Malus domestica 'King of the Pippins' (D)

RHS Plant Profile
apple 'King of the Pippins'

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apple 'King of the Pippins' RHS 1999

Synonyms

Malus domestica 'Reine des Reinettes'
Malus domestica 'Pike's Pearmain'
Malus domestica Reine des Reinettes

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Fruit Edible
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A dessert cultivar in pollination group 5. It is suitable for northerly, colder, higher rainfall areas, where it will grow with an upright habit and produce heavy, regular crops. Fruit are of medium size and are orange and red flushed over yellow. If well ripened they have a good flavour and when cooked, keep their shape and are flavoursome. Fruit keeps well and so the season of use runs from October through to December or longer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
4-8 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
Name Status
Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Dessert apples are sweet and juicy and are best eaten fresh and raw

How to Grow

Cultivation

It will crop best in a sunny situation. The height will depend on the rootstock and training method. Suitable for all training forms. Keep a clear area around the trunk of at least 60cm radius. Fruit thinning may be required. For more details see apple cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting onto a clonal rootstock for fruit. The rootstock used will largely determine the vigour of the tree

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Edible fruit
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

Regular pruning is required - see apple pruning; spur bearing

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, including woolly aphid and rosy apple aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews