Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for EU delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Kidd's Orange Red apple trees

Malus domestica
Kidd's Orange Red has received the RHS Award of Garden MeritKidd's Orange Red is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3

Kidd's Orange Red is one of the select band of apple varieties which can truly be said to rival the definitive Cox's Orange Pippin for flavour. It is primarily a sweet apple, but unlike most sweet apples it has a rich complexity to the flavours too. Kidd's Orange Red is fairly crisp but also pleasantly chewy, and each bite seems to release yet more juice and flavour.

Kidd's Orange Red is a popular variety in English gardens, but it was actually raised in New Zealand at the start of the 20th century by J.H. Kidd, who was an enthusiast of the English Cox's Orange Pippin apple which is one of the parents of Kidd's Orange Red.

The tree grows attractively, and the crimson pink blossom is a particular feature - it has a rose-like scent too.

Although primarily an apple for eating fresh, Kidd's Orange Red also produces a high quality sweet apple juice, with a pleasing thick texture.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Kidd's Orange Red organic apple trees for sale

  • 11 yeartree on M9 rootstock23.25€
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 21 yeartree on M116 rootstock23.95€
    Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 31 yeartree on MM111 rootstock23.25€
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
EU delivery countries
  • Austria
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  • Netherlands
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Growing and Training

Kidd's Orange Red is very easy to grow, generally problem-free, and makes an excellent garden variety for most regions, including cool temperate climates and warmer climates. It makes a good alternative to Cox's Orange Pippin in warmer climates.

It forms an attractive-looking tree with long branches which grow vertically when the tree is young but then bend over with fruit as the tree comes into bearing.

It is not a heavy-cropper, although cropping is reliable. Fruit size can be on the small size but this can be corrected by moderate thinning as the fruitlets start to form.

Kidd's Orange Red is a good choice if you are not keen on pruning, as its branches and fruiting spurs do not become congested as the tree ages.


History

Kidd's Orange Red was developed in the 1920s by New Zealand apple enthusiast J.H. Kidd. It is a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Delicious.


Kidd's Orange Red characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Disease resistanceAverage - Not usually troubled by scab or mildew
  • Picking seasonLate
  • Season of use1-2 months - Will keep in a cold store until Christmas
  • Food usesEating freshJuice
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 4 (-34C)
  • Summer average maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
  • Country of originNew Zealand
  • Period of origin1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colourOrange / Red

Similar varieties

  • See also Cabarette
    Cabarette
    A traditional very-late season dessert apple, found in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • See also Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox's Orange Pippin
    Cox is widely acknowledged as having the best flavour of any apple variety.
  • See also GoldRush
    GoldRush
    A modern disease-resistant apple, like Golden Delicious but with a better tart/sweet balance. Good for eating fresh and juicing / cider.
  • See also Jonagold
    Jonagold
    Jonagold is a high quality American apple, with a good balanced sweet/sharp flavour.