suitability: Mild damp climates
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Good
    • Scab (Apple and Pear): Very resistant
    • Canker: Some resistance

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Winston apple trees for sale:

    • Keepers Nursery
      United Kingdom  More >>

    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Winston:

    United Kingdom


    Canada




    References

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

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